PATIENTS across England will be promised quicker and easier access to their GP as part of a major overhaul of primary care, the Government and NHS will announce this week reports The i

Practices will be given £240m this year to upgrade their phone systems bringing an end to people constantly getting an engaged tone in the mornings as soon as surgeries open or being told to call back later.

If their need is urgent, they will be assessed and given appointments on the same day. If it is not urgent, appointments should be offered within two weeks, or patients will be referred to NHS 111 or a local pharmacy. The phone system will also be integrated with the clinical systems so practice staff can quickly identify patients and their information from phone numbers.

Receptionists will also have an expanded role, with the Government funding 6,500 “care navigator” training places. Their job will be to make sure patients are directed to the most suitable healthcare professional and to simplify and streamline the process, Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, will announce.

They can help make sure those who want to see a named GP or preferred member of staff can do while those who are happy to see a duty doctor can take that option. Care navigators will direct patients to other professionals within the general practice or other medical professionals such as community pharmacists who can best meet the needs of the patients.

Successful care navigation can help direct 40 per cent of requests more effectively and speeds up appointments for those who need them, ministers believe. The move comes as satisfaction levels with the NHS are at record lows. Just 55 per cent of patients were satisfied with the appointment times available to them last year, according to the GP Survey 2022, a decrease of almost 12 percentage points compared with the previous year.

Mr Barclay said the Government is making “real progress” in its promise to cut waiting times with 10 per cent more GP appointments happening every month compared to before the pandemic.

He said: “I want to make sure people receive the right support when they contact their general practice and bring an end to the 8am scramble for appointments. To do this we are improving technology and reducing bureaucracy, increasing staffing and changing the way primary care services are provided.”