GP appointment changes - all you need to know as new service starts

The process of booking an appointment with your GP is to be completely overhauled from tomorrow.

Bringing an end to the dreaded "8am scramble", GP surgeries will be running a brand new system from Wednesday - with patients no longer forced to repeatedly hit redial just to speak with a receptionist.

While the situation sounds good for patients, GPs have warned the major shake-up could unleash a "tsunami of requests", flooding surgeries with more work than they can handle. The British Medical Association (BMA) fears patients could be put at risk as surgeries drown in a deluge of requests.

READ MORE: New UK app promises to look after your health and cut down on sick days

READ MORE: NHS doctor explains major changes coming to all GP surgeries from October 1

Doctors have even threatened industrial action unless safeguards are implemented immediately, which could wreak havoc across the rest of the NHS.

Here's everything you need to know about the changes coming in from tomorrow - and how you could be affected.

Online booking now open all day

With the current system, patients who missed the "8am scramble" on the phone have to use the NHS online booking platform that closes when slots run out.

From tomorrow, every GP practice in the UK will have to keep their online booking system open from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Practices are no longer allowed to ask the patient to call back the following day.

Patients will be asked to provide details of their condition, and practices are supposed to respond within one working a day. They will be offered a GP appointment slot, or referral to pharmacist or other NHS service. Some cases will receive self-care advice.

Ministers say the changes will allow patients - who have reported high levels of dissatisfaction with the current system - to make appointments, ask for administrative help and order prescriptions at any time of the day. The Government believes it will stop the morning scramble and spread demand more evenly.

No more shutting patients out

At the moment, each surgery has a quota of requests it can take per day. Once filled, the requests are closed and patients are forced to call back the next day.

That ends on October 1 - surgeries must keep requests open, meaning staff will have to sift through them all whether they're urgent or not.

GPs say this is dangerous without proper triage tools in place, as urgent cases risk being buried under routine admin.

Patients can still call in

With the majority of the changes happening online, many may fear the process is becoming online only. However, that's not the case and patients can still call reception or walk in to ask for help.

The Government hopes having online requests running all day will take the pressure off the phones and people will not have to scramble for an appointment at 8am. The plans are intended to free up the phone lines for older people who use them.

Critics say patients could still end up waiting longer, especially if GPs are unable to add more staff to deal with a possible deluge of requests.

Safeguards pending

Westminster had promised to implement safeguards that would help staff prioritise the most urgent cases. However, through the BMA, GPs say the backstops are not ready and more time is needed.

The BMA issued a 48-hour ultimatum yesterday - saying the Government must bring in protections within two days or face industrial action.

BMA GP committee chair Dr Katie Bramall said: “The Secretary of State knows that when these changes come into effect it will likely lead to the creation of hospital-style waiting lists in general practice and reduce face-to-face GP appointments, as we'll be triaging a barrage of online requests putting patients at risk of harm as we try to find the urgent cases among the huge pile of unmet patient need that's out there.”

Patients could face longer waits

With every request now needing to be logged, practices fear being overwhelmed - which could lead to longer waits for non-urgent appointments.

The BMA fears "hospital-style waiting lists" could creep into general practice. They also fear face-to-face GP appointments could be dramatically reduced.