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<p>We published our Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care in May 2023,
which sets out how we are moving toward a ‘Modern General Practice’ model. This plan
is backed by £240 million of retargeted funding going to provide digital services
with the goal of increasing access. A copy of the plan is attached.</p><p>The sole
method for general practices (GPs) to procure these digital services is via NHS England
procurement frameworks, which list pre-approved suppliers for digital and IT services.
This is to ensure consistency in service provisions, as each supplier must meet a
set of requirements to be entered into a framework.</p><p>Each practice will run a
procurement for these services and will select a supplier based on their differing
specifications for how the IT systems will best meet their patients’ needs. Each supplier
will offer varied services with varied benefits, including capabilities which allow
patients and service users to request and receive support relating to healthcare concerns,
at a time and place convenient for them.</p><p>As of March 2024, 93% of general practices
now have digital telephony systems, this has enabled GP teams to manage multiple calls
and helping to end the ‘8am rush’ for appointments. Trials show that this has increased
patients’ ability to get through to their practice by almost a third.</p>
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