If you do not have internet access and want advice about a health problem, you can now have an appointment by telephone and speak directly to your doctor by phone often on the day that you call depending on your medical concern and triage. You can use the telephone appointment service for urgent and non-urgent health problems.
This is how it works:
- Call us on 0345 013 0740 and go through option 1 to our care navigation team.
- The care navigator will triage your call by asking you a series of questions
- The more information you are able to give, the better. This information is triaged by the clinician in charge.
- If you want to talk to a specific doctor, tell the care navigator. Wherever possible they will arrange it.
- If your doctor thinks you need to come into the surgery to be seen, they will arrange this with you
- The practice uses triage and therefore you will not be offered a timed slot for a call back – however we will try and help where possible.
Questions & Answers
- Why is the surgery offering online and telephone appointments?
You have told us that sometimes you find it frustrating and difficult to get the appointment you need, when you need it. By offering an online consultation for all people who have internet access this frees up the telephone line for patients who are more vulnerable- for example the elderly- we can triage all patients much more fairly.
Many people don’t need to come into the surgery to be seen at all; their problem can be dealt with via online advice or by telephone. This gives your doctor more time to see those people that need appointments in the surgery. And, because your doctor is the one making the appointments, he or she can judge how much time you might need and give you a long or short appointment. This helps appointments to run to time and means you’re more likely to be seen on time. We also know that when people make an appointment close to the date that they call, they are more likely to keep the appointment.
- What do I do if I need an emergency appointment?
When you call the switchboard – advice regarding emergency appointment contact information will be given. Please be advised that this is only for genuine medical emergencies and if your call is not a genuine medical emergency, you will be asked to terminate the call to keep the line free.
- Can I still telephone to make an appointment for a home visit?
When you speak to the doctor ask for a home visit. If your doctor thinks you need to be seen at home, he or she will arrange this when you speak to them.
- Are telephone appointments safe?
During your call with the doctor, he or she will ask questions to help them make a decision about whether you need to be seen in person or not. For example, if your doctor needs to look at something or examine you, you will be asked to come into the surgery for the appointment. If your doctor thinks you need to be seen he or she will always ask you to come in to the surgery.
- What happens if I have trouble using the telephone?
The reception team at the front desk do not have access to the care navigation system and are unable to triage your medical concern at the front desk. Please ask a friend or family member to support you in contacting the practice.
- Can I still book an appointment for next week or next month?
When you contact care navigation to be triaged, they will work with you to arrange a suitable appointment where possible.
- Will I be seen quicker if I come into the surgery?
- No , front reception do not have access to the triage appointments system and they will be unable to make an appointment for you.
- I’m not comfortable telling the receptionist what is wrong, do I have to?
The care navigation team can only triage your call correctly if they are given as much information as possible. They are bound by confidentiality and will only use the information given to assist you.
Cancellations
If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.
