GP access improving as more go online

The share of patients reporting a good experience when contacting their GP practice has increased for the second year running, while the number going online has increased, new figures show.

However, the annual GP patient survey – contrary to other research – suggested many more are still relying on the phone rather than websites or the NHS App.

Results published on Thursday of the large national survey found 72.6% of respondents said their experience of contacting their practice was “very good” or “fairly good” – up from 69.6% in 2025. The survey question was revised in 2024 from asking about “making an appointment” to “contacting your GP practice”.

The survey, carried out by Ipsos for NHS England, ran between January and April, with more than 650,000 respondents from a random sample of those who use GP services.

54% per cent said they had used the phone to contact their practice on their most recent attempt – down steeply from 62% in 2025 and 68 per cent in 2024.

Meanwhile, 31% had used the GP practice’s website or the NHS App, up from 22% in 2025 and 17% in 2024.

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 9 July 2026