Patients to give GP surgeries TripAdvisor-style ratings

“We are significantly expanding the amount of information available,” Mr Lansley added. “If, for example, you are a long-term asthma sufferer you will be able to find the local GPs that are best at treating people with your condition.

“You will be able to see how popular that surgery is and whether they focus on treating the elderly or young people. And you will see whether they regularly offer a choice of hospital to have your operation performed.”

Ministers hope that the publication of the information will force up standards, as patients choose to avoid surgeries with below-average performance.

Even more detailed data for GP practices in London will be unveiled by Boris Johnson, the capital’s mayor, today. Patients will be able to find out how good their practice is at providing injections for children and cervical screening, as well as how they compare with other GP practices in London.

“To make informed decisions, it is of paramount importance that we are armed with sensible information,” Mr Johnson said.

“Freeing up data, as we have done in other areas already, will enable Londoners to properly consider the options available and what works best for them.”