Patients across the South East now have more flexible ways to contact their GP, with practices rolling out online consultation services that complement traditional phone access  

From October 1 this year, every GP practice in England has kept their online consultation platform open for the duration of their working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries, and admin requests. In the South East, 1.3million online submissions were made during October, up almost 30% on the previous month and 79% up on October 2024. 

The change supports the NHS 10-year health plan, which aims to deliver more care within communities and ensure patients can access appointments with a wider range of healthcare professionals.  

Across the region, from Kent to Sussex through to Reading and Slough, GP practices have embraced both online consultations and cloud-based telephony to meet rising demand and offer greater flexibility and choice for all patients, whilst ensuring nobody is left excluded.  

Dr Tim Caroe, Director of Primary Care Transformation in the South East, said: “Patients across the South East now have options regarding how they contact their GP, some may prefer to call them, and others may prefer to complete an online consultation, and GPs are working differently to meet this demand. 

“Practices are embracing these new tools to make sure people can get in touch in the way that suits them best and receive the care they need at the right time. These changes are making a real difference, helping the NHS meet rising demand while continuing to deliver for patients across the region.” 

In East Sussex, Foundry Healthcare serves 28,500 patients and launched a full-day online consultation model in April 2024. Operating from 6:00am to 6:30pm, requests are triaged by GPs and supported by Care Navigators. The system has reduced frustration from the old first-come-first-served phone model, saved the equivalent of 26 GP appointments per week through Pharmacy First referrals, and improved continuity for high-need patients by 10%. Patient satisfaction has risen, with 80% rating care as good and 74% satisfied with appointments. 

Led by Dr Avas Asghar, GP Partner and Clinical Director for the local Primary Care Network Chatham Street Surgery in Reading serves one of the town’s more deprived communities , with a large proportion of patients speaking English as a second language and 7% of the practice population registered as unemployed against the local average of 3%,* and has faced the same pressures as many practices across England: rising demand, workforce challenges, and increasingly complex patient needs.  

The practice introduced online consultation tools to give patients greater choice and flexibility, while crucially retaining telephone access for those less confident with digital services. This balanced approach has ensured inclusivity and responsiveness in a diverse community and led to patients experiencing shorter wait times.  

Meanwhile in Slough, Langley Health Centre has introduced a 24/7 online consultation service giving patients the flexibility to submit health queries at any time. The system enables effective triage, reduces pressure on phone lines, and ensures patients are directed to the right professional first time. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with patients welcoming the convenience, shorter wait times and staff reporting improved workload management. 

Fitzalan Medical Practice supports approximately 16,000 patients in West Sussex and has been managing increasing demand. By introducing online consultations and cloud‑based telephony it has helped improve access with patients now able to submit queries digitally at any time, providing structured information that helps clinicians quickly assess needs and direct them to the right service.  

Alongside this, the move to cloud‑based telephony replaced traditional phone lines with smarter call handling, including queuing, real‑time monitoring, and flexible allocation of staff to manage demand. The impact has been significant. Patients report shorter waits and greater confidence in contacting the practice, whether online or by phone. Staff highlight reduced stress and more efficient workflows, with reception teams freed up to focus on supporting patients rather than firefighting calls. Clinicians benefit from better information upfront, reducing unnecessary appointments and ensuring patients are seen in the right place, at the right time.