More than 8 million people submitted their GP request online during October 2025, up more than a fifth (21%) on the previous month and up more than two-thirds (68%) on last year.
The new figures come as the NHS and government strive to make contacting your practice as easy as possible.
Around 1 in 3 online requests are for non-clinical reasons such as admin requests and repeat prescriptions, meaning people no longer need to call their GP and clog up phone lines for non-urgent requests.
Patients can now contact their practice online throughout working hours since 1 October, when all GP practices were asked to make this offer available.
New data shows GP practices also received 31 million phone calls in October – more than a million each working day.
Millions of appointments are still being delivered in general practice every week, with a record 39 million in October 2025, including tens of thousands of Covid-19 vaccines.
Patients can now choose the option that works best for them: whether that be contacting their practice online, by phone, or walk-ins, thanks to GP teams making it easier than ever for people to get in contact with their practice and get the care they need.
Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said: “9 in 10 people who contact the NHS every day go through their GP practice, so it’s only right that we make this as straightforward as possible.
“Most people now manage their lives using technology – so it makes sense for people to be able to manage their healthcare online in the same way.
“Today’s figures show that millions of people each week are choosing to get in touch with their GP online, which also helps free up phonelines for those who can’t, or prefer not to use online consultation requests.
“Anyone who wants to contact their practice by phone can still do so, and all practices have upgraded their telephone systems, so it is now easier too for people who prefer to use this route, with reception desks open for people to walk in.”
Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said: “These figures show the NHS is modernising at pace to fit around patients’ lives. We promised to tackle the 8am scramble and make it easier for patients to access GPs – and that’s exactly what we’re delivering.
“Over 8 million people chose to contact their GP online in October – up more than two-thirds from last year. Many of these online requests are for repeat prescriptions and admin tasks that no longer need to tie up phone lines for those with urgent needs.
“At the same time as making online consultations universal, we have invested an extra £1.1 billion and recruited 2,500 more GPs to help deliver it. Patients now have real choice in how they access their GP, whether that’s online, by phone, or in person.
“Thanks to the fair and necessary decisions we made in the Budget, we are delivering on our mandate for change and rebuilding the NHS. It will take time, but we are bringing our analogue NHS into the digital age – and patient satisfaction with GP access has increased from 60% in July 2024 to 75% today highlighting the difference this government is making.”
Several practices have given their patients the option to make online requests for some time which has improved patient and staff satisfaction.
Dr Rumshia Ahmad at Brondesbury Medical Centre in London: “We introduced our online consultation and GP-led total triage system at Brondesbury Medical centre in October 2023, so that every patient request comes through a single, ‘digital front door’.
“Patients complete a simple online form, which is reviewed by an experienced GP and routed to the right member of our multidisciplinary team, with most patients receiving a booking link or clear plan within an hour.
“This approach is safe and fair – we’ve checked there’s no difference in access by deprivation, gender or first language – and we actively support people who are digitally excluded.
“Since going live we’ve halved our daily phone calls, cut missed calls by over 80%, reduced routine waits from around 2 weeks to about 3 days, and for patients who need continuity, up to 92% of their contacts are now with the same clinician.
“As a result, patient outcomes, national survey results and online reviews have all improved, and our staff report feeling less overwhelmed and more able to provide continuous, personalised care.
“Our cloud-based telephony system has improved the patient experience by allowing call-backs instead of long hold times, reducing queues and making access more efficient and patient-centred.”
