A third (33.3%) of GP appointments in England in June were carried out either over the phone or online, the highest proportion since the pandemic.

The figure is up from 30.9% a year earlier in June 2024, and 28.3% in June 2023, according to new analysis of NHS England data by the PA news agency.

Family doctors said remote consultations “offer convenience and flexibility that many patients value”, and the majority of appointments are still delivered face to face.

As many as four in 10 appointments were carried out by phone or online during the pandemic, but the proportion fell once the impact of Covid-19 eased and had dropped to 27.7% in January 2023.

In the past two years the figure has risen slowly but steadily, driven by a sharp increase in consultations taking place online.

These

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