Awareness and use of online appointment booking in general practice: analysis of GP Patient Survey data

General practices are required to provide online booking to patients in line with policy to digitise access. However, uptake of online booking by patients is currently low and there is little evidence about awareness and use by different patient groups.

To examine variability in awareness and use of online appointment booking in general practice.

Secondary analysis of two questions from the GP Practice Survey data (2018) asking about awareness and use of online booking of appointments. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations with age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, the presence of a long-term condition, long-term sickness and being deaf.

In total, 43.3% (277 278/647 064) of responders reported being aware of being able to book appointments online, while only 15% (93 671/641 073) reported doing so. There was evidence of variation by all factors considered, with strong deprivation gradients in both awareness and use (for example, most versus least deprived quintile OR for use: 0.63 (95% CI = 0.61 to 0.65). There was a reduction in awareness and use in patients >75 years of age. Patients with long-term conditions were more aware and more likely to use online booking.

While over 40% of patients know that they can book appointment online, the number that actually do so is far lower. With the constant push for online services within the NHS and the roll out of the NHS app, practices should be aware that not all patient groups will book appointments online and that other routes of access need to be maintained to avoid widening health inequalities.