PATIENTS across the South East now have more flexible ways to contact their GP amid the roll-out of online consultation services to complement traditional phone access.
From October 1 this year, every GP practice in England has kept their online consultation platform open for the duration of their working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries, and admin requests.
In the South East, 1.3 million online submissions to GPs were made during October, up almost 30% on the previous month and 79% up on October 2024.
The change is in support of the NHS 10-year health plan, which aims to deliver more care within communities and ensure patients can access appointments with a wider range of healthcare professionals.
Chatham Street Surgery in Reading serves one of the town’s more deprived communities, with a large proportion of patients speaking English as a second language and 7% of the practice population registered as unemployed against the local average of 3%.
Led by Dr Avas Asghar, GP Partner and Clinical Director for the local Primary Care Network, the practice has faced the same pressures as many practices across England: rising demand, workforce challenges, and increasingly complex patient needs.
The practice introduced online consultation tools to give patients greater choice and flexibility, while crucially retaining telephone access for those less confident with digital services.
The NHS says this balanced approach has ensured inclusivity and responsiveness in a diverse community and led to patients experiencing shorter wait times.
Dr Tim Caroe, Director of Primary Care Transformation in the South East, said: “Patients across the South East now have options regarding how they contact their GP, some may prefer to call them, and others may prefer to complete an online consultation, and GPs are working differently to meet this demand.
“Practices are embracing these new tools to make sure people can get in touch in the way that suits them best and receive the care they need at the right time.
“These changes are making a real difference, helping the NHS meet rising demand while continuing to deliver for patients across the region.”
