We want to let you know about some national changes to GP services that will start from April 2026.

These changes come from a new GP Contract imposed by NHS England, and they affect how all GP practices organise appointments and patient access.

At Southbourne Surgery, our priority remains the same: providing safe, high‑quality care for our patients.

More Ways to Contact Us – and What This Means

The NHS will require all practices to accept an unlimited number of online requests each day even when a safe working capacity has been reached. When this limit is reached you may be asked to attend a UTC or A & E or contact NHS111
We will continue to offer online, telephone, and face‑to‑face access.

If your request is urgent, a member of the team will respond on the same day.
This may be a phone call, an online message, or an appointment, depending on your clinical need.

Routine issues may be booked for a later date when appropriate.

Why Response Times May Vary

The new national rules will increase the number of requests we receive each day.
This may mean:

• Busier phone lines at peak times
• Longer waits for routine appointments
• More triage (clinical assessment) before appointments are booked. As currently happens a clinician will triage all request to ascertain the clinical urgency of the request.

We will always prioritise patients with urgent or high‑risk symptoms.

Working Safely for Patients and Staff

GP surgeries across the country are being asked to do more while the number of clinicians remains limited.
To keep care safe, we will continue to follow BMA safe working guidance, which protects:

• The quality of clinical decision‑making
• Staff wellbeing
• Patient safety

This may affect how quickly routine care can be arranged, but it ensures that urgent issues are dealt with promptly.

What Patients Can Expect From Us

We will:

• Continue offering urgent same‑day responses when needed
• Keep information on our website and in the surgery clear and up to date
• Work closely with local NHS teams to ensure safe referral pathways
• Keep you informed of any further national changes that may affect how services are delivered

How You Can Help

You can support the practice by:

• Using online requests for non‑urgent issues where possible
• Giving detailed information about your symptoms when submitting an online request
• Attending appointments on time and cancelling if you no longer need them
• Being patient with staff during busy periods – they are working hard to help you

Our Commitment

Despite these national changes and increasing pressures on general practice, Southbourne Surgery remains committed to providing high‑quality, compassionate care for all our patients.
We will continue to adapt and communicate clearly as further details are released.

As part of our commitment to ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care as quickly as possible, our reception team may refer you directly to a community pharmacy if your condition falls under the NHS Community Pharmacy Consultation Service.

A trained pharmacist will provide expert advice and treatment where appropriate, including issuing medication without the need to see a GP.

This service helps ensure that GP appointments are available for those with more complex health needs.