Primary care includes general practice, community pharmacy, dental and optometry (eye health) services. Primary care services provide the first point of contact to the healthcare system - acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS - and are fundamental to people’s experiences of health and care.
Our primary care priority
The focus of our primary care priority is to challenge the inequity of access which people tell us exists. We do this by seeking to understand the needs of our population and by providing information and advice accordingly. Alongside this we challenge and influence the healthcare system via our seats on a number of local boards and committees. Ultimately, we work to ensure that the population of Surrey know how and when to access primary care services and that services work better together to meet the needs of their local populations.
Recent work under this priority
Our recent work under this priority has included:
- At the end of last year we spoke to people across Surrey about the increasing move to online channels to access GP services, as well as the use of new technologies such as AI within GP practice. Our report - The digital divide - October 2025 | Healthwatch Surrey summarises our findings on their views and concerns and has been shared with our primary care colleagues.
- Since April 2025 our Helpdesk has received over 50 enquiries relating to the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) and reasonable adjustments for patients accessing general practice. Our findings - What we’re hearing about accessible information and reasonable adjustments - October 2025 | Healthwatch Surrey have helped to amplify the voices of the people of Surrey at the Learning Disability and Autism Partnership Board, the RADF (Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag) Implementation Board and regional and national leads for the RADF.
- As part of our commitment to improving access to primary care we spoke to Surrey residents with low vision about their experiences of specialist eye care services, as well as the information and support they receive between appointments and following discharge. Our findings will support the work of the Local Optical Committee (LOC) as they try to ensure that all Surrey residents with low vision receive the support they need.
- In partnership with the Surrey Local Optical Committee (LOC), Sight for Surrey, the Specialist Diabetic Screening Service, high street opticians and Surrey Heartlands ICB we have been undertaking research for a project looking to understand the barriers to having sight tests and what might encourage those from for black and Asian minoritised communities to attend. Our report will be available in the coming months!
- We are currently looking at the support available to help people to manage their weight. We are out and about in the community speaking to people about their experiences and are also running a survey - Weight management support which can be completed online or in paper copy by request.
Reports and bulletins relating to this priority can be found under the Access to primary care category of our reports section on our website.
You can find out more about how primary care fits within the wider healthcare system on our Understanding Healthcare page.