More patients attending phone and online GP appointments

More than a quarter of GP appointments recorded in West Yorkshire in June took place over the phone or online, recent figures show.

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Meanwhile, a third of GP appointments in England took place on the phone or online that month - the highest proportion since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Royal College of GPs said these remote consultations “offer convenience and flexibility that many patients value”, adding most appointments still take place in person.

NHS England data shows 387,193 (27 per cent) of all 1,451,232 GP appointments attended in the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board area in June were carried out over the phone or online.

It was up from 327,990 and 24 per cent a year earlier, but down from 482,609 and 46 per cent in June 2020 during the pandemic.