The aim of this study was to gain service user and social care staff perspectives on the barriers facing people with intellectual disabilities when accessing primary healthcare. A qualitative mixed methods semi-structured approach involved the use of focus groups and individual interviews within the service users' homes. A purposive sampling strategy identified people using primary healthcare in the last 6 months (N = 6) with support from social care staff (N = 19). Three emergent themes were common to service users and carer staff: ;accessing the surgery', ;communication issues' and ;waiting around'. Other themes were unique to each group. Social care staff identified the ;attitudes and behaviour of primary healthcare staff' as sometimes problematic, and the importance of ;knowing the service user'. Service users identified ;feelings about going to the doctor', ;health education' and ;making changes'. Gaining these views is an important first step in improving access to primary healthcare.