Bold reality check: online GP access is replacing phone contact for more people in England, and the shift is accelerating. New Office for National Statistics data covering three weeks mid-September shows that just over 43% of individuals opted to reach their GP online, up by about one percentage point from the prior month, while 41% still called by phone.
This change follows a government mandate requiring all NHS practices to offer online web bookings starting in October. Government figures claim online consult services were used by more than eight million people in October, marking a 20% increase from the previous month.
The move has sparked pushback from the British Medical Association (BMA), which warns that rising online demand could overwhelm surgeries and compromise patient safety. The BMA is in a formal dispute with the government over these changes.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised the latest numbers as a significant advance toward fulfilling the pledge to end the “8am scramble for appointments.”
ONS data indicate that 43.3% of contacts with GP services occurred online, whether through the NHS app or a local GP practice website, for the period from September 16 to October 9.
The government requires online appointment bookings to operate between 08:30 and 18:00, Monday through Friday. Health officials note that nearly all GP practices in England now provide this service, which also allows patients to request non-urgent consultations, ask questions, describe symptoms, and request a call back.
NHS England argues that online contact is now easier for patients and reflects growing popularity. Critics from the BMA counter that urgent requests aren’t being effectively triaged, potentially increasing patient safety risks, and that workloads could spike.
Dr. David Wrigley, deputy chair of the BMA’s General Practice Committee for England, warned that the government’s changes increase the likelihood of safety issues due to the software’s inability to distinguish between routine and urgent requests.
Healthwatch England echoed concerns, noting that some people aren’t adequately informed about the changes—particularly that online booking isn’t for emergencies—and that some practices limit online bookings to mornings. They also highlighted that navigating the system can be challenging for those with limited digital literacy.
