GPs get closing warning over ‘8am telephone scramble’ – this is how change will have an effect on you
Health minister Stephen Kinnock has called NHS leaders as the Government threatens to end contracts for GPs which refuse to offer online appointments leading to an ‘8am scramble’ on phone lines
GPs are being forced to make appointments available online under threat of being stripped of their NHS contracts.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock called NHS regional bosses on Monday to outline how practices must end the “8am scramble” for appointments via phone lines by making surgeries accept online requests for appointments throughout the working day. The Government has issued a press release confirming the “constructive call” with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and laying out the consequences for practices which don’t comply.
These include warning notices, sanctions or in serious cases, ending their NHS contract. Doctors’ union the British Medical Association (BMA) has threatened to raise a dispute over the changes which it says there are not enough doctors to implement.
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Up until October 1, GP practices were allowed to suspend online bookings when they get too busy and phone lines could remain engaged so some patients are unable to get through. The Government’s changes to keep open online access are intended to free up phone lines for older people who need them.
Minister of State for Care, Mr Kinnock said: “In the 21st century, patients want and rightly expect to be able to contact their GP online. We know that for the first time ever, more patients are contacting their GP practice online than by phone.
“It’s fantastic that most practices have successfully rolled out their online consultation service – now it’s time to support the remaining few to get this up and running everywhere. We’ve invested £1.1 billion in general practice and recruited 2,500 more GPs so the tools and resources are there to deliver a modernised service fit for the future.”
Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are NHS organisations responsible for planning health services for a local population and they manage a significant portion of the NHS budget. These boards are made up of local health and care leaders including from NHS trusts, local authorities and leaders from the voluntary sector.
Mr Kinnock’s call comes as the Government stresses to NHS leaders that practices which refuse to meet their new contractual duties can be subject to formal action from ICBs. The change will likely mean that receptionists are no longer the gatekeepers to GPs in England.
It means GP practices can no longer ask patients to call back again tomorrow at 8am. The GP triage process will require that practices accept requests for appointments, medication queries and admin requests online, via the phone or for walk-ins from 8am to 6.30pm.
All requests for appointments will see patients provide details of their condition which will be reviewed and the practice should respond within one working day. This should result in the offer of a GP appointment slot or referral to a pharmacist or other NHS service. In a minority of cases it could result in self care advice.
The BMA wants practices to maintain the ability to divert online consultation requests to telephone and walk-in options if they are “overwhelmed”. However under the current system this leaves many people struggling to get through to the practice.
In his speech at Labour Party Conference in September, Health Secretary Wes Streeting branded the BMA the “forces of conservatism”, saying they will “turn the NHS into a museum of 20th century healthcare”.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs and our teams are working incredibly hard to meet the needs of our patients, delivering more appointments than before, despite mounting workforce and workload pressures. Most practices have already implemented online booking systems, and we know many patients find booking this way convenient.
“However, we are aware that they don’t work well for everyone. For some practices, adapting to these changes has been challenging, particularly where digital systems are outdated or resources are stretched. Practices in this position need practical support and investment, not censure.”
