Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department can provide a timeline for when regular face-to-face GP appointments may return as commonplace following the covid-19 outbreak.

General practice is open and has been throughout the pandemic. In March 2021, more than half of appointments were face-to-face. On 20 May 2021, NHS England and NHS Improvement published updated standard operating procedures for general practice. A blended approach of both face to face and remote appointments should be available to patients according to clinical appropriateness. Patient preferences for face-to-face and remote care need to be respected unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary. Remote services alongside face to face appointments provides extra flexibility and convenience for patients.