Appointments Advice
Booking Appointments
Anima is our online Total Triage service
Total triage is a General Practice workflow where every patient contacting a practice first provides some information about the reasons for the contact and is triaged before making an appointment.
All patient requests will be triaged by one of our experienced clinicians who will decide what the best course of action is. Where necessary, we might ask you to answer a few additional questions to help our doctor prioritise those patients who need more urgent care.
You could be given a face to face or telephone appointment, you could have a reply from the GP with self-care advice, or you may be signposted to an appropriate service.
The main purpose of the Total Triage model 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
All patients need to submit their request via the surgery’s website by completing an Anima request form using the links below. You do not need to have an Anima account to submit a request. Email requests will not be accepted and may delay your care as the mailbox is not monitored. You need to be sure that you will be available to take a call or attend a same day appointment on that day if needed.
For repeat prescription requests, please use the NHS App.
For more information about Anima and Total Triage, please go to our Surgery News page.
SystmOnline
You can also book some appointments online. To do this you will need to bring one proof of address and one form of photo id in to reception, who will be able to register you for the service. You can access the service by clicking the link below.
Access the online appointment system
Please note, the main pressure on the telephone lines is between 8am -11 am and if it is not urgent, it may be best to avoid calling during this busy period.
Please let us know if you have any special requirements when making your appointment, including if you have caring responsibilities.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer it to another patient.
Please do not contact the surgery by email for medical advice, referrals, sicknotes. All patients need to submit their request via the surgery’s website by completing an Anima request form. Email requests will not be accepted and may delay your care as the mailbox is not monitored.
Telephone Advice & Test Results
Test results are received electronically and arrive after 11am. Please telephone after 2pm for your results to allow time for them to be checked by a doctor. Test results can also be viewed on the NHS app.
If your test results are normal or as expected, you will not be contacted automatically.
If you need advice about your results, please either use Anima or speak to our care navigators in reception.
Cancelling Appointments
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer it to another patient.
Appointments can be cancelled using our online system or by calling reception on 01728 723627.
What is a Care Navigator?
Care Navigators are members of GP support staff who have been trained to help patients get the right help from the right health professional as soon as possible by asking for a little more detail from the patient when they call.
How does this benefit patients?
With Care Navigators, patients are more likely to see the right person, first time, and may be seen sooner than they would if they see a GP. The patient can better understand their options, have more choice and may avoid travelling to the surgery unnecessarily.
What sort of questions might I be asked?
The questions that you are asked help the Care Navigator to ensure patients are seeing the most appropriate healthcare professional for their problem as a doctor is not always suitable. Some examples of questions you could be asked include:
- Could you give me some idea of the problem, so I know who best to book you in with?
- Can you tell me a brief idea of what it is regarding please?
- To ensure you are booked in appropriately, would you mind saying what the appointment is for?
What if I don’t want to tell them anything?
All staff are trained and uphold the same principles of confidentiality, but if you’d rather not give any information to the Care Navigator, that’s fine. Just tell them that you would rather not talk about it and they can book you the most appropriate appointment based on the information they have. You will not be pressured into giving any information you aren’t comfortable giving.
Are you trying to stop people from seeing GPs?
This isn’t about stopping people from getting the care they need; it is about helping patients find the right service to be seen by the right person. This might mean seeing a GP, pharmacist, nurse or another healthcare professional.
What about patient confidentiality?
All practice staff take data protection and patient confidentiality very seriously, so whilst you may notice that your local GP receptionist asks you a few more questions, you don't need to worry. They are just helping you to get the right care from the most appropriate member of the General Practice team.
What alternatives to a GP might be offered?
Depending on the information given and a patient’s condition, you may be better off seeing a practice nurse, pharmacist, mental health worker, physio, midwife or dentist. In some cases, such as test results or x rays, you may not need an appointment.
