How North House Surgery is making it easier for people to get the right help

Getting an appointment or speaking to someone at a GP practice isn't always straightforward. Whether it's struggling to get through on the phone, finding an appointment that fits around work or knowing what happens after asking for help, the experience can be frustrating.

These are some of the issues people told us about during our recent work on experiences of GP practices across North Yorkshire.

But alongside highlighting the difficulties, we also wanted to share examples of what's working well.

North House Surgery in Ripon caught our attention following positive results in the national 2026 GP Patient Survey, particularly around telephone access and helpful reception staff.

We spoke to the practice to find out what it's been doing, what it's learned from patients and what other GP practices might take from its experience.

Moving away from the 8am telephone rush

Having to telephone at 8am to request an appointment wasn't always practical for people juggling work, childcare or other commitments.

North House Surgery recognised this and moved away from expecting everyone to call at that time, introducing online consultations as another way for patients to ask for help.

With support from NHS England's Practice Level Support programme, which helps GP practices review and improve how they work, the surgery reviewed how it handled appointment requests.

One change was introducing an acute care hub, bringing together a GP, an advanced nurse practitioner and a receptionist to review requests and help patients get the care they need.

The practice also introduced online consultations, giving people another way to contact the surgery without waiting on the telephone.

North House Surgery told us it received 5,280 telephone calls in August 2025, compared with 4,555 in August 2026. That's 725 fewer calls, a reduction of nearly 14%.

The figures suggest telephone demand has reduced as the practice has introduced more ways for people to get in touch.

Keeping the choice to phone or visit

Not everyone wants to contact their GP practice online, and some people may find it difficult to use digital options.

North House Surgery told us it had deliberately chosen not to move to a fully online way of booking an appointment, recognising that this wouldn't suit everyone.

People can still telephone the surgery or visit in person if they need to.

The practice told us that while some patients welcome the convenience of contacting the surgery online, others prefer speaking to someone or need support.

It's something people also raised during our own research. Different ways of contacting GP practices work for different people, depending on their needs and circumstances.

North House Surgery's approach shows how online consultations can sit alongside telephone and in-person contact, rather than replacing them.

Helping patients see a familiar clinician

For people with ongoing health concerns, seeing someone who already knows their medical history can make a difference to their experience.

North House Surgery has introduced what it calls 'GP continuity slots', giving patients the opportunity, where appropriate, to book with a familiar clinician.

For example, someone completing an online consultation can request a particular clinician. Following a review of their request, they may receive a booking link to arrange an appointment with them.

The practice says this is part of its efforts to preserve the traditional family doctor approach, so patients don't always have to explain their medical history from the beginning.

It has also increased all GP appointments from 10 to 15 minutes.

The surgery explained that health concerns aren't always straightforward, and longer appointments can give patients and clinicians more time to discuss them.

Making telephone calls clearer

When people contact their GP practice, knowing who they'll speak to and what happens next can help avoid confusion.

North House Surgery found that its recorded telephone message wasn't accurately explaining what happened when people called.

The recording suggested patients would receive a call back from a GP. In reality, reception staff would first discuss their request and might suggest completing an online consultation.

The surgery updated the message to explain this more clearly, including the role of reception staff and when an online consultation might be suggested.

It's a relatively small change, but one that shows the importance of looking at everyday arrangements from a patient's point of view.

Asking people what needs to improve

North House Surgery also recognises there's more work to do, particularly with its website.

Although online consultations are easier to find, the practice acknowledged that other parts of the website are outdated or could be clearer.

It asked members of its Patient Participation Group, which brings patients and staff together to discuss improvements, to explore the website and share their experiences.

The surgery plans to use their feedback, alongside an external review and a review by Healthwatch North Yorkshire, to help decide what needs changing.

Staff have also visited neighbouring GP practices to learn how they manage appointments, telephone contact and support for people who find online options difficult.