REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

NEW WAY OF WORKING

From Monday 2nd December 2024 we will be operating a new system where all patient clinical requests will be reviewed by a clinician/GP to ensure that we are providing a safe and timely service to our patients, you may have heard of this new system, it's called “Clinical Triage"

This system means that from 2nd December 2024 when you contact us you will be asked by our Care Navigation Team to provide some information for reasons of contact which means our clinical team can make a decision on the best course of action and timeframe needed.

Whether you contact the practice by phone, walk in or complete your request online yourself, we will follow the same process to ensure all patients are treated in the same way no matter how you contact us. This means that there is no need to call us at 8am as our new team will be dealing with all requests throughout the day.

We are making this change because:

The current way of booking appointments is not working across the country and we are no exception here. We aim to get you the right care at the right time and this system will help us with this;
This will reduce the 8am rush on the telephones and at our reception
We have listened to patients who have raised concerns directly with us

Appointments

During our opening times, the best way to contact the Practice is via our Online Consultation service.

**Important - please make sure you work through all steps in this process and that you have received a √ REQUEST SUBMITTED text with "Your Ref ID" at the bottom of the message, as this confirms your request has been sent to us**

The care navigation and clinical triage team will assess your request to ensure you are seen by the right person, at the right time. It is therefore important to ensure you give accurate information on your Online Consultation or on the phone to our team. This then helps us to prioritise patients clinical need and ensures you are treated by the most appropriate clinician within the most appropriate time frame.

You will usually receive a response from the Practice the same working day. We will respond by text or phone call, whichever is the most appropriate.

If you are unable to use the Online Consultation service, please call us on 01228 529171 and speak to a member of our Care Navigation Team whom will take the details of your request and submit it to the clinical team for assessment. Calling us may take longer than submitting an Online Consultation, call wait times may be longer during peak times.

Cancel an Appointment

It is important that you inform the reception staff if you are unable to attend your appointment. This will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to attend, you will be sent a text informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment. Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.

You can cancel any appointment through your online app click here to access the NHS app

Have you considered self care?

Many things get better by themselves, or with simple measures. If you need help with self-managing your problem, we recommend the following:

Call 111, or visit 111 online - https://111.nhs.uk/ to use the symptom checker to receive advice and guidance on where to get help and support
Visit the NHS Website
Contact your local pharmacist - who can offer services to help you to manage minor illness

Common colds can last 7-10 days, but often longer for smokers.
Flu symptoms usually go away in 5 days but you still may feel weak for days after
Ear infections typically last 4 days
Sore throats typically last 7 days
Sinusitis typically lasts 18 days
Cough/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days

Most minor illnesses get better without antibiotics because your body can usually fight these infections on its own. Antibiotics only work for infections which are caused by a bacteria.

If you are troubled with your symptoms with any of the above, please contact your pharmacy first.

Long term condition appointments

If you have a long term or ongoing health condition you will be invited to attend the Practice periodically for review. If you think you are due a review and have not yet been contacted, please contact us via the Online Consultation service. If you have several long term conditions we can synchronise your review appointments so that you make a minimum number of visits to the surgery.

We have a number of different clinical staff working together at the surgery including doctors, nurses, specialist nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and health care assistants. Your care will be overseen by your named accountable GP.

There are a number of self-help options available (including self referral for a range of common conditions e.g physiotherapy, counselling). These are described in more detail in the self help section of this website. If in doubt, visit the Online Consultation service for further information or speak to a member of our Care Navigation Team.