Online booking was meant to make it easier to book GP appointments. But surprisingly, many NHS practices don’t fully use these systems—or, in some cases, they avoid them entirely.
While online booking could offer convenience, there are several reasons why GPs are cautious about relying on it. In this blog, we’ll explore the key concerns that NHS GPs have about online booking systems, why they’re slow to fully adopt them, and how new solutions like Hero Health’s NHS online booking service might finally address these challenges.
Online booking has the potential to save time for both patients and healthcare staff, but for GPs, the reality is a bit more complex. Here are some of the main issues they’re facing:
One of the most common complaints from GPs is that online booking sometimes leads to patients scheduling inappropriate appointments. Without guidance, patients may book a GP visit for a minor issue that could be handled by a nurse or pharmacist. This can lead to unnecessary delays, with patients feeling frustrated when they realize they’re in the wrong type of appointment.
Not everyone finds online booking convenient. For elderly patients or those who aren’t tech-savvy, these systems can feel like an insurmountable barrier. Rightly or wrongly, this leads to some practices choosing to book everything over the phone.
Online booking can work well for routine consultations or follow-ups, but it’s not suitable for all situations. Some patients need more immediate, face-to-face attention, and others may benefit from speaking to a receptionist or nurse to determine the best course of action. GPs worry that an online-only system could lead to missed opportunities for triaging patients effectively.
The NHS understands these challenges and is trying to strike a balance. Official guidance encourages GP practices to offer online booking options in addition to traditional phone and walk-in services. The idea is to provide more convenience for tech-savvy patients while still accommodating those who aren’t comfortable with digital tools. However, many practices still lean heavily on phone service and triage systems due to high demand and staffing shortages.
Hero Health see digital or online appointment booking as both a benefit to patients and a time-saver to practices. Where a patient inevitably needs to be seen in the context of an appointment, assuming this can be appropriately identified upfront (either by digital triage or administrative led triage), the patient should be allowed to book in directly.
To meet this aspiration, Hero Health's online booking functionality - connected to both EMIS Web and TPP - facilitates direct patient online booking in a number of ways:
Patients find the appropriate appointment slot online, and book in directly, completing any necessary intake forms. Access to appointments can be restricted based on patient age or gender.
This can work particularly well for:
Patients go through Hero's Care Navigation pathways, typically configured by the practice themselves, and then book the appointment.
For example, a patient visits a practice's website and starts the triage flow. The patient identifies themselves as presenting for a flu-vaccine and are routed to book directly in online.
PCN and Federation providers delivering Enhanced Access at scale can use Hero's online booking services to make their slots available online, bookable either through the practice's website or their own website.
Practices can use Hero Health to send self-booking links to patients, inviting them to book online directly into the practice or the hubsite appointment book
With Hero Health, GPs have a tool that respects patient preferences while ensuring safety and suitability. Patients can access their GP in the way that works best for them, with online booking as a genuine alternative—rather than a requirement.
Hero Health’s NHS online booking system represents a major step toward making digital healthcare work for everyone, addressing key safety concerns, and helping NHS GPs embrace online booking with confidence.
Commonly asked questions by providers using Hero to transform their service
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Learn more about the functionality covered in this blog article
Share self-booking links with your patients or accept online bookings via your website
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