Where does the driving cost come from?

The travel-cost column uses the latest UK weekly petrol price published by GOV.UK (fetched live via /api/fuel-prices) combined with your vehicle MPG. We show the active pence-per-litre figure as a chip above the results so you know exactly what the estimate is based on.

What data powers the wait-time estimates?

Surgery details and locations come from the NHS GP practice dataset; estimated wait times are modelled from publicly available appointment-book data and patient-list size. Always confirm availability with the surgery directly before switching.

Why does changing my MPG change the ranking?

Driving cost scales with miles ÷ MPG × fuel price. A more efficient vehicle lowers the cost component of the composite score, which can shift the best-value surgery, especially for longer commutes.

Compare GP Waiting Times Near Me

Compare GP wait times, travel time, and travel cost to find the best practical NHS option.

⏱️ 4-7 minutes

💪 Short

Medical Disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical guidance. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for medical decisions.

Data sources used in this run

Real data, benchmark data, and estimated fields are shown separately so you can see what is measured and what is modelled.

Run a search to see live source details.

Search Preferences

Configure your location and priorities

Your Postcode

Appointment Urgency

Standard appointment within 2-4 weeks

Maximum Travel Time: 30 minutes

Travel Modes

Driving

Public Transport

Walking

Vehicle Fuel Economy (MPG)

Used to calculate driving costs (round trip)

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How This Tool Works

Help you balance speed of appointment access with the real travel burden of each GP option.

1
Load real GP surgery directory records from NHS BSA open data and geocode postcodes with Postcodes.io
2
Calculate travel distance/time/cost and estimate wait days using transparent benchmark rules
3
Score options by urgency weights, compare in chart/table, and export to CSV

GP Surgery Wait Time Complete Guide

This guide explains, in simple English, what data is real, what is estimated, and how each score is worked out.

📅 Last updated: 2026-03-16

Quick Tips

Jump-start your understanding with these essential tips

The tool uses your postcode to find nearby surgeries and work out travel distance. If your postcode is wrong, your results will be wrong too.

Urgency changes the score weighting. Urgent gives more weight to waiting time. Routine gives more weight to travel cost and travel time.

Comparing three to five surgeries gives a better view of trade-offs than picking the first result.

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to get the most from this tool

Real data: Your postcode location and region come from Postcodes.io. GP surgery names, addresses and postcodes come from NHS BSA Prescriber Details Dataset.

Benchmark data: Travel minutes and public transport fares come from official benchmark data files stored in this tool.

Estimated data: GP wait days are estimated using Service Benchmarks (Gemini-backed) rules, because free public NHS datasets do not provide live wait times for each surgery.

💡 Pro Tips:

•After each search, check the “Data sources used in this run” panel.
•Use this tool for planning and discussion, not as medical guidance.

NHS Prescription Cost Calculator NHS Referral Delay Impact Planner

Step 1: Distance is calculated from latitude and longitude using the Haversine formula.

Step 2: Travel time comes from the benchmark travel-time matrix. Travel cost comes from your MPG setting (driving) or benchmark fare bands (public transport).

Step 3: Wait time is estimated from regional baseline rules and local surgery density.

Step 4: The tool converts wait time, travel cost and travel time into 0–100 scores, then applies urgency weights:

Urgent: wait 70%, cost 10%, travel time 20%
Soon: wait 50%, cost 20%, travel time 30%
Routine: wait 30%, cost 40%, travel time 30%

The highest combined score ranks first.

💡 Pro Tips:

•Try two urgency settings to check if your shortlist stays stable.
•Use Compare view to check details side by side.

Start with the summary cards, then use the chart and table to look at trade-offs.

“Cost per minute” uses the derived formula journey_fare / journey_duration. It helps you spot trips that cost more but do not save much time.

You can export CSV to discuss options with family, carers, or support workers.

💡 Pro Tips:

•A low wait estimate does not guarantee same-day appointments.
•Always verify registration and appointment rules with the surgery directly.

NHS vs Private Therapy Cost Planner

Advanced Topics

Deep dives for advanced users

Does this replace NHS guidance?
No. It is a planning tool only.

Are wait times real?
No. Wait days are estimates because free public NHS datasets do not publish live wait feeds by surgery.

Are surgery names and locations real?
Yes. They come from NHS open datasets plus postcode geocoding.

Are travel costs exact?
No. They are estimates based on your MPG input or benchmark fare bands.

Why can ranking change?
Changing urgency or travel mode changes the scoring weights.

Points near the lower-left usually give a better practical trade-off (shorter waits and lower travel cost). Outliers can still be good choices if they match your needs, for example if travel is easy for your household.

1) Shortlist your top 3 surgeries and contact them directly to confirm registration and appointment rules.

2) Re-run this tool with a different urgency setting to check if your shortlist is still strong.

3) Use related NHS cost tools to plan the wider household impact of your healthcare choices.