Medical appointments for older people without internet access: FOI release

Information requested

1. The total number of practices in Scotland and the percentage that offer each of the following booking options to patients:

a. Online booking
b. Telephone booking
c. In-person booking

2. For the period between 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, the percentage of patients aged 75 and over who were offered appointments via the following methods:

a. In-person
b. Online- telephone consultation
c. Online- video consultation

3. Alternative options available to patients without internet access, in particular older adults, to enable them to access GP services.

Response

While our aim is to provide information wherever possible, in this instance, the Scottish Government does not have the information you requested.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Some of the information you have requested is available from Public Health Scotland. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

1. The total number of practices in Scotland and the percentage that offer the following booking options to patients: online, telephone, in-person.

Public Health Scotland publishes information about the number of GP practices in Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not produce or record information on the various booking options offered to patients. GP practices are contracted to provide general medical services by their local Health Board and not the Scottish Government. Practice partners are responsible for designing their own patient and appointment consultation arrangements to meet their service obligations.

2. For the period between 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, the percentage of patients aged 75 and over who were offered appointments via the following methods: in-person, online- telephone, onlinevideo.

The Scottish Government does not produce or record information on the types of appointment offered to patients. Public Health Scotland publishes data on General Practice activity and they also publish demographic information which may be of interest.

3. For those individuals who do not have internet access, particularly older adults, please list the alternative options available to patients to enable them to access GP services.

As noted above, GP practices are contracted to provide general medical services by their local Health Board and not the Scottish Government. As such, the Scottish Government is unable to intervene in the service and appointment arrangements of individual practices, but we do expect satisfactory systems to be in place for the benefit of all patients. Practice partners are responsible for designing their own patient and appointment consultation arrangements to meet their service obligations.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.