Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage GP practices to provide walk-in appointments for (a) farmers and (b) other occupations where attending at a set time can be a challenge.

General practices are independent businesses contracted to provide National Health Services, and have autonomy to manage appointments in the way that best suits their patient population, including determining what services are available on a walk-in basis. To accommodate patients who may not be able to access general practices during core opening hours, integrated care boards in England are required to provide general practice out of hours services from 18:30 to 08:00 on weekdays, all weekends, and on bank holidays.

Walk-in patients can also access care in other settings. Under Pharmacy First, community pharmacists can provide advice for minor illnesses and supply some prescription-only medicines without a prescription from a general practitioner, either following a referral or a walk-in. Patients with urgent but not life-threatening medical needs can also visit urgent treatment centres without an appointment.