GP practices are increasingly turning to locum doctors to help manage rising workloads, with changes to online consultations believed to be one of the key factors behind the increase.
Figures from the National Association of Sessional GPs (NASGP) show that bookings through its LocumDeck platform have risen significantly during 2026 compared with the same period last year.
NASGP chair Dr Richard Fieldhouse told GPonline that bookings during the first 17 days of September 2026 were 40% higher than during the equivalent period in 2025.
The increase has been consistent throughout the year. Between January and August, every month recorded more locum bookings than the corresponding month in 2025, with increases ranging from 10% to 33%.
February and March were particularly busy, with bookings rising by 32% and 33% respectively, around a third higher than the previous year.
Growing pressure from online consultations
Dr Fieldhouse believes the additional workload created by online consultations could be contributing to the growing demand for locum GPs.
Since 1 October 2025, GP practices have been contractually required to keep their online consultation systems open between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. While online services can give patients greater access to their GP practice, the increased volume of requests also creates additional work for clinical teams.
This includes reviewing incoming requests, assessing symptoms, deciding how patients should be managed and determining whether they need a face-to-face or remote appointment.
Dr Fieldhouse said triage workload has increased dramatically, and that practices which previously managed the extra work may now be finding it difficult to cope without additional GP cover.
The rise in locum bookings could therefore reflect a combination of factors, including increased patient demand, online consultation triage and the wider pressures facing general practice.
Greater flexibility over funding
The increase in demand for locum GPs comes as the rules around additional government funding for practices have changed.
As part of the 2026/27 GP contract, practices can access funding from a £292 million reimbursement scheme to employ additional GPs. Until recently, the scheme only covered salaried GPs, which led to criticism that the rules were too restrictive.
The British Medical Association (BMA) had been in discussions with NHS England about widening the scheme to include locum GPs and partners. Dr Fieldhouse said the NASGP supported the proposal, arguing that practice managers should have greater flexibility over how additional funding is used.
An update to the contract regulations published on 30 September 2026 has since confirmed that, from 1 October 2026, practices can also claim reimbursement for locum GPs. GP partners, however, remain excluded for now.
For practices experiencing increased demand, being able to use this funding to secure locum cover provides another option for managing workload and maintaining access for patients.
The latest booking figures suggest that demand for locum GPs is already increasing. With online consultation requirements continuing to place pressure on practice teams, flexible staffing is likely to remain an important issue for general practice in the year ahead.
Sources
- GPonline, “Rise in GP locum bookings this year linked to online consultation workload”, 21 September 2026: https://www.gponline.com/rise-gp-locum-bookings-year-linked-online-consultation-workload/article/1970350
- GPonline, “GP reimbursement scheme rules relaxed to include locums”, October 2026: https://www.gponline.com/gp-reimbursement-scheme-rules-relaxed-include-locums/article/1971384
- House of Commons Library, “GP online consultations and appointments”: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10652/
- Pulse, “Government confirms new practice-level reimbursement scheme only covers salaried GPs”: https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/2026-27-gp-contract/government-confirms-new-practice-level-reimbursement-scheme-only-covers-salaried-gps/
- Management in Practice, “GP reimbursement scheme rules changed to include locums”: https://managementinpractice.com/news/gp-reimbursement-scheme-rules-changed-to-include-locums/