What to do when you can't get a GP appointment

Not being able to get a GP appointment when you need one is one of the most common frustrations with the NHS. Even with changes introduced in October 2025 to make it easier to contact your surgery online, many patients still find themselves stuck.

The good news is that you have more options than most people realise. This guide explains your GP appointment alternatives - whether your need is urgent, routine, or somewhere in between.

From 1 October 2025, GP practices in England are contractually required to keep their online consultation tools open between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. This applies to the main practice site and covers non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries, and admin requests. Note that this requirement applies to a practice's main site; branch surgeries are not subject to the same core-hours rule.

The change was designed to end the "8am scramble" - the familiar situation where patients had to call exactly when phone lines opened to have any chance of getting an appointment that day. Many practices now use a triage-first model, where your request is assessed before an appointment is offered.

The vast majority of practices are now compliant: NHS England's compliance assessment published in December 2025 found that 98.7% of practices that submitted returns confirmed their online consultation tool was switched on during core hours. A small number - around 1.3% of those submitting - reported they had not done so, and the BMA's GP Committee for England remains in a formal trade dispute with the government over aspects of the contract change, which came into force from 1 October 2025.

In practice, what this means for you:

Before trying alternatives, make sure you have used all the ways your practice allows you to get in touch.

Online request forms are now available at all practices during core hours. If you have only been trying to call, try submitting a request through your practice's website or the NHS App instead. Some practices process online requests more quickly than phone queues.

The NHS App allows you to submit appointment requests and contact your practice digitally. If you are not already registered, it is free to set up using your NHS login.

Walk in to reception if you are able to. Explaining your concern in person can sometimes make it easier for reception staff to understand the urgency and find the right route for you.

Be clear about urgency. Reception staff - now often called care navigators - are trained to direct you to the most appropriate clinician or service for your needs. They are not clinicians and do not themselves triage or determine clinical urgency; their role is to signpost you correctly and, where a concern sounds potentially urgent, to flag it for a clinician to review. The more clearly you explain your situation, the better placed they are to route you appropriately. If your condition is getting worse, is affecting your ability to function, or has been present for some time without improving, say so clearly.

If you cannot see a GP specifically, it is worth asking whether someone else in the practice team can help. Most surgeries now have a much wider range of clinicians than they used to.

Nurse practitioners and practice nurses can assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of conditions, and can prescribe many medications. For many consultations, seeing a nurse practitioner is just as appropriate as seeing a GP.

Clinical pharmacists based in GP practices can review your medications, manage repeat prescriptions, and provide advice on drug-related concerns - often with shorter waits than a GP appointment.

Physiotherapists are available at many practices for musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, joint pain, and sports injuries, without needing a GP referral first.

Social prescribers can help with issues affecting your health and wellbeing that are not strictly medical - such as housing, debt, or social isolation.

It is always worth asking before you leave empty-handed.

Since January 2024, the NHS Pharmacy First service has allowed pharmacists to assess and treat seven common conditions - no GP appointment needed, and no charge for the consultation. If your concern is one of them, your local pharmacy may be able to help the same day.

If you have one of these conditions, walk in to any participating pharmacy and ask for a Pharmacy First consultation. The pharmacist will see you privately and, if appropriate, can prescribe medication - including antibiotics - without you needing to see your GP at all.

For a full list of who qualifies for free prescriptions, our guide to NHS prescription charges explains the exemption system.

If you need medical attention that feels urgent but is not life-threatening, and you cannot get through to your practice, NHS 111 is your next step.

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week - including when your GP surgery is closed. You can call 111 or use the online service at 111.nhs.uk.

NHS 111 is particularly useful when your practice is closed - evenings, weekends, and bank holidays - or when you are unsure whether your situation is urgent enough for A&E. Outside of core hours, NHS 111 can also connect you with an out-of-hours GP service if that is the most appropriate next step.

If your condition needs face-to-face attention on the same day but is not a life-threatening emergency, an urgent treatment centre (UTC) may be the right place to go.

Urgent treatment centres are open at least 12 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and bank holidays - NHS England's UTC standards require a minimum of 12 hours daily. In practice, many run from around 8am to 8pm, though exact hours vary by location. They are staffed by a range of clinicians including GPs, nurse practitioners, and paramedics. You do not need an appointment - you can walk in. They can treat a wide range of conditions including minor injuries, infections, and conditions that cannot safely wait for a routine GP appointment.

To find an urgent treatment centre near you, search on the NHS website or call NHS 111.

If your need is not urgent enough for NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre, but you cannot wait days or weeks for a routine NHS appointment, a private GP consultation is an option.

Private GP appointments are available online and in person across the UK, typically at short notice - often on the same day. Based on industry data from January to April 2026, online private GP consultations typically range from around £49 to £99 for a 15-20 minute consultation. Which? (January 2026) cites £40 to £90 for a short appointment. In-person appointments vary considerably by location: mid-range clinics typically charge around £75 to £150, while premium central-London clinics can charge £200 or more - and some Harley Street and concierge services charge upwards of £300.

A private GP can provide medical advice, sick notes, prescriptions, and referral letters. If they identify something that requires NHS specialist care, they can write a letter to support an NHS referral through your registered GP.

A private consultation does not affect your NHS registration or entitlements. You remain entitled to free NHS care and your position on any NHS waiting list is not affected by choosing to see a private GP.

A private GP is not right for every situation - and never the right call in an emergency - but if waiting is the main problem and your concern is straightforward, it can be worth considering.

If your practice has not responded to an urgent concern, or you keep hitting a wall despite trying the steps above, you do have options.

Speak to the practice manager. They are responsible for the day-to-day running of the surgery and can often resolve access issues directly.

Contact your Integrated Care Board (ICB). Your ICB is the NHS organisation responsible for commissioning GP services in your area. Since July 2023, ICBs are the correct route for formal complaints about primary care services, including GP access. If a practice is consistently failing to provide access, the ICB can investigate. You can find your local ICB through the NHS website.

Make a formal complaint. If your concern is not resolved through the practice manager or ICB, you can make a formal complaint to NHS England. Information on how to do this is available on the NHS website. If your complaint relates to care received at an NHS Trust (such as a hospital), the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at that Trust can provide support - but for GP access concerns, the ICB or NHS England complaint route is the appropriate first step. Some ICBs also operate their own PALS-equivalent teams that can advise and signpost on primary care complaints.

Find Care Compare helps you search for GP practices and primary care providers across England, so you can understand what is available near you and make an informed decision about your care.

Information in this guide is based on publicly available NHS guidance and official government sources.