General practice teams in the East of England delivered a record 3.79 million appointments last month, up 3.5 per cent on July last year and by nearly a quarter on the same period pre-pandemic (24 per cent increase since 2019).

Latest statistics published by NHS England show the NHS is on-track for its busiest summer ever in general practice, with record appointments also delivered in June 2025.

GP teams in the region also carried out almost 17,000 care home visits this July – up 11 per cent on the year before.

Typically, the summer months see a slow-down in NHS activity due to fewer respiratory viruses circulating, like the flu, but this year, practices have been dealing with a surge in people coming forward, making what looks to be the East of England’s busiest summer in general practice in history.

The data comes as the government continues to make progress in boosting GP numbers, with more than 2,000 extra GPs in England recruited since last October and 29 more recruited in the last month.

Dr Martin Hawkings, deputy director of primary care for NHS England – East of England, said:

“Our general practice teams in the East of England are busier than ever this summer – and it’s thanks to their hard work that we’ve now seen record numbers of appointments for patients back-to-back for the last two months.

“As we begin heading into the colder months it’s vital those eligible get their vaccinations.

“Our flu and Covid vaccination campaigns begin over the next couple of weeks, so whether you get an invitation directly from your GP practice or find out about your entitlement through the NHS website, it’s crucial you get vaccinated to protect yourself.”

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said:

“GPs are integral to our Plan for Change, playing a vital role in our seismic shift in care from hospital to community and delivering a health service fit for the future.

“Our reforms to bulldoze bureaucracy and cut red tape are boosting productivity and efficiency, delivering more appointments for patients.

“At the same time, we are continuing to boost the GP workforce to deliver patient care closer to home, having recruited more than 2,000 since October.”

-ENDS-