We have listened to the feedback from our patient population and are pleased to let you know that for patient convenience you now have an option to directly book routine GP appointments online (via the NHS App and Systmonline), by telephoning the surgery or by coming into the surgery. If you need an appointment earlier than the next available routine or feel your issue is urgent, please continue to make your request through the clinical triage system, Anima.
We would like to explain why our GPs strongly encourage patients to continue to use our clinical triage system for all appointment requests and queries. When patients contact us through triage our GP led triage team assesses the information given to identify the care most suited to the patient’s need, and how this can be provided quickly and conveniently. If this is an appointment with a GP, Nurse or Pharmacist this is arranged with the patient. At the appointment the clinician will already have the information provided during triage to maximise the benefit of the appointment. Many patients are assisted in alternative ways without needing to wait for an appointment, via a telephone call, an answer to a query from the triage GP, a prescription, a referral, or signposting. Opportunities for patients to receive the quickest, most efficient care suited to their need can be missed with routine appointments booked without clinical triage.
Over the past year the system has improved patient access to appointments by reducing waiting times for routine appointments, whilst enabling patients with more urgent needs to be seen quickly. We hope to maintain this whilst increasing patient choice and supporting those who wish to have the convenience of booking routine appointments directly.