GP Access Standards in Wales

What you can expect from your GP practice

GP practices in Wales follow national Access Standards set by the Welsh Government. These standards are designed to make it easier for patients to contact their practice and get the right care at the right time.

✅ Contacting the practice

• You should receive a prompt response when you contact the practice by phone.
• The practice uses a modern telephone system to reduce queuing and avoid the need to call back repeatedly.
• Phone messages are available in Welsh and English.

✅ Different ways to access care

• You can contact the practice in more than one way, such as by telephone or online.
• During normal opening hours, you can:
  • Request a non‑urgent appointment online
  • Ask for a call‑back from the practice
• Repeat prescriptions can be requested digitally, including for residents of care homes.

✅ Appointments and clinical care

• If your condition is assessed as urgent, you will be offered same‑day clinical contact.
• Children under 16 with an acute illness will be offered same‑day assessment.
• The practice offers a mix of:
  • On‑the‑day appointments
  • Pre‑bookable appointments
  • Remote (telephone or online) and face‑to‑face consultations
• You should be offered the most appropriate healthcare professional for your needs, not always a GP.

✅ Right care, right place

• Practice staff may signpost you to other appropriate services, such as pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, or local cluster services, if this best meets your needs.
• This helps ensure quicker access and that GP appointments are kept for those who need them most.

✅ Clear information for patients

• The practice website clearly explains:
  • How to contact the practice
  • How to request urgent, routine, and advance appointments
  • What other services are available locally and nationally
• Information should be accessible and available in both Welsh and English.

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If you need urgent help

• For urgent medical help when the practice is closed, patients should contact NHS 111 Wales.
• In a medical emergency, dial 999.