We have improved our appointment system
The way you book appointments with us at Coalway Road Surgery has changed.
We want to ensure the process of booking an appointment with your GP practice as fair as possible, as previously patients were more likely to secure a same day appointment if they queued at our front door or called us early in the morning which put patients who are unable to do this at a disadvantage.
We found that patients who do not necessarily need a same day appointment were often seen when in fact a routine non-urgent appointment would have been more appropriate. This then resulted in us not being able to see patients who really needed an urgent same day appointment.
Also, patients sometimes do not see the most appropriate healthcare professional for their need, for example, instead of a GP, a patient could have seen a nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist, mental health practitioner or an advanced clinical practitioner – for more information on these roles, visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/expanding-our-workforce/
The new system we have implemented is called Total Triage.
Total Triage is a new approach recommended by NHS England, to improve access to services. The main purpose of Total Triage is to:
- -enhance the quality of care our patients receive
- -ensure they are given the most appropriate appointment or advice to meet their needs
- -communicate with patients in a timely way
How does it work?
All patients wanting to book an appointment with the practice are asked a specific set of questions either through an online form or over the phone with one of the team if you do not have access to the internet using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The information you provide will help our GPs direct you to the best healthcare professional within the practice.
Once you have provided our staff with the information, you won’t be given an appointment time straight away. However, the information you provide will be reviewed by our GPs and we will aim to get back to you on the same day.
We hope that this provides you with reassurance that every patient is important to us. We believe that these changes will improve your experience with us.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I contact my GP?
The quickest way to contact your surgery with medical or administrative queries is by submitting an online request here on our website (link coming soon) or through the NHS App.
What if I don’t have a smartphone or can’t use the internet?
You can still telephone your surgery or visit in person. The receptionist will ask you questions about your request to fill out the online form on your behalf.
The surgery team will then assess your request and will be back in touch with next steps.
All requests will be assessed as soon as possible and in the same way, regardless of how you contacted the surgery.
Why has this changed?
Traditional ways to contact your GP often meant that appointments were being allocated on a first come, first served basis, with long phone queues to get in touch with your surgery. This meant that vulnerable patients, or those who needed care sooner were missing out.
You can avoid the queues by submitting a request online, making it easier to reach out to your surgery.
By registering all requests through an online form, your surgery is able to prioritise and action requests quickly and fairly, ensuring that you get the right level of care at the right place and the right time.
What happens once I’ve submitted my request?
Your surgery will use the information you provided to ensure that you’re given the most appropriate care. They may send you a text message containing a link to provide more information if needed.
If an appointment is required, they may send you an appointment booking link via text message, or arrange this over the phone.
If there is a faster or more appropriate route to care, you may be offered this, such as being asked to go to your local pharmacy, or being referred to another service.
What is Accurx?
Accurx is an NHS-approved software supplier. Your surgery uses Accurx to manage patient requests, request additional information from you and send you messages about your care.
For more information on Accurx visit: https://www.accurx.com/patient
If you have any further questions about Accurx, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Accurx Support Team via live chat or email ([email protected]).