It’s 8 AM, and across the country, countless patients are frantically trying to get through to their GP surgeries, stuck in long phone queues that sometimes last for hours. For many, the only option has been to drop by the surgery in person, wait, and hope for a slot. But from 1 October 2025, that stressful ritual has began to change.
GP practices are now required to keep online consultation tools running throughout the day, giving patients the option to submit requests, ask questions, and describe symptoms digitally without waiting on hold or rushing to the phone first thing in the morning. The aim is simple: free up phone lines for those who need them most, provide more flexible access to care, and finally begin dismantling the infamous 8 a.m. scramble.
For patients, this is more than convenience. It’s about choice, access, and equity. Online submissions have surged in recent months, with nearly six million in July 2025 compared to 3.4 million the previous year, showing just how much people prefer digital access that fits around their busy lives. Yet access hasn’t always been equal. In some areas, online systems are limited, switching off after a certain number of requests or only available for a few hours each day. When patients cannot get through, the consequences can be severe — 6.6% end up in A&E, putting additional strain on hospitals and costing the taxpayer more.
To understand how these changes will work in practice, Asian Voice spoke to Dr Nikita Kanani MBE, a GP and former medical director of primary care at NHS England.
“The new contract requires all GP practices to allow online consultation requests between 8 AM and 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday,” she explained. “Online consultations are fantastic for patients. They allow people to describe their concerns in their own words, at any time, without battling phone queues. They also help practices triage requests efficiently. But they’re not a silver bullet; you still need staff and resources to make them work, and technology alone cannot solve all the pressures on appointments.”
Some patients may be concerned about digital exclusion, especially older people or those without reliable internet access. Dr Kanani reassured that the new approach is digital first, but not digital only. “Phone lines remain essential, as do face-to-face and walk-in routes,” she said. “Reception staff often help patients fill out online forms on their behalf. Practices are being advised to run a blended model: digital where possible, but phone and in-person where needed. Equity of access means keeping multiple doors open, not forcing everyone through a single one.”
The government is also investing heavily in supporting GPs. An additional £1.1 billion has been allocated to general practice, the largest increase in more than a decade, and over 2,000 new GPs have been hired since July 2024. Funding is also being directed toward extra staff, digital triage systems, and training to help practices safely manage patient demand.
“Even with these resources, the teams will still be under strain at first,” Dr Kanani said. “Patients may not notice an immediate difference, but over time, all of this support should translate into practical improvements: fewer queues, quicker responses, and better care.”
She emphasised the importance of well-being for practice teams. “General practice morale is low, so any new system must be matched with practical support for staff, along with clear communication for patients. Everyone needs to understand what to expect and how to engage respectfully with their practice.”
Looking further ahead, Dr Kanani painted a vision of the GP of the future. “I hope that in five years, patients won’t worry about 8 AM phone queues. They’ll be able to connect with their practice throughout the day, guided to the care they need. Practices will increasingly operate as multidisciplinary hubs where pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health workers, GPs, and nurses working together.
“The experience will be simple, human, and personal, while flexible enough to meet the needs of every patient, whether online, on the phone, or in person. Equity has to be at the heart of this; everyone deserves the same level of care.”
These changes signal a new era for general practice, one where technology supports patient choice rather than replacing it, and where equity, access, and continuity of care remain central.
