About GP online services

GP online services are designed to support GP practices to offer and promote online services to patients. These services include:

  • booking and cancelling of appointments
  • ordering of repeat prescriptions
  • viewing of their GP record (which includes coded information about allergies, immunisations, diagnoses, medication and test results).

When we communicate with patients we use the term ‘GP online services’. This is because a large survey showed that people don’t think of themselves as patients, unless they are in a hospital.

Since April 2016, virtually all GP practices are able to offer their patients access to these online services. This meets the General Medical Services (GMS), Personal Medical Services (PMS) and Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) from 2015/16 and 2014/15, which remain unchanged.

Take a look at the wide range of tailored support available to help practices meet these commitments.

Why GP online services?

Digital technology has the power to change the relationship between patients and their GP practices in the same way that it has changed our relationships in other areas of life, such as managing our finances or shopping.

Online services are being offered in addition to the traditional telephone and face-to-face means of interacting with a GP practice. Patients can choose the route they prefer.

The evidence for the benefits of online interactions between patients and their GP practices is growing. Sources for this include the General Practice Forward View (April 2016) and the evidence review underpinning the Department of Health’s information strategy, The Power of Information (May 2012).

Find out more about the benefits of GP online services.