News » England, Rurality » West Devon residents travel the furthest to see their GP
December 5th 2023
New research has revealed that patients in West Devon on average travel the furthest to see their GP, compared to other areas in England.
The study by home care provider Guardian Carers analysed latest Office for National Statistics to reveal the areas with the longest average straight-line distance to their closest GP.
West Devon households were found to be, on average, 3.98 kilometres away from their closest GP. West Devon is followed by Selby in North Yorkshire, where residents travel just 0.13km less to visit their GP and, in third place, Mid Suffolk, where the average travel distance is 0.15km less than in Selby.
| Rank | Area name | Average straight-line distance to GP (km) |
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."
