GPs strike deal to help end ‘8am scramble’ for appointments

8 comments

1. #PRÉCIS: New GP Deal Aims to End the 8am Appointment Scramble

   Patients in England could soon find it easier to book GP appointments under a new contract agreed between doctors and the government. The deal, worth an extra £889 million a year, promises to cut red tape, boost online booking options and allow more people to see their regular doctor. Ministers hope the changes will bring an end to the notorious early-morning rush to secure appointments.

   General practice has been under strain for years, with many patients facing long waits and doctors warning of unsustainable pressure. The Labour government, which campaigned on a promise to restore the role of the “family doctor,” says the new contract is the first step in repairing a system in crisis.

   The agreement, covering the 2025-26 financial year, will see GP funding increase by 7.2%. Most of this will go towards rising costs, including staff wages and building maintenance. Surgeries will also have more flexibility in hiring different healthcare staff, and GPs will receive extra payments for carrying out routine childhood vaccinations. The government believes that scrapping unnecessary “box-ticking targets” will free up doctors’ time, making it easier for patients to get the care they need.

   Health Secretary Wes Streeting described general practice as “broken” after a decade of underfunding and excessive bureaucracy. He insists this deal will make a real difference, but doctors say it is only a start. Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the BMA’s GP committee, called it a welcome step forward but stressed the need for a long-term funding plan. She warned that general practice had reached “desperation point,” with thousands of GPs leaving in recent years.

   While the changes will not be an instant fix, the first signs of improvement could be visible within six to twelve months. Patients may soon find it easier to see a familiar doctor and encounter better-staffed surgeries. However, doctors remain clear: much more needs to be done to ensure a stable future for general practice in England.

2. Not that it’s massively better but my GP surgery operates a walk in every day and guarantee to see you if you’re there before a certain time. Ok the wait times are colossal usually but at least you can be seen.

3. Hard to see this as anything but a solid win for Labour. NHS has been underfunded for years and here they are, giving close to a billion quid to help doctors surgeries deal with the demand. Exactly what needed to be done

4. My GP surgery have an online booking system and my god it is wonderful. They tried to get me in the same day but I was working, so I got in 9am the next morning. The GP was absolutely wonderful, went through my medical history to check up on previous issues without me even asking! She gave me so much advice and prescribed medication that day. When the NHS works is absolutely fucking wonderful.

   I feel as though calling for an appointment should be left for the elderly who struggle with the online system. Hopefully we can keep improving and bringing the NHS back to the service it used to be.

5. I book my GP online, most queries are resolved over text or the phone with a callback

   The lines are free for people who struggle using a website

   Mad that most other GPs don’t do it this way

6. The government clearly had to do something. With an estimated 720,000 immigrants a year entering the UK, it was unfair to expect them to know about or understand the 8am scramble for an appointment.

7. The e-consult works very well here , always get a call or seen the same day. They changed to this during covid and it was the best thing they ever did.

8. Would be nice if I didn’t have to give the ditsy receptionist my entire life story and embarrassing medical history before she decides if I’m worthy of a doctor’s appointment.

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