GP access is improving. The 2026 GP Patient Survey results show that more patients across England find it easier to contact their practice by phone, website and the NHS App than in previous years.
That is encouraging, but there is another story in the data.
Equitable access in general practice remains uncertain. While national averages are improving, patients living in more deprived communities continue to report poorer experiences of accessing care. As The King’s Fund has highlighted, improvements have not been felt equally1.
Have we become better at opening more doors into the practice, without paying enough attention to what happens once patients walk through them?
Improving access is no longer just about adding another channel. It is about designing connected patient journeys that work regardless of whether someone starts online, phones reception or walks into the practice.
What does equitable access in general practice mean?
Equitable access in general practice means patients can contact their practice and get the support they need in a way that reflects their circumstances.
For one patient, that might be submitting an online request after work. For another, it means speaking to someone on the phone because English is not their first language. A patient with caring responsibilities may only be able to contact the practice during a short window between school runs or shifts.
The aim is not to make every patient use the same route. It is to make sure no one is disadvantaged because the route that suits them is unclear, difficult to use or unavailable when they need it.
Why equitable access in general practice still matters
The 2026 GP Patient Survey shows an overall positive shift in how patients experience access:
- 72.6% said their last experience of contacting their GP practice was good
- 56.9% said it was easy to contact their practice by phone, compared with 52.9% in 2025
- 57.6% said it was easy to contact their practice through its website, compared with 51.2% in 2025
- 54.3% said it was easy to use the NHS App to contact their practice, compared with 49.0% in 2025
These improvements reflect years of hard work across primary care. But averages can hide inequalities.
Patients who are confident using digital services often benefit first when new online routes are introduced. Meanwhile, people with lower digital confidence, unreliable internet access, language barriers or more complex health needs may still struggle to reach the right support.
That creates an uncomfortable reality. Overall satisfaction can improve while the patients facing the greatest barriers continue to have the poorest experience.
Improving average access is not necessarily the same as improving equitable access in general practice.
Practices have improved channels but not the patient experience
A patient may complete an online form only to receive a text asking them to phone the practice. After waiting in a queue, they may be advised to visit reception or contact another service. Every individual step may work as designed, yet the overall experience still feels frustrating because the patient has had to change routes repeatedly and explain their situation more than once.
From the practice’s perspective, each access channel is functioning.
From the patient’s perspective, they still haven’t reached help. Worse still, they may be going in circles.
The biggest opportunity for improving equitable access is not simply offering more routes into the practice. It is making sure every route leads somewhere useful and patients can move between routes without feeling lost.
Related read: Why patient access pathways need a safety net
Building access pathways instead of access points
Offering phone, online and face-to-face access remains essential. But choice only creates equity when patients understand which route to use, what will happen next and where to go if their first attempt does not resolve their issue.
This joined-up approach also supports good triage in general practice, giving teams a clearer picture of demand while helping patients reach the most appropriate next step.
Practices can make access fairer by:
- Explaining clearly which routes are available and when each should be used
- Using consistent language across websites, phone messages, SMS, reception and Voice Agents
- Making self-referral services and community support easier to find
- Ensuring telephone and reception support remain available for patients who need them
- Reviewing feedback specifically from patients who report the greatest barriers to access rather than relying solely on overall satisfaction scores
The aim is not to make every patient choose digital. It is to reduce barriers, so each patient can reach the most appropriate care as quickly and simply as possible.
Measuring equitable access in general practice differently
It is tempting to judge success through reduced call volumes or increased online requests.
Neither tells the whole story.
A fall in phone calls may mean patients are finding answers more quickly online. Equally, it may mean some patients have stopped trying because they are unsure where to go or have found the process too difficult.
Without looking deeper, practices cannot tell the difference.
Useful questions include:
- Which patients are using each access route?
- Which groups report poorer experiences?
- Where do patients abandon online requests or phone calls?
- How often do patients move between multiple access routes before receiving support?
- Can patients easily move from digital to human support when they need to?
The GP Patient Survey allows practices to explore results by factors such as age and ethnicity before comparing local and national benchmarks. Looking beyond headline averages can help identify where inequalities persist and where targeted improvements may have the greatest impact.
How digital tools can support equitable access in general practice
Digital tools should not replace human support.
They should make it easier for patients to reach it.
As more patients turn to AI for health advice when they need quick answers, digital assistants can answer routine questions, explain practice processes, signpost trusted NHS information and help patients understand the most appropriate next step before they contact reception.
For patients who are comfortable online, that may resolve their question immediately. For others, it can reduce unnecessary hand-offs by helping them start in the right place.
For example, Surgery Assist Lite helps patients find answers to common questions at any time, reducing avoidable calls about routine information. Surgery Assist Pro extends this with practice-specific guidance, local services and self-referral pathways, ensuring patients receive advice that reflects the options actually available in their own area.
The goal is not to divert patients away from the practice. It is to help every patient reach the right support with fewer unnecessary steps.
Fairer access means better journeys, not just more choice
The latest GP Patient Survey offers genuine reasons for optimism. Practices across England have improved access despite sustained demand and workforce pressures.
The next challenge is different.
It’s not simply deciding whether patients should contact practices online, by phone or in person. It’s about reducing the number of barriers they face once they begin that journey.
The practices that make the greatest progress over the coming years are likely to be those that design access around patient journeys rather than individual contact channels.
Join our community webinar, Beyond the phone line: building equitable access, on 26th August to explore practical ways practices can create connected access routes that are fairer for patients and more sustainable for staff.