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Online consultation contractual changes: your experience |
Introduction
On 1 October 2025, GP practices in England became contractually obliged to make online consultation tools available to patients throughout the practice's contractual core hours (Mon-Fri 8am-630pm).
GPCE agreed these contractual changes in February 2025 but with the proviso that ‘necessary safeguards’ would be in place prior to the 1st October roll out.
Over the following months we met NHSE and DHSC many times explaining our significant concerns and that these safeguards should include a way to prevent patients from erroneously submitting urgent requests or queries online. We also insisted that practices should be able to briefly suspend online access if overwhelmed by demand or struggling e.g. due to staff sickness. However, these asks were declined and instead totally inadequate ‘safeguards’ have been suggested by NHSE and DHSC, such as messages on your website and posters in the surgery.
GPC England wants to understand the impact of these changes on GP practices. This will help us in our ongoing negotiations with government and the dispute we have now entered with them.
The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will close on Weds 12 November. Thank you for your contribution. Your responses are confidential, and will be anonymised.
Dr Katie Bramall – chair GPC England
Dr David Wrigley – deputy chair GPC England
Dr Samira Anane – deputy chair GPC England
Dr Julius Parker – deputy chair GPC England
GPCE agreed these contractual changes in February 2025 but with the proviso that ‘necessary safeguards’ would be in place prior to the 1st October roll out.
Over the following months we met NHSE and DHSC many times explaining our significant concerns and that these safeguards should include a way to prevent patients from erroneously submitting urgent requests or queries online. We also insisted that practices should be able to briefly suspend online access if overwhelmed by demand or struggling e.g. due to staff sickness. However, these asks were declined and instead totally inadequate ‘safeguards’ have been suggested by NHSE and DHSC, such as messages on your website and posters in the surgery.
GPC England wants to understand the impact of these changes on GP practices. This will help us in our ongoing negotiations with government and the dispute we have now entered with them.
The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will close on Weds 12 November. Thank you for your contribution. Your responses are confidential, and will be anonymised.
Dr Katie Bramall – chair GPC England
Dr David Wrigley – deputy chair GPC England
Dr Samira Anane – deputy chair GPC England
Dr Julius Parker – deputy chair GPC England
GDPR statement: This information is being collected to inform the BMA's discussions over the changes to GMS regulations with regards to online consultations. Some demographic information may also be collected for monitoring purposes. Any data supplied will be viewed by BMA staff and, where appropriate, elected members. This data may include incomplete responses where the respondent has exited the survey before the final submission page. Data will be retained by the BMA for a period not exceeding 12 months post the closure of the survey, before final deletion. Individual identifiable data will not be shared with third parties. Anonymised or statistical data may be used publicly or shared with third parties. Participants should not provide personal data of any person unless they are specifically asked to do so. If you have any queries or concerns about this survey, please contact info.research@bma.org.uk.