Church Walk Surgery uses a form accessed via SystmOnline or our website as the main way to access our services. For patients who do not have access to the internet or a relative / friend to do this for them can still phone the surgery and a receptionist will fill in a form on their behalf.
Patients no longer need to join a queue on the phone at 8.00am or stand outside waiting for the doors to open.
This allows patients to access the help they need in a timely manner without having to contact us multiple times and will take less time than it takes to phone up. It will also allow the surgery to use our resources in the most effective manner by directing patients to the most appropriate clinician, who may be a GP, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Pharmacist.
If patients have an ongoing issue, please tell us who has been dealing with the problem and we will endeavour to provide continuity of care.
The form is brief and easy to use, but the more information you give us, the easier it will be for us to help you. Forms with insufficient information will be replied to with a request to provide more information.
Prescriptions can still be ordered via the NHS app, AirMid or SystmOnline. The NHS app also allows patients to see their results without having to contact the surgery so we would encourage patients to sign up for this.
If you haven’t already signed up to receive messages via SMS please do as this means we can contact patients promptly about appointments, results, and other issues.
NEW APPOINTMENT SYSTEM PATIENT FAQ’S
1, What questions will the form ask me?
The form allows you to choose between 2 options Medical Request or Admin Request.
Within the Admin option you will find:
- Request a doctor letter
- Request a fit (sick) note
- Follow-up on Test Results (Blood Test, Scans, etc.)
- Any other advice or information that is not medically related eg discuss referrals
Within the Medical option you will find:
- New conditions including home visits
- Existing conditions including home visits
- Medication queries
Once you have selected an option you will be asked further questions about your request e.g. List times that you are not available during GP opening times.
2. When can I submit a form?
Between 8.00am and 16.00pm Monday to Friday for medical options and 24/7 for Admin / Prescription requests. Outside of these times, if you don’t think your problem can wait until we reopen you should contact 111, as per the current system.
3. What if my problem is urgent?
Primary Care is not an emergency service and if you are concerned about a very urgent condition such as a possible stroke, heart attack or seizure you should ring 999. If you believe your request to be urgent, please state this on the form as this will help us get to your request more quickly. If we receive your online consultation after 6pm it will be dealt with the next working day.
4. How do I request a repeat prescription?
You can continue to do this via the usual methods – by handing in a paper request, requesting via the NHS app or your AirMid / SystmOnline access as these services allow you to see a list of your recent and repeat medications. This is easier and safer than typing in the medications you wish to order. You can also request your medication through an online consultation.
5. Can I still request to be dealt with by my usual clinician?
Yes absolutely. Urgent or quick matters will be dealt with by the duty team, but you can still request your usual GP or ANP for routine matters and we will do our best to facilitate this.
6. What do I do if I haven’t got access to a smart phone or computer?
We have found that most of our patients do have access to the internet and a lot of the ones who don’t or who are unable to use it tend to ask a relative or carer to ring us on their behalf anyway. For those patients their relative or carer can fill in the form for them but for the few patients for whom neither of these options are practical, one of our Care Navigators will take the details over the phone and fill in the form for the patient.
7. How long will it take to hear back after I submit a request?
Our Care navigators will action the on-line consultations throughout the day and for medical problems you will be contacted on that day to offer you an appointment.
We aim to respond or action every request by the end of the same day. However, at particularly busy times it may take up to 2 working days to respond to routine requests.
8. What if I don’t want to give the reason for my request, can I just write ‘personal’?
We need all patients to give us as much information as possible about their request or problem in order for us to use our limited capacity to best serve our patient population in a way that is both fair and effective. Forms with insufficient detail for us to make a safe decision will be replied to with a request for more information and this may result in that form being returned to the start of the queue.
9. What if I have more than one issue?
If you have multiple problems, it is best to submit more than one request to make sure we have enough information about each problem.
10. How do I request a home visit?
Home visits are reserved for patients who are completely housebound, i.e., unable to leave the house for any reason. We ask you to still call to request a home visit - these must be requested by 11am.
11. What if I really don’t like this system?
We are confident that once we all get used to it this system will be easier and more convenient for our patients. Given the limited resources directed to Primary Care this sort of system is necessary to successfully manage the huge demand for care we see every single day. More and more practices are using this type of approach and it is likely to become universal in the next few years.
12. Is it NHS approved?
Yes, Patient Triage has been assessed by NHS Digital and meets the requirements for an online consultation solution on the GP IT Futures framework. This includes assessments of how data is used and stored in line with GDPR regulations.
GP’s are NOT going on strike
GPs are not going on strike and we will remain open as usual.
There is no proposed action that will create a breach of our contracts.
During collective action, GP practices are still required to:
- Make appointments available
- Provide advice or care to patients by another means
- Give advice on alternative services
Provide access to prescriptions, long-term condition management, vaccinations, diagnoses and referral (including where clinically urgent)
Why Is Collective Action Happening?
General Practice funding is less than £108 per patient per year, this equates to at most 2-3 contacts per year per patient, compared to the cost of an outpatient appointment estimated to start at £130-£400, there is something about demand and reasonable expectation.
The £108 per patient, is to run practice premises and employ staff, this is not enough for GPs to employ enough staff to give patients the care they deserve. The financial situation is unsustainable, with many Practices having to shut, because they cannot afford to keep going.
What have the GPs agreed to do as collective action?
GP surgeries will remain open for all their normal core working hours.
- Number of contacts – they will limit, to a recommended safe number, of contacts per day, others will be diverted to local urgent care settings, once the maximum capacity has been reached.
- No patients care will be put at risk. It may be that patients will be diverted to local urgent care settings once the GP’s have reached their maximum capacity.
- GPs are not going to carry out work that they are not contracted to do.
- GPs will not complete unnecessary forms and templates as part of referrals but will still provide all the necessary information that is required to ensure all patients are referred when it is needed for their health problem.
Where else can I get medical advice?
Patients may be directed to other local services by their GP surgery.
As always, patients can also use 111 online for health needs, and only use 999 in a serious or life-threatening emergency.
More information on when to call 999and when to go to A&E is available via the NHS website.
Remember that your local pharmacist may also be able to offer treatment and prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP.
Conditions that pharmacists can treat as part of Pharmacy First are:
- earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
- impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
- infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- shingles (aged 18 years and over)
- sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)
GPs and their teams want their patients to experience safe, high quality and sustainable care, this is difficult without appropriate funding.
Less than 10% of the total NHS funding is allocated to primary care and this is a decreasing percentage, with increasing workload.
More than 90% of NHS work is done in primary care and this is an increasing percentage.
To support our Active Practice Status and promote an active lifestyle, Metheringham Gym is offering £10 off your first month with vouchers available at Church Walk Surgery’s reception! 
Check out our membership details below:
General: £29/month
Concession: £25/month (NHS, Blue Light, disabled, student)
Concession Plus: £18/month (16-18/65+)
Junior: £10/month (*Must be with adult member*)
Manned Hours:
Mon-Fri: 9:30am-1pm, 4:30pm-8pm
Sat-Sun: 9am-12pm
Ready to join? Swing by during manned hours to fill out forms, get your access fob (except for Juniors), and enjoy free induction and training plan. Plus, we have onsite personal trainers!
Don’t forget our classes:
Boot Camp: Saturdays, 9:15am & 10am
Body Blast: Mondays, Metheringham Scout Hut(free for members)
Lets get active together! 
