New Total Triage Service starting 6th November 2023

Posted on October 12th, 2023

From 6^th November 2023 we are making changes to the way that our appointments are booked with GPs, ANPs and Allied Healthcare Professionals

Patient Triage has been designed to ensure that patients who most need an appointment are able to get one.

The staff at Church Walk Surgery, along with NHS England (NHSE), have acknowledged the increasing demand for appointments and our capacity to meet this demand. NHSE has recently published a paper (Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care) outlining their similar concerns. We understand how frustrating it can be for patients to wait in phone queues or queues at the front door at 8am to get an appointment. We have noticed that many patients are booking appointments that do not necessarily require one, and we are concerned that those who need to be seen are not getting seen at the right time.

NHSE has stated that there is good evidence that clinician triage and modern online tools make it easier to manage patient requests and involve the wider team, with higher patient satisfaction rates than with the more traditional model.

To address this issue, we are introducing a Total Triage Model of care. This means that anyone requesting an appointment or advice will have their request triaged. Our online consultation forms provide us with key information about your problem, so that we can arrange an urgent appointment if needed.

Online consults can be submitted via the NHS App or our website. If you have any issues submitting an online consult, our receptionists can assist in completing this.

We understand that change can be difficult, but we believe that this new approach will ensure that patients’ needs are met safely and efficiently. We are committed to delivering a robust service to our patients, and we believe that this new strategy will help us achieve this goal.

What is Patient Triage?

It’s a new appointment system that involves a GP/ANP providing support to our Care Navigators to triage all appointment requests before an appointment is given. This means that the GP/ANP will determine how quickly an appointment is needed and whether your request would be better dealt with by another member of our multi-disciplinary clinical team or by another service.

Online Consult System

To make Patient Triage more efficient, we will be expanding the use of our existing online consult system. Our online consult system is accessible to everyone, with no need to download an app or log in. All you need is access to the internet, and you can access the system from any device, including your smartphone or tablet. Simply visit our website: www.churchwalkmetheringham.co.uk and click on the ‘Patient Triage’ button.

With a short and simple set of questions, your completed form will be sent to our triage hub, meaning that your appointment request will be triaged promptly, and you will receive a response from us in a timely manner.

If you have difficulty completing the online consultation form this can be completed by a member of the team on your behalf.  We do not recommend you visit the surgery to complete this due to patient confidentiality.

Online Consult System

To make Patient Triage more efficient, we will be expanding the use of our existing online consult system. Our online consult system is accessible to everyone, with no need to download an app or log in. All you need is access to the internet, and you can access the system from any device, including your smartphone or tablet. Simply visit our website: www.churchwalkmetheringham.co.uk and click on the ‘Patient Triage’ button.

With a short and simple set of questions, your completed form will be sent to our triage hub, meaning that your appointment request will be triaged promptly, and you will receive a response from us in a timely manner.

If you have difficulty completing the online consultation form this can be completed by a member of the team on your behalf.  We do not recommend you visit the surgery to complete this due to patient confidentiality.

What is Patient Triage?

It’s a new appointment system that involves a GP/ANP providing support to our Care Navigators to triage all appointment requests before an appointment is given. This means that the GP/ANP will determine how quickly an appointment is needed and whether your request would be better dealt with by another member of our multi-disciplinary clinical team or by another service.

WHAT CAN I DO ONLINE?

• Request an appointment for a medical
• Doctors Letter (may incur a fee if classed as private work)
• Request Sick Note
• Ask questions about a referral
• Request Test Results
• Repeat Prescriptions
• Self Care Advise