What is the Book GP Appointment service on NowPatient?
The Book GP Appointment service lets you book, view, and cancel GP appointments online through your NowPatient account. You can schedule appointments up to 16 weeks in advance and cancel at any time (subject to your surgery’s cancellation policy).
How much does the service cost?
The service is completely free for all registered NowPatient users.
Is the Book GP Appointment service available outside England?
No. The service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients registered with a GP in England. It is not available in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Can I use NowPatient to book urgent or same-day appointments?
No. Do not use NowPatient for urgent or same-day GP appointment bookings. If you need urgent care, contact your GP surgery directly, visit 111.nhs.uk, or call 999 for life-threatening emergencies.
How do I access the Book GP Appointment service?
If you signed up with NHS login, the Book GP Appointment service card is active immediately.
If you signed up with your email address or used Google or Apple to sign up, the Book GP Appointment service card on your account homepage will appear with a ‘locked’ symbol. To activate it, you will need your linkage keys which can be obtained from your GP surgery. Once obtained, click the ‘Connect’ button on the Book GP Appointment service card and you will be presented with a modal in which you can enter these codes. If successfully entered, it will unlock the service card.
What are linkage keys and how do I get them?
Linkage keys are three codes used by the NHS to secure your GP record: a linkage key (or passphrase), an ODS code (or practice ID), and an account ID. Contact your GP practice, ask for access to online services, and request your three linkage keys. They will send them by letter or email. A template email is available on the service page to help you make the request.
How do I book a GP appointment through NowPatient?
Go to the Book GP Appointment Service Card in the ‘NHS Hub’ on your account homepage. Select ‘Book Appointment’ from the Options Menu, choose your preferred date, time, and GP, then confirm your booking.
How far in advance can I book appointments?
NowPatient shows appointment slots up to 16 weeks in advance. However, your GP surgery decides how far ahead appointments are actually available, so the number of slots you see depends on your surgery’s settings.
Is there a limit on how often I can search for appointments?
Yes. NowPatient operates a fair usage policy on all NHS integrated services to help prevent misuse of NHS resources. Under this policy, you are limited to searching and booking one slot per day.
What happens after I book my appointment?
You will receive a confirmation notification in your ‘Notifications’ section on the account homepage. You can also check your upcoming appointments from the Book GP Appointment Service Card. Remember to attend your GP surgery at the agreed date and time.
My selected appointment slot became unavailable during booking. Why?
Another patient may have booked the same slot before you completed your booking. Try searching again since there may still be a slot available at the same time with a different clinician or surgery member.
How do I view my upcoming or past appointments?
Go to the Book GP Appointment Service Card in the ‘NHS Hub’ and select ‘Upcoming Appointments’ or ‘Past Appointments’ from the Options Menu. This displays a list of your booked or previous appointments.
How do I cancel a GP appointment?
Go to the Book GP Appointment Service Card, select ‘Upcoming Appointments’, find the appointment you want to cancel, and select the ‘Cancel Appointment’ button. If your surgery has stopped accepting online cancellations because the appointment is too close, contact the surgery directly.
Why can’t I see any available appointment slots?
There are several possible reasons: your GP surgery may not allow online booking, your surgery may have stopped using online booking, or all available slots may have already been taken. Contact your GP surgery directly if no online slots are available.
Does my GP surgery have to support online booking for this to work?
Yes. The Book GP Appointment service shows slots that your GP surgery has made available for online booking. If your surgery does not offer online booking, no slots will appear. Contact your surgery to check whether they support this feature.
Can I book appointments for family members?
NowPatient accounts are unique to each individual. Each person needs their own NowPatient account to book GP appointments.