Doctors in England are raising alarms that changes to the GP appointment booking process, mandated by the Labour party, have led to a reduction in face-to-face appointments and potentially compromised patient safety. The new system, implemented on October 1 of last year, requires all GP practices to accept online queries and booking requests between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays.
A survey of 330 GPs and 242 practice managers revealed that one-third (32 percent) of practices have been compelled to decrease the number of in-person appointments offered. Furthermore, a quarter (25 percent) of respondents believe these new requirements have put patient safety at risk. The survey was conducted by the GP magazines Pulse and Management In Practice.
Data from NHS England shows a consistent decline in the proportion of face-to-face GP appointments. In June, 60.2 percent of appointments were conducted in person, a decrease from 62.9 percent in June 2025 and 64.9 percent in June 2024. Conversely, the share of appointments held via phone or online has been steadily increasing.
Patient advocacy groups and Members of Parliament have expressed concern that substituting phone consultations for face-to-face visits could increase the risk of harm, particularly in the potential for overlooking symptoms of serious diseases like cancer. The British Medical Association (BMA), a prominent doctors' union, is in formal dispute with the government over these changes, which it also believes endanger patients.
The BMA has voiced concerns about increased workload and patients detailing potentially life-threatening conditions online rather than immediately seeking emergency care. The union has characterized the web forms as fostering a "consumer-like behavior" towards GP services, comparing it to booking non-urgent appointments such as for a cinema or hairdresser. The BMA stated that GP practices could manage the increased service demands if they were adequately resourced with the necessary workforce and investment.
Dr. Manu Agrawal, deputy chair of the BMA's GP Committee, stated that the current online request system is unsafe and that a system prioritizing bureaucracy over face-to-face interactions is neither efficient for practices nor ideal for patients. He emphasized that every request must be reviewed by a GP to ensure urgent cases are identified and acted upon swiftly. The GPC England has consistently argued that this approach would reduce GP appointments due to an increase in patients treating GP services like consumer offerings.
Agrawal added that if the government wishes to pursue this model of "NHS convenience," it must provide adequate resources. He warned that without such support, patient safety is bound to be compromised, leading to diminished continuity of care, increased patient harm, higher crisis care costs, and GP burnout. He expressed concern that recent gains in patient satisfaction, attributed to the hard work of GPs and their teams, could be lost if a safe and sustainable footing is not re-established.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care countered that GPs are required to offer face-to-face appointments in addition to remote consultations. The department stated that 2,000 additional GPs have been recruited since July 2024, with an investment of £1.7 billion over two years, placing GPs at the center of a 10-year health plan. They reported that 77 percent of patients now experience a "good" overall interaction, with significant improvements in access due to online services and the NHS App.
An NHS England spokesperson affirmed that GPs conducted one million more face-to-face appointments in June compared to the same month last year. They noted that patient satisfaction has improved and that maintaining open online systems throughout the day is crucial for patient access via online, phone, or walk-in methods, supporting equitable access.