Patients in England will be able to book appointments with their GP surgery online across the working day under reforms aimed at ending the “8am scramble” to see a doctor.
The government said on Friday it had reached agreement with the UK’s biggest doctors’ union for reforms that would “fix the front door” of the NHS and pledged to bring back the family doctor.
A new contract reached with the British Medical Association on Thursday will require GP surgeries to allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up phone lines for those who need them most.
In return, the government said it would lift “burdensome” red tape requirements on GP surgeries by slashing targets, such as reporting on staff wellbeing meetings.
The government announced last year that it would inject an extra £889mn into GP services.
“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,” said health secretary Wes Streeting.
“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.”