- West Devon is the England area with the longest distance to a GP, based on new ONS data
- Selby and Mid Suffolk take second and third, respectively
New research has revealed the areas in England with the longest distance to GP services, with West Devon coming out on top.
The study by care experts, Guardian Carers, analysed the latest available data from the Office for National Statistics to reveal the areas with the longest average straight-line distance to their closest GP.
West Devon, located in the Southwest of the country, came top on the list. West Devon households were found to be, on average, 3.98 kilometres away from their closest GP, a small margin higher than any other area in England.
Taking second place on the list is the North Yorkshire area of Selby, with each household sitting 3.85 kilometres away from their closest GP on average.
Coming in third place on the list is Mid Suffolk, located in the East of England. Households situated in the area were found to be, on average, 3.7 kilometres away from their closest GP.
Both South Norfolk and North Norfolk make their way into the list in fourth and sixth place, respectively. Data shows that households in South Norfolk sit on average 3.56 kilometres away from their nearest GP, while households in North Norfolk sit on average 3.39 kilometres away.
The Cotswold area rounds out the top five, with households in the Gloucestershire district being 3.52 kilometres away from their nearest GP on average.
| Rank | Area name | Average straight-line distance to GP (kilometres) | Year |
| 1 | West Devon | 3.98 | 2021 |
| 2 | Selby | 3.85 | 2021 |
| 3 | Mid Suffolk | 3.70 | 2021 |
| 4 | South Norfolk | 3.56 | 2021 |
| 5 | Cotswold | 3.52 | 2021 |
| 6 | North Norfolk | 3.39 | 2021 |
| 7 | Babergh | 3.24 | 2021 |
| 8 | Uttlesford | 3.17 | 2021 |
| 9 | Mid Devon | 3.15 | 2021 |
| 10 | Torridge | 3.14 | 2021 |
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Guardian Carers said: “Many of these rural areas distance to a GP is inflated with the lack of infrastructure compared to more built-up areas. This is especially true if these same areas have limited to no public transport, and in addition, the fluctuating price of fuel in recent years.
A small check-up can be the difference between a quick and instant treatment to a longer-term health concern and the distance needed to travel to a GP may play an important part in whether people make an appointment however as the winter draws in, spikes in colds, flus and other respiratory illnesses are common and it is expected that the pressure on GP services may increase; distance may not be the only factor affecting a person’s visit to their doctor.
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