You and your general practice

🌟 What Is Modern General Practice? (Patient-Friendly Summary)

Modern general practice is a new way of working in GP surgeries to make it easier for you to get the care you need, when you need it, from the right person.

It’s designed to:

  • Make contacting your GP practice quicker and easier.
  • Help you get the right care the first time.
  • Improve the experience for both patients and staff.

📞📱🚶 How Can You Contact Your GP Practice?

You can contact your GP practice in three ways:

  • By phone
  • Online (via the practice website or NHS App)
  • In person (by walking in)

You can choose the way that works best for you. The practice will ask you a few questions to understand what help you need.

🧭 What Happens When You Get in Touch?

When you contact the practice:

  • You’ll be asked to give some information about your symptoms or request.
  • A trained team member will look at your needs and direct you to the right person or service.
  • This could be a GP, nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist, or another health professional.

This means you don’t always need to see a GP to get the right care.

👩‍⚕️ Who Might Help You?

You might be helped by:

  • A GP
  • A nurse
  • A pharmacist
  • A physiotherapist
  • A mental health worker
  • Or another trained professional

This team approach means you get the best care from the right person.

🕐 Will I Still Get an Appointment?

Yes, but it might not always be face-to-face. You might get:

  • A phone call
  • A video consultation
  • A text message
  • Or a face-to-face appointment

The practice will decide what’s best based on your needs.

🔄 Why Is This Change Happening?

Because:

  • More people are contacting GP practices than ever before.
  • Some people need urgent help, others need ongoing support.
  • This new way helps make sure everyone gets the right care, fairly and safely.

💡 What Else Should I Know?

  • You can still ask to see a specific doctor, but you might wait longer.
  • If you need help using online services, ask the practice – they can support you.
  • If English isn’t your first language, you can ask for an interpreter.

📚 Want to Learn More?

You can read more on the NHS England website: You and your general practice – NHS England[1]

Or listen to the Modern General Practice podcast