A new report from the Policy Exchange thinktank suggests that all patients should be able to book GP appointments online, aiming to eliminate the traditional '8am scramble' by phone. Currently, nearly nine in ten visits are booked via telephone, despite some practices offering slots on the NHS app.
The proposed £6 billion 'rescue package' would enhance the NHS app into a 'smart' service called NHS Gateway, which would also allow patients to order their own 'at home' blood tests and kits. This could relieve pressure on GPs, as up to 10 million appointments are made annually for such requests.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who wrote the foreword to the report, emphasised the need for a '21st century offer' to patients. The report also calls for more video consultations and an overhaul of the GP contract to reduce bureaucracy. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) expressed disappointment, noting that the new contract requiring evening and weekend appointments from October comes without increased funding.
NHS Digital data shows that only 60 per cent of appointments in January were in-person, down from 61 per cent in December. The BMA warned that GPs could resign over the imposed changes, which they say are unsustainable without additional financial support.
