Online GP consultations are quicker, more flexible, and more efficient than traditional consulting methods, the largest study of patient views in England has concluded.

The University of Manchester research, published in the British Journal of General Practice, found male patients and older patients found online systems particularly helpful, but some respondents still wanted a return to traditional ways of accessing their GP. The team collected 21,467 written comments from almost 12,000 patients at 240 GP practices across England and also carried out hour-long interviews with 25 patients. While almost all GP practices now use online consultations and patients are often told to use them to contact their family doctor, in-depth research into patients’ views on online consultations has not until now been carried out.

Lead author Dr Susan Moschogianis said: “Most of the patients in our sample said they preferred online consultations because they are more convenient, flexible, and efficient than in-person appointments for dealing with simple health problems such as rashes or colds. The primary benefit reported by most patients was the ability to receive a quick response to their query and male patients in particular reported they were more likely to contact their GP using them.

“Perhaps surprisingly, many older participants found the system easier to navigate than expected and often preferred using it to contact their GP practice than traditional methods.But not everyone was as positive. Some still wanted a return to traditional ways of accessing their GP practice using more traditional methods such as telephone and in-person visits. And poor communication about the online consultation systems often left patients disappointed and frustrated.”

The research found patients’ experiences of online consultations with their GP practice can be influenced by characteristics of the patient, the condition they consult about, system design, and how it is used by GP staff.

Senior author Dr Ben Brown said: “Our findings provide new insight into why some patients prefer in-person consultations and why others prefer to use online consultations. We found that patients’ experiences of using these systems could be influenced by a range of factors such as the different demographics of patients and different conditions they are seeking help with.

“But also, how GP practices conduct online consultations and aspects of the technological design were found to be key drivers of positive patient experiences. Some patients who struggle to communicate in in-person appointments, such as patients with autism, hearing loss and anxiety, prefer using online consultations. And some patients, especially men, preferred discussing sensitive topics online. Drawing directly from the findings we make specific recommendations for GP practices and online consultation system designers for how they can optimise patients’ experience.”

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said the findings were “encouraging”.

Professor Hawthorne said: “This study shows that patients appreciate a mixed-method approach to accessing GP care and services – and it has been the College’s position some time that how patients access our care should be a shared decision between the clinician and patient. It is encouraging to see this research address some of the common misconceptions around the use of remote consultations in general practice. Whilst around 70% of care in general practice is carried out in person, safe, timely and appropriate care is being delivered remotely everyday by GPs and our teams – and whilst it isn’t suitable for everyone, it is the preferred choice for many patients.

“There is no one size fits all approach to accessing care. Many patients prefer to see their GP face to face, which is still how most consultations are delivered, but others appreciate the convenience that an online consultation offers – and it’s particularly interesting that this study found older patients find them helpful.”