HUGE disparities can be seen in terms of how easy patients across Warrington find it to get through to their GP on the phone.

For example, 92 per cent of patients at the best ease of phone access medical centre in the town said they found it easy to get through over the phone.

In comparison, only 12 per cent of people registered at one surgery in Warrington said connecting with the practice by call was easy.

Overall, 48 per cent of patients across Warrington said it was easy to speak to their GP over the phone.

In March, NHS England announced that more patients will be able to get through to their GP surgery for an appointment thanks to upgraded phone technology rolled out across the country.

It was said that almost every GP practice in England has upgraded their phone systems, with more than 5,800 surgeries using a digital system for answering patients’ calls.

During trials, this increased patients’ ability to get through to their practice by almost a third.

Extra training was also provided to staff answering calls at surgeries, so that people who need to see their family doctor are prioritised, while those who are better seen by other staff such as physiotherapists or mental health specialists can do so more quickly.

Here is the full list in order of GP surgeries in Warrington where patients find it easy to get through over the phone:

1. Cockhedge Medical Centre – 92%

2. Manchester Road Surgery – 85%

3. Dallam Lane Medical Centre – 83%

4. Fairfield Surgery – 78%

5. Parkview Medical Centre – 66%

= Stretton Medical Centre – 66%

6. Causeway Medical Centre – 65%

7. Guardian Street Medical Centre – 62%

8. The Eric Moore Partnership – 58%

9. Helsby Street Medical Centre – 53%

= Westbrook Medical Centre – 53%

10. Springfields Medical Centre – 52%

11. Brookfield Surgery – 51%

12. Latchford Medical Centre – 50%

13. The Lakeside Surgery – 49%

14. Holes Lane Medical Centre – 48%

15. Padgate Medical Centre – 47%

16. Four Seasons Medical Centre – 46%

= Birchwood Medical Centre – 46%

17. Culcheth Medical Centre – 42%

18. Greenbank Surgery – 41%

19. Fearnhead Cross Medical Centre – 33%

20. Chapelford Primary Care Centre – 25%

= Folly Lane Medical Centre – 25%

21. Stockton Heath Medical Centre – 18%

22. Penketh Health Centre – 12%