Streeting tells ‘lagging’ GP practices to ‘get on board’ amid 50% online requests increase
Health secretary Wes Streeting has urged ‘lagging’ GP practices to implement online consultation changes as new figures showed a near 50% on-year increase in online requests to GPs.
Mr Streeting’s comments came in response to NHS England statistics showing 6.5 million online submissions to GPs in September 2025, compared with 4.4 million a year ago – a 48.9% increase.
NHS England also claimed latest figures showed online has become patients’ primary method of contacting GPs, beating phone access for the first time – but this was only for prescription requests.
Contractual changes were brought in on 1 October which require practices to ensure online requests can be submitted between 8am to 6.30pm.
Mr Streeting said: ‘This data is crystal clear: more patients are seeking GP appointments online – even before the requirement came into place on 1 October. In the 21st century, patients expect the ease, convenience and flexibility of managing their healthcare online.
‘For too long patients have been held hostage by our outdated, analogue system of the 8am scramble on phone lines causing stress, difficulty and long waits to get through and get appointments.
‘Patients want this change and we’re delivering it – we’ve put in £1.1 billion extra funding, provided the support, and now it’s time for the few lagging practices to get on board, move with the times, and provide the service patients deserve.’
The same data set shows 96.1% of practices have an online consultation system and 93.8% are receiving submissions via online systems.
Earlier this week Pulse revealed GP concerns about patient safety amid the online access changes, with patients reporting life-threatening conditions using non-urgent online forms.
Announcing the new figures, NHS England also said that ‘recent ONS figures found the most popular way for patients to contact GP practices was online – beating phone calls for the first time.’
Health Insight Survey data for ‘Wave 14’ (22 July to 13 August 2025) shows 42.9% of contacts through the NHS app or other apps compared with 19.5% over the phone.
However, this is only for adults contacting GP practices specifically for getting a prescription – overall, telephone contact (42.1%) remains the most popular method for patients.
Responding to the figures, the BMA noted a ‘wide variation’ in online usage across England – particularly comparing typically older, rural patient populations with practices in university towns and cities.
A spokesperson for the union told Pulse: ‘The BMA’s GP committee for England currently has a survey out which will be gathering more information in terms of how online consultations have affected practices and patient usage and we hope to be able to share more on that soon.
‘Online access doesn’t work for everyone and practices should be able to organise their resources in the way that best meets the needs of their patient population.’
They said the increase in online demand without ‘necessary safeguards’ risks practices being ‘inundated’ – ‘leaving practices – regardless of size and the volume of queries they handle – to manage the fallout’.
They added: ‘We can only hope that no life-threatening issues are missed or delayed but it’s a very real and present danger when we are handling over a million appointments each day nationwide. We want to support the government’s ambition, but this can’t be at the expense of patient safety and GP practice staff wellbeing.’
The BMA has entered a dispute with the Government over the online access changes, arguing that they are currently not safe to implement.
Mr Streeting previously accused GP leaders of ‘conservatism’, saying that their dispute risks to ‘turn the NHS into a museum of 20th century healthcare’.
He came under criticism from the BMA and the wider profession for calling some GPs ‘laggards’ in relation to the changes.
In response to Mr Streeting’s comment following the online access data release, RCGP chair professor Kamila Hawthorne said that any insinuation that GPs are behind the times is ‘demoralising’ and ‘does not reflect’ what is actually being achieved by GP practices for their patients on a daily basis.
She added: ‘Hardworking GPs are delivering more appointments to their patients than ever before and have shown real innovation in adapting to radical new ways of working, particularly over the past few years.
‘The vast majority of practices have already implemented online booking systems and if practices are struggling to make this work for them and their patients, they need support, not censure.
‘What we need above all, are thousands more GPs so that we can provide more appointments to our patients and help us manage not only the ever-increasing volume of demand and need for our services, but the complexity of care that GPs are now delivering.’
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READERS' COMMENTS [9]
Please note, only GPs are permitted to add comments to articles
All a bit ridiculous really
Streeting seems to be out of his depth and making ridiculous judgement calls
Starmer and Streetings’ NHS reforms were launched into an environment where cost pressures and demand, pull in opposite directions.
arguably the mantra In the absence of meaningful investment and a properly worked plan ought to be ‘the best attainable in the circumstances’.
The future depends on skilful, masterly, deft, nimble and agile management and somehow raising the moral of thousands and tapping into their good will… if there is any left.
The current direction of travel by DH NHSE HMG is anything but this
“…every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.”
While GPs sweat hard at work, BMA GPCE need to show leadership and launch the “weapon” of visible trade union action (like a protest march at a weekend, like the self-employed farmers did) instead of failing all GPs.
Now is not the time to endure insults from Wees, and being outplayed by serpents and their distracting bad faith negotiations which will end in the ruin of traditional general practice.
Can’t wait for a cabinet reshuffle.
Surely in a “modern” world where professionals have to demonstrate competence and engage with increasing formal scrutiny it is time that those politicians holding high office like SoS need to be able to do the same🤔 maybe a gesture of goodwill might be to mandate that all MPs answer their emails sent to them during the day before the end of the day that it was sent no matter how serious or trivial the issue 🤦🏼♂️
The clinical method is history, examination which guides investigations and treatment. Instead, we now have online request for antibiotics and tests, many of which will be acquiesced. The consequent rise in antibiotic prescriptions will be incur the ire of the CQC and ICBs. And so the circus continues.
I’m bored of it already. I am considering answering all consultations with “hi, thanks for your message, I’ve left instructions with reception if you can ring them please”
My instruction to reception will be “do what you would have done 2 months ago”
Meh
Wales doesn’t seem to have any online access at all
so this doesn’t affect anyone there
Wales an area long under Labour
some of the worst waiting times for opd ever
Come on Wes / Prince of Wales who is never in Wales
Sort things out
What we need above all, are thousands more GPs…….
No not if there are no jobs for them