Tech specialists invited to tackle 8am appointment rush at GP surgeries

NHS England seeks suppliers to facilitate better patient communications and online consultations

NHS England is stepping up to tackle the 8am rush for appointments as it seeks suppliers to provide the tech needed to help it meet patient demand. That means more use of online consultations and better communications more generally.

The Digital Pathway Framework is part of a suite of commercial frameworks facilitating the purchase of standardised digital systems for primary care, said NHS England.

The framework includes plans for new and advanced digital systems aiming to improve the management of appointment bookings, messaging and consultations with GPs and other practice staff.

The upgrade will bring a range of tech tools together that cover the core abilities of online consultation and administration work, online patient and service user consultation, care navigation and online requests.

NHS England's director of digital primary care Mark Sayers said:

"Surgeries with modern messaging, online booking, and video consultation systems find they have more capacity and less of an 8am rush, while giving patients a convenient way to get the help they need.

"I'd encourage all suppliers to come forward who are able to provide the high-quality tools and technology needed to support our vision for modern general practice."

Earlier this year, the government promised £240 million to allow the GPs to install the latest technology including switching from analogue telephone systems to digital. The fund is expected to cover a four-year period from January 2024 to 2028.

Last week, GP practices which have not yet transitioned from analogue to digital telephony were informed they must sign a contract by mid-December for these services in order to receive digital telephony funding.

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will contact all local GP practices which still use analogue systems - around 20% of practices nationally.

Health Minister Neil O'Brien said:

"As well as growing staff numbers in GPs by 30% since 2019, we are also investing £240 million to give GP's the latest technology. We are working to abolish the 8am rush and make it easier to see your GP in a convenient way."

NHS England is also spending £2 million engaging with patients directly regarding their GP records. It has been reported that Palantir has already won the contract for an NHS federated data platform, but the news has still not yet been officially confirmed.