More patients in England will be able to book appointments online and request to see their regular doctor as part of a new deal agreed with GPs in England, the government has said.
The deal includes an additional £889m in funding for the year 2025 to 2026 and is designed to end the “8am scramble” for appointments and “bring back the family doctor”.
Announcing the agreement, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it would “cut the red tape that ties up GPs’ time”.
From October, the reforms will require GP surgeries to allow patients to request appointments online in a bid to free-up phone lines for urgent enquires and help end the 8am rush to book appointments over the phone.
GPs will also be incentivised to identify patients who would benefit from seeing their regular doctor at every consultation.
Targets, including those requiring surgeries to report on staff wellbeing meetings, have also been scrapped to allow doctors to spend more time treating patients.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
“Today, we have taken the first step to fixing the front door to the NHS, bringing back the family doctor, and ending the 8am scramble,” Mr Streeting said.
“Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared. That’s why patients are struggling to get an appointment.
“This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs’ time and backing them with an extra £889m next year.
“In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment.”
Read more on Sky News:
GPs ‘working as Uber drivers’ because they can’t find jobs
UK faces potential second norovirus wave
Cancer death rates ‘almost 60% higher’ in deprived areas
Follow our channel and never miss an update.
Under the agreement, struck by the government and the British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union for doctors, GPs have accepted contract amendments for the first time in four years.
The Department of Health and Social Care has said it marks a “reset of relations” after recent strikes.
It said it would “ease pressures” on other parts of the NHS, including A&E.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England national director for primary care and community services, said: “This is the first time in four years that the GP contract has been accepted as proposed and I hope it will be seen as positive for practices, GP teams and patients when introduced in April.
“It shows how NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have listened and delivered on the priorities that matter most to patients and general practice teams, including a significant increase in funding and extra flexibility in the additional roles reimbursement scheme to recruit more staff including GPs.”
