New Online Booking System for GP Practices
As of today, every GP practice in England is required to offer online bookings all day. The government-ordered change aims to reduce the so-called 8 o’clock scramble to get practices on the phone. Operations must offer the service from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Availability and Accessibility
In addition to requesting non-urgent appointments, patients can also ask questions, describe symptoms, and request a call back. However, dozens of patients have reported difficulty accessing online bookings despite the change. Some have stated that their local doctors are unaware of the new system, while others have found that there is never any availability.
Concerns and Criticisms
The British Medical Association has warned that there is a risk that patients could be missed or damaged in serious cases by moving to online bookings. The Doctors Union has expressed concerns about a "potential online triage tsunami" and has asked for more to enable protective measures, such as allowing practices to temporarily eliminate the online booking mechanism if employees are struggling to cope with patient numbers.
Government Response
Ministers have decided to push ahead with the plan, arguing that they have provided enough financial support to enable GP practices to introduce the new measure. Many practices have been offering this option for years, although some switch it off during busy times. Around 6 million appointments per month are currently booked online, which is about one in five of the total number.
Benefits and Goals
The government believes that online GP booking will help to free up telephone lines for those who urgently need to get through to a doctor and relieve pressure on A&E units. Studies have shown that patients who have difficulty reaching their family doctor are more likely to end up in A&E. The change is intended to modernize general medicine by making online access as easy as calling or walking into a practice.
Implementation and Support
The government has invested more than £1.1 billion to support this step, which is part of the 10-year NHS plan presented in the summer. The change was agreed with the BMA in April as part of the reforms made to the GP contract. NHS England has stated that this step will help to modernize general medicine and make it easier for patients to access their family doctor.
Patient Charter
GP practices are now also required to publish a new patient charter on their websites, which outlines what patients can expect from their practice and how they can give feedback or raise concerns. The charter is intended to improve communication and transparency between patients and their GP practices.
