New Appointment System - Patient Information 

From Monday 30 September 2024, the appointment system at North Wood Group Practice has changed.

The way we are asking you to contact the Practice, and the way we manage your query is changing. Patient feedback and the National Survey data has highlighted that patients are frustrated with the telephone wait time when contacting their GP practices. The purpose of the changes being made, is to improve your access to care and patient experience. Outlined below is full information about the changes.

From 30 September, the important changes are:

• If you can, please get in touch using ACCURX (the online form on the Practice website), any week day from 07:00 until 16:00
• The practice telephone lines remain open from 08:00 - 18:30
• For GP appointment requests, please contact the practice on a day when you are available to speak or have an appointment with a clinician
• For GP appointment requests, our Triage Team will review your query on the day you contact us 
• The outcome of the triage screen may include being given an appointment on the same day you contact the practice 
• Routine appointments with a Nurse, Pharmacist or Health Care Assistant are bookable in advance, and are encouraged to be booked in that way

We are asking all our patients, where they can, to use an online form to contact the surgery.  This will apply to anything you would normally call the surgery about; to book a routine or urgent appointment, request a prescription, to let us know about changes to your treatment or medication, to follow up results and all other administrative and clinical queries.

Whilst our phone lines will still be open, the aim is to improve the patient experience of calling through to the surgery and to cut telephone waiting times.

If you do call the surgery, we may politely request you complete an online form.  If your personal circumstances mean that it is impossible for you to complete the online form, the Administrative Team will be happy to assist you with completing this.

The form is brief, and will ask you the following questions:

• Describe the problem
• How long it has been going on for
• Is it getting better or worse
• Have you tried anything to help
• Is there anything you are particularly worried about (optional)
• How would you like us to help
• Tell us the best times to contact you (optional)

You will be invited to submit photos if relevant. This will help our Triage Team to provide you with the highest quality advice and care.

Please do not include any intimate photos.

You will be able to submit a form between 7am – 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

All forms will be screened on the same working day.  The nature and urgency of the problem will determine the outcome. If an appointment with a GP is required, we will aim to provide one on the same day. If your circumstances prevent a same day appointment, we will manage your booking accordingly.

If the query is of a routine nature and is likely to need a Nurse, Pharmacist or a Healthcare Assistant, this will be booked and planned in advance. 

Depending on the nature of your query and clinical assessment by the Triage Team, you may also be signposted to other services or providers.

What happens after my form is submitted?

CONTACT US ONLINE

Administrative tasks will be dealt with by our Administrative Team in the usual way.

Clinical queries are screened by a Doctor (GP) on the same day they are recieved, and categorised according to urgency of need (urgent or routine), and according to which clinician has the most appropriate skill-set to manage the query. 

We have appointments available with different team members, and within diffferent time frames, including on the same day. Where possible, and where your query is of an acute nature, as opposed to planned care, we will provide you with an appointment on the same day or sign-post you to appropriate alternative services. Our Administrative Team will contact you within one day, to arrange an appointment with an appropriate member of our clinical team.

It may be possible to deal with your problem directly without the need to see a clinician.  You may receive advice about self-care options and other local services that can assist you with your request.

While we strive to accommodate your preferences, this may not always be possible (due to capacity limitations). We will ensure you see the most appropriate clinician at the first point of contact.

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

Why has North Wood Group Practice decided to change to this system?

Since the pandemic, primary care has faced an unprecedented level of patient demand and need for ongoing care. Whilst we have worked very hard and increased our staffing levels with GPs and a broader multi-disciplinary team (Pharmacists, Advanced Nurse and Clinical Practitioners, and Physiotherapists), it is more important than ever that the right problem is dealt with by the right person. This is to ensure we can provide our patients with the safest and most efficient service.

We hope that by making better use of appointments we will be able to increase capacity and reduce waiting times.

We are making these changes in response to patient feedback regarding access to appointments.

We also hope that it will be easier for vulnerable patients who really need to get through on the phone.

Experience from other practices already using what is known as a total triage system, has shown that overall patient satisfaction is generally greatly improved.

How does this benefit you?

We are committed to delivering a robust service to our patients, and we believe that this new strategy will help us achieve this goal. We believe that this new approach will benefit you by: 

• Improved Access to Care: Total Triage has been shown to reduce waiting times and it enables us to attend to your medical needs more promptly. By using telephone consultations, where appropriate, we can free up face to face appointments for those patients that need them.
• Convenience: Using digital communication will mean that you can engage with us from your home or workplace. No more having to travel to the practice and possible long waits for simple enquiries or prescription renewals.
• Enhanced Patient Experience: We are committed to providing you with the best possible care at North Wood Group Practice. We believe this new system will improve communication and ensure that you see the person best able to help you, in a timely way.

What if my problem is urgent?

You should still submit an online form.  Please do so as early as possible on the day to ensure your problem can be dealt with by our duty Triage Team. All submited forms will be screened on the day they are recieved.

Can I request a prescription using the online form? 

Yes, we encourage this. We do not take prescription requests over the telephone.  Select: Admin Query - Followed by - Repeat Prescription. Then answer the questions. The form cam be accessed directly via the Practice Website or via your NHS App.

What if I don’t have access to the internet?

You are also welcome to use our Wi-Fi, with your own device in the Practice.

What if a patient does not speak English?

We understand that it can be difficult for non-English speaking patients to access care, and we have no wish to make this harder.   If possible, please ask a friend or family member to complete the form, or consider using an online translation tool such as google translate.   If these options are not possible our patient support team will assist you with an interpreter if necessary.

Please note, the Practice website is available in all languages, by using the ‘Translate’ button to the right of the search bar, on every page of the website.

What if a patient is housebound, elderly, or not able to use online systems? 

We will work hard to recognise vulnerable patients who cannot be expected to use the online form (though we would still encourage family members and carers to use the form on the patient’s behalf as it is a very useful way of communicating with the Practice).  These patients will still be able to speak to our Administrative Team via the telephone, or in person in the Practice, who will complete a form on their behalf, as needed.

I need to call the Practice, when is the best time? 

The Practice phone lines are busiest when we open at 08:00. If contacting the Practice by phone, then we reccomend doing so after 10:30am for anything of a more routine nature e.g.:

• All test results 
• Practice Nurse, Pharmacist or Healthcare Assistant appointments
• To cancel or change an existing appointment time 

Please remember, it may be quicker to complete an online form to contact the Practice, if you are able to do so.

What do I do Out of Hours?

Life Threatening 
If it is a medical emergency, please dial 999 or go to A&E.

Urgent but not Life Threatening 
Dial 111 or visit 111 online: www.111.nhs.uk or attend your local Urgent Care Centre.

Patient Information
Via the NHS App you can check your test results, allergies, medications, request repeat prescriptions and access consultation information (from October 2023).

Practice Assistance 
You cannot request assistance from the Practice out of hours, until the Practice website opens daily for enquiries from 07:00, and the phone lines open from 08:00.

Conclusion
We hope this information has been helpful and informative. Our new appointment system, will ensure that those who most need an appointment are able to get one. Our online system (ACCURX) is quick, accessible, and easy to use, and it allows us to provide you with the best possible care. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Care navigation and triage in general practice

The concept of Total Triage is something being undertaken by many Practices.

It is supported by the BMA as explained in this article.

Published: Oct 2, 2024