Key Summary
- GP practices to keep their online consultation tools open from 8 am-6:30 pm, Monday to Friday
- Patients will now be able to request appointments, ask questions and describe symptoms online
- At present, online access is not consistent across the country and is a challenge in overlooked areas
As the Labour government looks to end the '8 am scramble', it has made it mandatory for GP practices to keep their online consultation tools open from 8 am-6:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Patients will now be able to request appointments, ask questions, and describe symptoms online throughout the day rather than calling their surgery or visiting in person.
This will help free up practice phone lines for those who need them most and make it more convenient to access appointments.
The extended services were rolled out on Wednesday (1) and is expected to free up GP phone lines across the country.
At present, online access is not consistent across the country and is a challenge in overlooked areas.
Some GP practices turn online requests off when they reach a certain number, while others only have the online function available for a few hours a day.
Care minister Stephen Kinnock said, "When patients can’t get through on the phone, 6.6 percent end up in A&E, which is worse for them and more expensive for the taxpayer.
By fixing the front door of the NHS, these reforms will help to ease pressures on other parts of the health service.
The minister pointed out that his government has already invested an extra £1.1 billion in general practice and hired an extra 2,000 GPs across England.
The new requirement for online access is based on evidence gathered from some GP practices that have successfully adopted this practice.
These practices have substantially improved service quality, with one London GP surgery reporting that it has reduced waits from 14 days to just 3, with 95 percent of patients seen within a week.
NHS England has provided extensive support to help practices implement the changes.
They now have to publish a new patient charter dubbed ‘You and Your GP’ on their websites, informing patients what they can expect from their practice and how to give feedback or raise concerns.
Practices are now required to have clear processes in place to receive patient feedback or concerns so they can be swiftly addressed.
Dr Duncan Gooch, GP and chair of the Primary Care Network at the NHS Confederation, said, “The ‘8am GP scramble’ is one of the most frustrating issues for the public when trying to book an appointment, and for practices – resulting in a strain on primary care. Providing patients with a range of routes to access their practice – such as by telephone, online or walk-in – can help ensure fair access to advice and treatment.
“We also recognise that GPs may fear that this will lead to uncontrolled demand which impacts on patient safety. However, many of our members are operating in this way already and have been positive about the impact – not only on patients, but on the workforce too.
"Managing demand and providing better access has reduced stress on staff, conflict with patients and created a positive environment where job satisfaction is high."
