M+C Saatchi Group UK transforms a simple, everyday habit into a national reminder to use GP practice websites and reduce 8am phone-line pressure.
NHS England has launched GP Access, 'Tap it, type it and we’ll take care of it', a multichannel national campaign created by M+C Saatchi Group UK, designed to encourage people to contact their GP practice via its website rather than automatically picking up the phone.
The campaign supports a wider NHS ambition to recover access to primary care by reducing pressure on GP phone lines for those who need them most, particularly during the 8am rush, and by helping patients get the right help in a more convenient way. It focuses on increasing awareness, understanding and use of online forms available through GP practice websites, improving both access and overall patient experience.
At the heart of the campaign is a significant behavioural shift. For many people, the deeply ingrained belief is that the ‘best’ and ‘right’ way to contact a GP is by phone, and that calling is how GP practices want to hear from them. The work is designed to challenge that assumption and create a new memory structure for audiences, reframing online access as an easy, practical way to get help.
With that in mind, the creative needed to connect with a broad range of people while clearly demonstrating the ease and convenience of the service. The campaign centres on everyday members of the public tapping away on laptops and mobiles as they enter their symptoms on their GP practice website. This simple, familiar action is shown in different settings and situations, making the process feel quick, accessible and achievable.
As the campaign unfolds, the sound of typing gradually builds into a recognisable rhythm, forming a shared melody that reflects a nation coming together and embracing a new way of accessing care. The edit and tempo begin slowly before building in pace and energy, culminating in a flurry of synchronised tapping. A 30-second film, directed by Simon Ratigan at Rogue Films, brings together sound, picture and emotion to challenge perceptions and, ultimately, help change habits.
Tonally, the work is warm, emotive and relatable. The simple two-finger 'Chopsticks' piano piece, familiar to most audiences, is used to symbolise ease and simplicity, helping to dispel concerns about using a website to contact a GP practice.
The campaign is running across video-on-demand, online video, social and radio channels. Media planning is handled by Wavemaker, with media buying by MGOMD.
Phil Bastable, Deputy Director and Head of Marketing and Social Media Team at NHS England, said, “This campaign is about helping people understand that contacting their GP practice online is quick and convenient. By encouraging more people to use online forms, we can reduce pressure on phone lines, help to tackle the 8am rush and improve access to primary care for everyone.”
Tom Firth, Group Chief Client Officer at M+C Saatchi Group UK, added, “To change behaviour at scale, you have to start with the habits people live by every day. This campaign focuses on a small, familiar action and uses it to gently reset expectations around how people access GP care. By making the alternative feel easy, human and shared, it helps a new behaviour take hold in a way that feels natural rather than forced.”
Guy Bradbury, Creative Partner at M+C Saatchi Group UK, concluded, 'When we’re ill, many of us go on autopilot and call the GP at 8am. To change this ingrained behaviour — and help people get the care they need — we used a few simple taps that most people already know by memory, setting the new behaviour to the music Chopsticks. Simple, familiar, popular. A straightforward reminder that we can all tap it, type it, and the NHS will take care of the rest.”
