THE GP practices in Knutsford and the surrounding areas with the most and least patients per doctor have been revealed.

The British Medical Association said large disparities in GP to patient ratios throughout England are ‘wholly unacceptable’ and called on the Government to address the longstanding issues.

NHS Digital figures show 795,227 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS Cheshire CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 499 full-time GPs.

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The data reveals that 85,790 patients were registered with GP practices in Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Holmes Chapel, Chelford and Handforth.

Altogether, these NHS patients are served by 88 doctors.

The data recorded at the end of January has only been released this month.

Wilmslow Health Centre on Chapel Lane has the worst ratio with 1,306 patients per GP.

This was followed by Kenmore Medical Centre on Alderley Road in Wilmslow with 1,151 patients per GP.

Chelford Surgery on Elmstead Road, Chelford, has the lowest with 630 patients per GP.

A spokesman for NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: “GP practices staff their surgeries with a mixture of healthcare professionals to meet the needs of their patients. Typically, this includes not only GPs, but practice nurses, nurse practitioners and others.

“In recent years, a national programme has led to the addition of pharmacists, physiotherapists, physician associates and paramedics to local teams alongside new roles such as care co-ordinators.

"The aim is to help people access the best-placed professional to meet their care needs in the most timely way.

“Although the NHS Digital figures don’t fully reflect local employment models and use of locum staffing, in Cheshire we continue to work with all our member GP practices around recruitment and retention of GPs.”

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of The Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs want to be able to consistently give their patients the care they deserve, no matter where they live.

“But the increased workload expected of GPs and their teams while their numbers fail to increase at the necessary pace, is unsustainable.”

Along with hiring more GPs, he said plans are also needed to keep experienced GPs in the workforce for longer.

The Department of Health and Social Care said there were more than 1,600 more full-time doctors in December 2021 than two years previously, with a record-breaking number starting training last year.

A spokesman said: “We have invested £520 million to improve and expand GP capacity during the pandemic.”

Here is the full list of surgeries in Knutsford and the surrounding area in order of those with the most patients per GP to the least:

1. Wilmslow Health Centre, Chapel Lane – 1,306 (14,362 patients to 11 GPs)

2. Kenmore Medical Centre, Alderley Road, Wilmslow – 1,151 (12,666 patients to 11 GPs)

3. The Health Centre, London Road, Holmes Chapel – 987 (12,831 to 13 GPs)

4. Handforth Health Centre, Wilmslow Road, Handforth – 983 (9,828 patients to 10 GPs)

5. Knutsford Medical Partnership, Manchester Road, Knutsford – 959 (23,016 patients to 24 GPs)

6. Alderley Edge Medical Centre, Talbot Road, Alderley Edge – 723 (8,679 patients to 12 GPs)

7. Chelford Surgery, Elmstead Road, Chelford – 630 (4,408 patients to seven GPs)