🩺 All GP Surgeries in England Must Offer Online Booking from Today
As of October 1, 2025, every NHS GP practice in England is now required to offer online appointment booking and digital consultation access throughout the working day. This marks a major milestone in the UK’s effort to modernize primary care and eliminate the infamous “8am scramble.”
🕗 New Operating Requirements
Practices must keep their websites and app services available from 8am to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday, for:
- Non-urgent appointment requests
- Medication queries
- Administrative tasks (e.g., repeat prescriptions, referrals)
This change applies to both desktop and mobile platforms, with the NHS App serving as a central access point for many patients.
📈 Why It Matters
- Reduced Phone Line Congestion: Patients no longer need to call at 8am to secure a slot.
- Improved Access: Digital systems allow patients to submit requests at any time during core hours.
- Faster Turnaround: Some practices report wait times dropping from 14 days to just 3, with 95% of patients seen within a week.
⚠️ Pushback from GPs
The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised concerns:
- Lack of safeguards for urgent cases submitted online
- No additional staffing to handle increased digital traffic
- Risk of “hospital-style waiting lists” and reduced face-to-face care
GPs have voted to enter a formal dispute with the government, demanding urgent action to address these issues source: MSN News.
🗣️ Government Response
Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended the rollout:
“If you can book a hair appointment online, you should be able to book an NHS appointment too… This is about fixing the front door to the NHS.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has pledged £1.1 billion in funding and hired 2,000 additional GPs to support the transition.
