Nationally, changes are being implemented to improve access to general practice. This includes ensuring people can choose the way they contact their practice based on what is best for their needs.
The delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, published in 2023, introduced many changes for general practice to implement for improving access and avoiding the 8am rush for appointments.
You and Your General Practice (YYGP) explains to patients what to expect from their general practice and how to provide feedback or express concerns about the service they receive, so that they get the best from their general practice services. Published in August 2025, there will shortly be links to this on all practice websites.
GP Patient Survey results for Cornwall show majority have good GP experience
Every year the national GP Patient Survey, covering a wide range of general practice services, asks questions about a patient’s most recent contact, appointment and overall experience. The survey questionnaire also includes questions about when the practice is closed, a person’s health, and pharmacy and NHS dentistry services.
The latest results were published in July 2025, and include feedback from 6,451 local people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly which shows that:
- 77% of local people report a good overall experience of general practice
- 72% say their experience of contacting their practice is good – both are above the national average
- 93% had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to
- 92% were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment
- 90% felt that their needs were met during their last appointment
The results of the survey are published by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England on the GP Patient Survey website.
The below information gives an overview of the improvements and changes being made to improve access to general practice across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Increasing the number of GP appointments available
Each year there are more than 4 million appointments held across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The number of appointments has been steadily increasing for the past two years and, despite this, access has improved – with the percentage of same day appointments and the percentage of appointments within 14 days both showing growth.
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly has been investing into ways to provide more general practice appointments and different ways of working to provide care where it matters, this includes:
Primary care hubs providing extra GP appointments
The ICB has worked with local GP surgeries to improve access to additional general practice appointments. More than 60,000 extra appointments have been provided since December 2023* at 12 primary care hubs across parts of Cornwall for urgent-on-the-day medical needs, to improve access for local people.
On average 3,500 patients are seen each month, and the hub appointments create capacity for people who may need regular review, such as patients with long-term conditions, who would benefit from the continuity of seeing someone who understands their needs.
*Data is from December 2023 to August 2025.
Digital improvements
As part of the delivery plan for improving access to primary care, digital improvements include:
- replacing outdated telephone systems with digital systems that can handle more calls and, in most cases, offer a call back option
- reviewing and updating GP surgery websites to become much more user-friendly
- implementing online consultations and use of the NHS app to allow an easy way to seek an appointment and faster access to information
Training in the use of the digital tools has been offered by Cornwall Council through local libraries, and practices will offer support for anyone who is not able to use online consultations. Many have also enlisted the support of their patient participation groups in this.
There is still the ability to phone your practice or walk-in to seek an appointment, for people who are finding it difficult to use the digital tools.
Integrated neighbourhood teams
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is leading the way nationally with the development of 16 integrated neighbourhood teams (INTs), which bring together GPs, nurses, therapists, social workers and voluntary sector partners in the local area to support patients in a more joined-up way, working together to look after the health and wellbeing of local people.
The INTs benefit local people by:
- getting more help and services closer to where they live
- the different services working together to share information and address health concerns in a timely manner – this can prevent the need for hospital-based care or emergency treatment
- working with other services such as police, fire, housing, and the Department of Work and Pensions, to improve the health of people living in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
There are five INTs taking forward the initial roll out of this programme: Truro, St Austell, Bosvena and Three Harbours, Isles of Scilly and North Kerrier. The programme is now expanding to include all 16 INTs across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. You can read more about our INTs.
Pharmacy First
The Pharmacy First service, launched on 31 January 2024, adds to the existing consultation service provided by more than 90 local pharmacies across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It enables community pharmacies to provide care and appropriate medicines for 7 common conditions including earache, sore throat and urinary tract infections, aiming to address health issues before they get worse.
This forms part of nationals plans to enable patients to get certain prescription medications directly from a pharmacy, if appropriate, without the need for a GP appointment.
This new service is freeing up general practice appointments for patients who need them most and will give people quicker and more convenient access to safe and high-quality healthcare.
Continuity of care
Continuity of care is really important and locally changes are underway to improve continuity for people who need it. The GP Collaborative Board asked us to commission primary care hubs to free up time to see people proactively who need continuity, such as people with long-term conditions or who are frail.
Practices are using digital tools to identify people who need continuity, flagging this on patient records so that if patients need an appointment they can be seen by the same clinician. There are also digital tools (Brave AI is being used in Cornwall) that detect those most at risk of a hospital admission, prompting an intervention by the general practice team to avoid a hospital episode.