[Your Practice Letterhead]
[Date]
To: [Recipient Name/ICB]
I am writing following your enquiry on behalf of a constituent in relation to booking arrangements at [insert practice name], [insert any further details relating to the constituent enquiry that may also require responding to].
[Describe your online access and triage processes]
This approach helps the practice match patients to the right clinician.
Since 01 October 2025, all GP practices in England have been required to follow new government contract changes. These changes mean that practices must process every request on the same day and are no longer permitted to declare that we are “at capacity,” even when demand exceeds what the practice team can safely manage. To maintain patient safety, practices have had to expand clinical triage systems to ensure that every request is assessed and directed to the most suitable member of the multidisciplinary team. This means that fewer GP appointments are available each day, a presumably unintended consequence of this contract change. Some practices are now creating waiting lists.
The challenges described in this case reflect wider pressures across general practice. GP numbers have fallen while patient list sizes continue to grow, leaving practices with less clinical time per patient and considerable strain on appointment availability. The recent BMA report, The Value of a GP, outlines these national issues clearly, including the impact of chronic underfunding and workforce shortages on continuity of care, patient access, and staff wellbeing.
We would welcome your support in encouraging national policy makers to address the underlying issues affecting general practice. Sustainable core funding, retention of experienced GPs, and simplification of contractual requirements would significantly improve access and ensure that practices can continue to provide safe and consistent care for our communities.
I hope this background is helpful, but if you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the public affairs unit at the BMA ([email protected] ) who can provided significantly more information.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Practice]