GP Dr Ellie Cannon, who appears in NHS England’s social media video, said patients should remember they can contact their GP through their websites rather than relying on phone lines.<\/p>\n
“Knowing where to get the care you need can make all the difference,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It’s common for people to default to the 8am scramble for a GP appointment, or go to A&E, as it’s what feels most familiar \u2013 but there are many far more convenient and quicker ways to handle your health concern while you get on with your day.”<\/p>\n
She said contacting GPs through their websites could be quicker and easier alongside using pharmacies and NHS 111.<\/p>\n
GP practices in England were ordered to offer online booking from October and figures released this week show more than 98% now do. Those systems allow patients to ask questions as well as request appointments.<\/p>\n
But the change has provoked opposition from the British Medical Association (BMA) which has warned it could put patients at risk because GPs could become overwhelmed assessing online queries.<\/p>\n
It comes as the NHS in England starts to publish its winter monitoring statistics on Thursday. They will provide a snapshot of how hospitals are coping, including the number of patients on wards with flu, how long ambulances are queuing for outside A&E and bed occupancy rates.<\/p>\n
Last month, NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey warned this winter could be one of the toughest the health service has faced as rates of flu started rising early amid what appears to the spread of a severe strain.<\/p>\n