Our position on GP access

Access to general practice remains the most common issue people contact us about. In the past two years alone, we’ve received 139,000 pieces of feedback about experiences of using GP practices.

While people are generally happy with the quality of their care once they see a GP or fellow health professional, the ‘8am rush’ remains a barrier.  People who phone to book appointments often find themselves waiting a long time on hold or find all available appointments have gone once their call is answered. People’s experience of online booking has also been variable, with people telling us in recent years they have found systems switched off during the day or prevented from using this route because they are unable to use or afford digital forms of communication.

Access also does not work equally well for everyone, especially for those with additional communication needs or for people living in areas of higher deprivation, where there are fewer NHS GPs per head of population. 

We have continually sought to improve access on behalf of the public, including giving evidence to the Government as a consultee on the GP contract for 2026-27. This will introduce requirements to improve patients' front door experiences.

Our evidence

We have carried out national research and analysed evidence shared with our network of 153 local Healthwatch:

• Our “choice gap” research in July 2025 found a mismatch between the choices people want when booking GP appointments and the choices they are offered by practices. Two-thirds wanted a choice of appointment booking method, but only 30% say they are always given this choice.  There were larger gaps for some groups, including older people, women, and disabled people.
• In 2024, we published findings on new rights the public would like from GPs, showing that 71% wanted an urgent GP appointment within 24 hours and 68% wanted to be able to book a GP appointment in the best way that suits them.
• Our national analysis during the Covid-19 pandemic, published in November 2021, highlighted widespread frustration with GP booking systems, communication and limited options for appointments, which continues to inform our focus on access today.

Our action

We have continually shared what people tell us about GP access with national decision-makers, including the practical barriers people face when contacting practices and navigating triage, and the need to improve access without widening inequalities.

Following our 2025 report on the choice gap, we worked with the GP Patient Survey team to inform a trial of a new question about the choices available to patients, which may be introduced into its future annual survey. 

After continually raising issues about GP online consultation systems being switched off, the Government introduced contractual changes requiring practices to allow patients to request appointments online throughout core working hours from 1 October 2025, alongside other booking routes. 

We were also consulted by the Government on the 2026-27 GP contract. Details of the new requirements that will come into effect from 1 April 2026 are set out in a blog we published in February 2026, which explains how we pressed for clear communication and clarity for the public about how these should be implemented in practice.