Summary
From now on, all general practitioner (GP) practices in England must offer online appointment bookings throughout the day. This change is part of a government push to ease phone line congestion and make accessing GP services more convenient for patients. The initiative aims to reduce the rush to book appointments by phone, which often leads patients to visit emergency services instead.
Key Facts
- All GP practices in England now have to provide online booking from 08:00 to 18:30, Monday to Friday.
- The government's goal is to stop the rush for phone appointments at 8 a.m.
- Patients can use the online system for non-urgent appointments, to ask questions, and to describe symptoms.
- The British Medical Association expressed concerns about possible issues, including missed health problems.
- Doctors' union mentioned it might consider industrial action if needed.
- Around 6 million appointments per month, or about 20%, are currently booked online.
- The government invested an extra £1.1 billion to support the digital upgrade.
- Online booking aims to free up phone lines for urgent calls and lessen pressure on emergency rooms.
