Overview
- From 1 October 2025, practices must keep online consultation tools open during core hours for non-urgent requests, medication queries and admin needs, with in-person and telephone access also required.
- The BMA’s GP committee voted on 18 September to enter a dispute with the Government, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England over the rollout from 1 October.
- As part of its action, the committee will first consider whether to challenge the lawfulness of the Government’s position on safety measures in the proposed online systems.
- BMA leaders warn continuous online access could surge workloads, create waiting lists and risk missed urgent problems because current systems cannot reliably triage severity.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting says the government will support practices through the change, and the BMA says it is exploring all options to secure explicit safeguards for safe implementation.