Access to primary care from 1.10.25

From Wednesday 1 October, all GP practices across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will provide their routine online consultations from 8.00am to 6.30pm. The change applies to routine care only and not urgent appointments.

Online GP consultations offer a convenient way for patients to contact their GP practice. Online consultations can be used for various reasons, including describing symptoms, getting advice, requesting prescriptions, and managing some conditions.

While the practice is open, patients are able from 1^st October 2025:

• Visit the practice

• Call the practice

• Go online using the practice’s website or the NHS App.

  
  

If you need urgent help for your physical or mental health when the general practice is closed, and you cannot wait until they re-open, go online to 111.nhs.uk or call 111. They will tell you what to do next.

If you need to cancel your appointment at the GP surgery there will now be a broader range of opportunities to contact a member of the team.  Cancelling appointments that you don’t need any more (there were 15% of primary care appointments in Portsmouth in July patients didn’t attend) is likely to be easier from now on and could free up more slots.  

As part of the NHS 10-year health plan, there is a drive to ensure that patients have access to more care within their communities.   There is a link to the Patient Charter here

Local people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are now able to book more appointments with different healthcare professionals at GP practices, meaning they can be seen quicker and cared for in the best possible way.    Read more about the Additional Roles.

Healthwatch Portsmouth will be running a survey of Portsmouth patients to find out about their experience of accessing primary care from October and we will include a link here soon. We will use the findings to make recommendations to local commissioners. Our recommendations will focus on what matters most to patients and could be suggested as local improvements.