A THIRD of GP appointments were carried out online or over the phone in England in June — the highest proportion since the pandemic.

The sharp rise in online consultations has driven the figure after it bottomed out at 27.7 per cent in January 2023, according to NHS England data.

As many as four in 10 appointments were carried out by phone or online during the pandemic.

Royal College of GPs chairwoman Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: “Remote consultations, whether delivered over the phone or via video, can offer convenience and flexibility that many patients value, and evidence has shown that in the vast majority of cases, remote care is safe."

Online appointments include those carried out using live chat tools and video-based calls.

The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We’ve made real progress fixing the front door of the NHS, recruiting more than 2,000 GPs in the last year and delivering an additional seven million GP appointments to improve access for patients."