General Practice Annual Electronic Self-Declaration (eDEC)

We highlighted to all practices the required completion of the annual eDEC submission to NHS England.  

2024 submission deadline: Monday 25 November 2024

Questions Removed  

The eDEC has been modified from 2023 and a number of questions have been removed; these include: 

• Q. 2N and Q. 2O which related to the pay transparency Regulations, which colleagues will recall caused significant semantic difficulties last year. 
• Q. 4Y offering an on-line new patient registration option, which has been superseded by new national arrangements. 
• Q. 6S offering registered patients the ability to access prospective Medical records online. Eight questions within the GP IT sections have been replaced, but with similar questions. 

Question Guidance 

In terms of this year’s questions, the LMC can offer the following commentary on certain questions. Some practices will have received advice or comment from their ICB in terms of the eDEC and questions within it, which often aligns with LMC advice. 

• Q. 2D(r) This relates to an NHS England indicative locum engagement rate of £73.77 per hour. 
  
  This should not be taken as an indication either that this is what locums should seek to charge, nor what practices should pay. There are no required Regulations in this regard, it is a matter for individual negotiation. 
  
  It is helpful for NHS England to be aware of the fees locums are currently charging; this is relevant, for example, in Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) reimbursements for parental and sickness leave locum cover. 

• Q. 2L(r) has been amended to include all staff participation in Prevent training, rather than just General Practitioners within the practice. 
  
• Q. 2L(r)  Prevent duty: guidance for healthcare professionals – GOV.UK 
  
• Q. 5F(r) practices should follow regulatory (and, the LMC would recommend, professional) guidance on patient removal; there is LMC guidance available on this process. 
  
• Q. 2Q(n) practices are reminded it is a contractual requirement to complete the National Workforce Reporting Service. 
  
• Q. 4Z(n) there is no contractual requirement for practices to agree a process with the ICB to refer patients to NHS 111; NHS England clearly wish to give the impression that patient “diversion” to NHS 111 should only be on an “exceptional basis”. This, however, is incorrect; signposting the use of NHS 111 as part of the options available to patients to obtain advice and care, is neither exceptional nor a diversion, and may be entirely appropriate either following practice assessment, or as a signposted option for self-referral. It is an integral part of the rich tapestry of NHS services commissioned by NHS England to provide NHS care to patients, and practices can signpost patients to this service. It is also integral to implementing BMA Safe Working Guidance. The LMC therefore recommends practices respond No (N) to this question. 
  
• Q. 5QA(n) it may be difficult to define exactly what processes are in place to address this point, but practices who have audits of prescribing patterns, or receive local Medicines Management updates would in the LMCs view satisfy this issue. 
  
• Q. 8TA(n) the NHS England GPIT operating model is currently in draft form with ICBs, and therefore Practice Agreements are not yet rolled out. Practices should therefore answer No (N) to this question. 
  
• Q. 8XAB practices are unlikely to have in-house arrangements in place to verify third party providers have a similar level of security in terms of encryption on its website and are not required to do so; if this is the case practices should respond No (N) to this question. 
  
• Q. 8XCA practices will need to log onto their NHS UK website profile to ensure these details are accurate. 
  
• Q. 8XAB/8ZA. This constitutes a series of questions in terms of access to on-line booking and communication with patients, and practices should answer according to their current understanding of their practice’s normal operational processes.
   
• Q. 8ZC(n). This applies only if the practice premises are used to provide PCN DES Extended Services (or other extended services). There is no requirement to use any specific premises, as the requirement is to offer such services if commissioned to do so, and not to offer specific premises. 

We highlighted to all practices the required completion of the annual eDEC submission to NHS England.  

2025 submission deadline: Monday 21 November 2025

This year’s deadline for the eDEC submission is Friday 21 November 2025. The LMC
suggests taking Chamberlain’s 1886 comment to heart – that paraphrased, a fortnight is a long time in politics and that practices do not submit this form until much closer to the deadline. It can be partially completed and saved as an on-going process.

Many practice colleagues will be familiar with the eDEC process, based on previous years submission. Further details about eDEC are available at:

General Practice Annual Electronic Self-Declaration (eDEC) – NHS England Digital

The LMC has, as last year, some commentary on certain questions:

• Q. 2D Total number of locum sessions, between 01 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, where pay has exceeded the maximum indicative rate of £73.77 per hour
  
  This figure should not be taken either as the expected sum GP locums should charge, or that practices should pay. This is a matter for individual locums and their engaging practices, and there are no applicable Regulations in this regard.
  
  It is helpful for NHS England to be aware of locum fee levels.

• Q. 4A Details of opening hours for reception
  
  The regulatory changes to the Contract from 1st October state that patients should have available the following means of contacting the Contractor throughout core hours:
  
  7.5.1 (a) by attending the Contractor’s practice premises
  (b) by telephone, and
  (c) through the practice’s online consultation tool.
  
  This means that if a patient attends the practice premises, which doesn’t necessarily imply being able to walk-in, there needs to be a method in place advising patients how they may contact the contractor (which should be read as, enabling the patient to access services appropriate to their clinical need). If your practice premises are closed, patients should be provided with such information; this may include, for example, an intercom, buzzer, a telephone number to call, and details of when the premises are again open to walk-ins. Patients can also be provided with details of other NHS services they can access, which may include Community Pharmacies, Urgent Treatment/Care Centres, NHS 111 or ED, noting that the latter is only suitable for emergency and life-threatening illnesses. In the latter situation, patients should be advised to dial 999.
  
  Although the Regulations do not require practice premises to be open (in the sense of walk-in) throughout core hours, if a patient attends the practice premises between 8 am and 6.30 pm, they need to be advised how they can access services if, temporarily, they cannot walk-in.
  
  
• Q. 4B Details of opening hours for phone lines
  
  In general, practice phone lines should be open throughout core hours. However, practices can arrange for patients to be given a menu of options when they call their practice. This may include information similar to that noted above.
  

• Q. 4C Are there any regular periods during each week that the practice is closed to patients between the hours of 8 am – 6.30 pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays)
  
  Interpreting this as being synonymous with 4A, which refers to reception opening, practices should respond ‘Yes’ if there are times as listed in 4A during core hours when the practice reception is closed.
  
  It is possible this will include, for some practices, subcontracted ‘shoulder’ (e.g. 8 – 8.30 am or 6 – 6.30 pm) periods. If a practice is currently utilising a subcontracting arrangement in this way AND as part of this the practice reception is closed, which is likely to be the case, then both 4A and 4C should reflect this.
  
  
• Q. 4E Are there any other intermittent periods during each week that the practice is closed to patients between the hours of 8 am – 6.30 pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays)
  
  This may refer to PLTs or practice closure for other staff training; the LMC recommends this question is only answered ’Yes’ if these occur on a genuinely weekly basis.
  
  
• Q. 4F6 Is the practice closed each week for half a day during core contract hours
  
  Under Para 8.6.16 of the PCN DES specification, no Core Network Practice will be closed for half a day on a weekly basis unless the practice has written approval from the commissioner; this means for those practices who are members of a PCN, a half day closure is not permitted unless such written agreement is available.
  
  If any practice is not a member of a PCN, this clause does not apply, but in such circumstances it is likely that a subcontracting arrangement will be in place. Practices should not close, in the sense of not delivering any services, without a subcontracting arrangement.
  
  
• Q. 4Z The practice has a process in place to agree any diversions to NHS 111 on an exceptional basis with their ICB primary care team
  
  There is no regulatory requirement for this position; signposting the use of NHS 111 as part of the options available to patients to obtain advice and care does not constitute a ‘diversion’ and may be entirely appropriate either following practice assessment, or as a signposted option for self-referral.
  
  Para 7.5.2 notes that an appropriate response to a patient contacting the Contractor (under 7.5.1 noted in 4A above) may include to:
  
  (b) provide appropriate advice and care to a patient by another method
  (c) invite the patient to make use of, or direct the patient towards, appropriate services which are available to the patient, including services which the patient may access themselves.
  
  The proviso is that under Para 7.5.4 this response must take into account, amongst other things, “the needs of the patient”; this may be achieved by discussion with the patient directly, or information being provided to the patient which assists the patient to identify their most appropriate NHS service.
  
  As a consequence, the LMC recommends practices respond ‘No’ to this question.
  
  
• Q. 4L Does the practice offer primary medical services (excluding home visits) to new patients who are seeking to register with the practice and reside outside their usual practice boundary area
  
  This is a reference to Out-of-Area [OOA] patient registration; for a number of reasons noted in previous communications the LMC does not recommend practices offer OOA registration, and as NHS England notes in the eDEC, there is no requirement for practices to do so.
  
  
• Q. 4M During the preceding 12 months the practice can confirm that it can evidence (if requested) how it is meeting the reasonable needs of its patient population/and the practice has arrangements in place for its patients to access such services throughout core hours (8 am – 6.30 pm Monday to Friday) in case of emergency
  
  This appears to be two questions; meeting the reasonable needs of patients is a regulatory requirement (Para 8.1.1) and might be evidenced by GP patient surveys, PPG minutes, and other feedback.
  
  General Practice is not an emergency service, however, providing written/verbal information (including by phone) should enable registered patients to understand what they should do in case of emergency, and for any emergency to be responded to if the practice is contacted about it. Para 8.1.1 reads:
  
  The Contractor must provide the services described in Part 8 (namely essential services) at such times, within core hours, as are appropriate to meet the reasonable needs of its patients, and to have in place arrangements for its patients to access such services throughout the core hours in case of emergency.
  
  
• Q. 4O If practice services are not available to patients during core contract hours what arrangements are in place
  
  Noting the advice above, practice services will never not be in place unless subcontracting arrangements are being used. In this situation, the LMC recommends practices free text the response describing which organisation holds the subcontract.
  
  
• Q. 4ZA The practice can confirm and evidence where requested that its online consultation tool is switched on for the duration of core hours as per the contract regulations e.g. for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries and admin requests
  
  The Regulations do not specify anything other than the consultation tool being open during core hours; there is no reference to the nature of the contact that is made. The LMC therefore recommends that practices answer the question as asked, rather than considering what functionality the online consultation tool offers, when switched on.
  
  
• Q. 4ZB The practice notifies patients on its website and in the premises that patients requesting urgent clinical appointments or reviews should either be made by attending the practice in person or by the telephone
  
  This approach enables practices to seek to differentiate between patients who believe they have an urgent medical condition, and those that do not. By providing this information, practices can seek to avoid patients who believe they have an urgent medical condition using their online consultation tool. This reduces the risk that such patients may not be responded to in a timely manner, based on the nature of their symptoms.
  
  Practices may choose to use online functionality to prevent urgent requests being made via this route, and to reinforce the message above to patients. If practices do wish patients to access services online even with an urgent condition, the LMC recommends this functionality is enabled online but that the above website/written information is still made available to patients.
  
  
• Q. 5E The practice can demonstrate reasonable grounds where it has refused an application to register and keep a written record of refusals and the reason(s) for them
  
  The LMC recommends practices have clear practice policies available to patients, and with which staff are familiar, in relation to:
  
  • Applications for registration when residing within the practice boundary
  • Applications for registration when residing outside the practice boundary
  • Continuing registration when moving to an “outer” boundary area (if one exists)
  • Continuing registration when moving permanently outside the practice boundary
  • Accessing practice services on a ‘Temporary Resident’ [TR] basis
    
    For clarity the relevant clauses are:
    
    13.5B.4 Subject to clauses 13.5B.5 and 13.5B.6, the Contractor may only refuse an application under clause 13.5B.2.3 if the Contractor has reasonable grounds for doing so which do not relate to the applicant’s age, appearance, disability or medical condition, gender or gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or social class.
    
    13.5B.5 The reasonable grounds referred to in clause 13.5B.4 may include the ground that the applicant will not, on or after the scheduled release date, live in the Contractor’s practice area or does not intend to live in that area.
    
    
• Q. 5F When removing patients from its list the practice can demonstrate it does so in accordance with contractual requirements
  
  As this can be a cause of complaint (though not appeal), the LMC recommends practices follow a clear internal policy. LMC guidance is available:Deregistering Patients at the Partnership [Contractors] Request, and practices must ensure the reason(s) for such deregistration are recorded, and (if applicable) a warning letter is sent to the patient.
  
  
• Q. 5AD The practice can confirm it has published a link to the General Practice Patient Charter ”You and Your GP” on its practice website
  
  This refers to the updated document You and Your General Practice [YYGP] which as from 01 October should appear as a link on the practice website. The link is:
  
  NHS England » You and your general practice
  
  The links must be displayed prominently on the home page (or equivalent) of the practice website or online practice profile (as the case may be).
  
  
• Q. 6UA/6UB/6UC
  
  The questions refer to the GP Connect Structured and HTML functionality which should be switched on, but the contract from 01 October 2025 only requires Community Pharmacy colleagues to send consultation summaries to the GP practice workflow. There is no requirement to enable the GP Connect functionality to any other person/organisation, and, because of the potential workload implications, the LMC does not recommend practices doing so any wider than community pharmacy.
  
  
• Q. 8XCA The practice has checked that their profiles and opening times information on the NHS UK website are up to date
  
  The LMC recommends practices review both this and their own website information. Practices should not state they are open when they are not (using 4A as a template) but the LMC recommends all references to times when their telephones or online consultation tool is operational are removed, and, instead, no comment is made in this regard. The access to the practice online consultation tool should be clearly indicated on the website.