Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of online appointment booking systems on the ability of people without regular access to the internet to book GP appointments.

We understand that not all patients can or want to use online services. To ensure that such patients are not excluded, the GP Contract is clear that patients should always have the option of telephoning or visiting their practice in person, and all online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing a general practice. Practice receptions should be open so that patients without access to a telephone or online services are in no way disadvantaged.

The 2025/26 GP Contract includes a new requirement for practices to enable online appointment requests throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will ease pressure on phone lines for people who prefer to telephone.