GP practices in England are being instructed by NHS England to ensure patients can access face-to-face appointments when needed. The directive comes amid concerns that some patients may be unaware of their right to in-person consultations, with remote appointments accounting for half of the 102 million consultations between March and July.
NHS England is writing to all practices to clarify that while remote consultations offer convenience, especially for vulnerable groups, face-to-face care remains available. Dr Nikki Kanani, medical director of primary care, urged patients to seek medical support, stating: 'The NHS has been and will continue to offer face-to-face appointments.'
The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) defended the profession, calling any implication that GPs had not been doing their job properly 'an insult'. Chair Professor Martin Marshall noted that general practice has remained open throughout the pandemic, with remote services helping to limit the spread of COVID-19. He stressed that routine appointments are back to near-normal levels, with around a third of a million face-to-face appointments delivered daily.
NHS England warned that failure to offer face-to-face appointments when medically necessary could lead to enforcement action, as it constitutes a breach of contract. However, the RCGP highlighted challenges such as infection control and high-risk GPs, which may limit in-person consultations in some cases.
Separately, a British Medical Association survey of over 8,000 doctors found that 86% believe a second COVID-19 peak is likely in the next six months. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, called for urgent government action on test-and-trace and local outbreak management to avoid a repeat of April's crisis.
