Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to patients of the phone-only GP appointment booking system in use (a) on the Isle of Wight and (b) in the rest of England.

No specific estimate has been made as a phone-only booking system has not been implemented nationally. Patients can contact their general practitioner (GP) practice, including by telephone, in person and using a secure online form. NHS England and NHS Improvement advise that these methods are available to patients in GP practices on the Isle of Wight.

The GP Contract states that a practice must not enter into, renew or extend a contract or other arrangement for telephone services unless it is satisfied that patients will not be charged more for phoning the practice than phoning a geographical landline number. Where it is not possible for a practice to take reasonable steps to do so, the practice must consider introducing a system where if a caller asks for their call to be returned, this will be done at the practice’s own expense.