Top Online GP Consultation Providers 2021

COVID-19 has changed the way that healthcare services are accessed on a global scale. More NHS services than ever are now available digitally, in fact, in the past year 93% of primary care visits in England took place digitally. These rapid adaptations are largely in response to the pandemic, but increasing digitisation of NHS healthcare was also laid out in its Long Term Plan, released in 2019.

With the NHS increasingly underfunded and overworked, private digital alternatives to NHS GPs are also becoming more widespread and ever-more reliable.

In both cases, NHS and private, these digital services represent the future of healthcare in the UK. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at some of these providers, and balanced their services against their prices and their customer reviews to give you an idea of where to start when looking for an online GP consultation provider. So, which online GP service is best?

Push Doctor

Ad-hoc Appointment Price: £30.00

Membership Price (Monthly): £3.00 (£20.00/appointment)

Services: 

• Video chat appointments
• Text chat (with an NHS-trained UK GP)
• Prescription delivery (including NHS)
• Sick notes
• Referrals
• Mental health

UK Based NHS Doctors Available? Yes

Can I talk to a GP online? Yes

How easily can you get through to a GP? Push Doctor’s services are identical on both their app and their website. Therefore, all you need to do is set up your account and book your consultation, meaning that you could be through to a GP within minutes. They also work with a number NHS GP surgeries directly to provide digital access to your regular NHS GP.

Trustpilot Rating: 72% rated the service as 5 Stars (out of 2474 reviews)

Push Doctor is the highest-ranking application on our list thanks to the strong feedback from users, their reasonable price structure, and their NHS integration. Out of 2474 users, 72% ranked the application as 5 stars. Push Doctor covers all the fundamental services you would expect from such a provider and provides the best all-round service.

See more at https://www.pushdoctor.co.uk/

Babylon Health

Ad-hoc Appointment Price: £49.00

Membership Price (Monthly): Annually £149 

Further pricing details: Basic membership is free but does not include the booking of appointments. You also have the option to book a therapist for £39.00 (£59.00 for non-members) or a specialist for £49.00 (£79.00 for non-members). 

Services: 

• A.I. chat (artificial intelligence chat bot)
• Video chat appointments
• Audio appointments
• Prescription delivery
• Replay function to watch your appointments back at a later date
• Digital health check
• Mental wellbeing trackers

UK Based NHS Doctors Available? Yes

Can I talk to a GP online? Yes

How easily can you get through to a GP? You can use the Babylon app to book an appointment with a GP in minutes, 24/7.

Trustpilot Rating: 75% rated the service as 5 stars (out of 1,218 reviews)

Babylon’s AI technology is what puts it at a close second. This technology allows you in many cases to have an informed text conversation with a virtual assistant, that will provide quick information about your concerns. Babylon also offers video and audio-only consultations, prescription delivery (not just collection) and a whole host of other healthcare support features. Their services come at a higher cost, but are very well reviewed.

See more at https://www.babylonhealth.com/

The GP Service

Ad-hoc Appointment Price: £39.99

Membership Price (Monthly): Free

Services: 

• Video chat appointments
• 200 walk in centres
• Prescription processing and collection
• Fit notes
• Referral letters
• Travel health services

UK Based NHS Doctors Available? Yes

Can I talk to a GP online? Yes

How easily can you get through to a GP? Online appointments are usually available within 30 minutes.

Trustpilot Rating: 82% rated the service as 5 Stars (out of 571 reviews)

The GP Service provides you with many of the standard services you would expect from Babylon and Push Doctor but doesn’t offer mental health support. The pricing structure means many services are free and the services provided are well reviewed.

See more at https://thegpservice.co.uk/

Doctor Care Anywhere

Ad-hoc Appointment Price: £60.00

Membership Price (Annually): £149

Services: 

• Video chat appointments
• Telephone consultations
• Prescription delivery
• Referral notes
• Mental health
• Sexual health

UK Based NHS Doctors Available? Yes

Can I talk to a GP online? Yes

How easily can you get through to a GP? You can create your profile on the Doctor Care Anywhere app or website and book an appointment within minutes, usually on the same day.

Trustpilot Rating: 87% rated the service as 5 stars (out of 127 reviews)

Whilst Doctor Care Anywhere covers all the services you would want from an online healthcare provider and offers longer appointments, the ad hoc appointment price is what stops it from reaching higher up in this list. Doctor Care Anywhere also isn’t as transparent as the other providers regarding what the waiting period for your appointment will typically be. With 84% out of 2627 reviews being rated 5 stars, however, it’s clear that users are happy with the application. 

See more at https://doctorcareanywhere.com/

Medicspot

Ad-hoc Appointment Price: £49.00 

Membership Price (Monthly): £15.00

Services: 

• Video chat appointments
• Prescription collection
• Sick notes
• Referral notes
• Over 100 clinics
• Mental health
• Sexual health

UK Based NHS Doctors Available? Yes

Can I talk to a GP online? Yes

How easily can you get through to a GP? You can create an account with Medicspot and book an appointment within the same day. However, you do have to go to a pharmacy for your appointment, as Medicspot uses a range of medical examination equipment to provide you with a more accurate diagnosis.

Trustpilot Rating: 67% rated the service as 5 stars (out of 1,997 reviews)

Medicspot deliveries excellent services at a respectable price but does require you to go to a pharmacy to carry out your appointment. Whilst this is still beneficial for when you need a same day appointment, the bonus of being able to complete a consultation from the comfort of your own home or office is missing. Their reviews also don’t quite stack up compared to the competition.

See more at https://www.medicspot.co.uk/

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