Change to Our Appointment System – 10th July 2023

Having reviewed your feedback about our appointment system, we have decided to make some changes to the way we offer appointments. 

• As you may be aware, we have tried several different systems over the years, however, having reviewed our capacity and carried out a simple audit of ailments brought to GPs in the last year, we have come to the conclusion that we will never have enough appointments.  
• Patients across the nation are consulting more with their GPs due to increased awareness of health conditions, and higher rates of chronic health problems. 
• GPs are also seeing more and more patients for minor illnesses which could easily be treated with home remedies or pharmacies.  As with most other inner city GP surgeries, the reality is that demand will continue to outweigh our capacity. 
• Our current priority therefore is to meet the needs of our patients and manage demands.

Why are we changing our appointment system?

• To understanding data in relation to practice demand and capacity
• To support the use of data to assess demand and capacity and make changes based on audits
• To make changes that enable more effective use of capacity and therefore better meet demand (e.g. reducing the number of avoidable appointments)
• To improve patient experience

What are we changing to?

A new simple and easy to understand system:

• You will no longer be required to call back the next day
• Approximately 50% of all GP appointments will be available up to two weeks in advance.
• Approximately 50% are saved for same day requests and urgent problems which cannot wait.  We will aim to deal with the problem on the same day by referring you to the Healthcare professional who is most able to deal with the problem on the day. This could be a Pharmacy of your choice, the pharmacist, a Walk-In Clinic, care coordinator, physiotherapist, or the GP.
• All requests for appointments will be signposted appropriately. 

How can you help us? 

For all appointments, please give us an indication of what the problem is by completing a very short questionnaire to provide details of the reason for your request.

• We will review your response within 30 minutes after which we will telephone or send you a text with an appointment or advice.
• Please complete and return the questionnaire on receipt. We are unable to process responses received after 15 minutes. 
• Most minor illnesses such as colds and coughs, hayfever, sore throats, can be treated at home. 
• Appointments with a GP are 10minutes long.  This is the national standard appointment duration and is deemed to be long enough to deal with most problems.

Process for booking appointment at the surgery:

1. You need to contact the practice by phone or using the Ask NHS App
2. If booking by phone, the reception staff will send you a simple questionnaire by text
3. Reply our text by completing the questionnaire, providing as much information as possible to help the practice in signposting you appropriately and return immediately
4. Your response will be reviewed and you will be contacted within 30minutes with an appropriate appointment or advice

All our staff are trained to signpost you as appropriate and have been trained to maintain confidentiality at all times

Published: Jul 4, 2023