Digital pathways tools guidance 2025/26

The delivery plan for recovering access to primary care was introduced in May 2023 to support practices to move to the modern general practice model. The plan delivered improved and enhanced access for patients in a safe and equitable way. By driving changes to working practice, it improved efficiency and the experience of practice staff.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) can continue to receive support from the NHS England national commercial and procurement hub (the hub) to buy digital tools. These tools can help reduce pressure on the 8am access to general practice. They can regulate the demand across the working day, whilst ensuring that patients are prioritised by clinical need.

These solutions can:

• assess patient needs from initial online contact
• navigate them to the appropriate point of care using clinical and operational rules
• enable patient interactions with their practice, for example, for appointment booking
• collect structured information, for example, via a survey

Digital pathways solutions can be delivered via a single solution or through a modular set of solutions. They can provide online consultations for patients enabling patients to:

• submit additional information
• undertake scheduled interactions with their practice
• make appointments

They allow practice staff to:

• execute and assign tasks based on clinical and operational rules
• schedule appointments
• issue call or recall notices to patients individually or in bulk