WE WOULD BE THE FIRST TO AGREE WITH YOU -- THE CURRENT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING WELL --- FOR THIS WE ARE SORRY.

WE WANT TO IMPROVE THIS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PATIENTS AND THE STAFF ALIKE.

We want to improve your access to appointments.

We want to make sure that you see the right person for your needs.

We want to reduce the number of missed appointments.

We want to stop the 8:30 appointment rush.

We can do it.
A practice of our size on average will offer approximately 57000 appointments across all clinicians per year.
We offer 68000 appointments at 15 minutes --- so we offer more appointments and longer appointments.

What is going wrong?
The book on the day system -- though this reduces missed appointments (possible the worst abuse of the NHS) it creates a huge morning demand as people rush to get an appointment. This stretches the phone system as well.

Our analysis found that the GPs were being inundated with problems that cold be better dealt with by other members of the team.

How will you do this?
Having questioned patients, analysed appointments and discussed this amongst the team, we feel that the key to solving this problem is to ensure that patients are directed to the right member of the team.
We have invested heavily in upskilling the entire clinical team, we need to make sure that they are used appropriately.
Some examples....

We have 3 Nurse Prescribers who can prescibe the fullrange of medications and can access online clinical support as well as having direct access to the GPs.

We have 3 trained Health care assistants who can do new patient checks, check you bloods, urine blood pressures and even give flu vaccines in some cases.

We have 2 Phlebotomists who can take blood.

The nurses are better at managing chronic diseases than the GPs

Telephone consultations result in a satisfactory outcome for more than 90% of patients.

We need to make sure that the appointments we have are used efficiently

We need to make sure that you have greater access.

When you call for an appointment -- if we cannot meet your needs you will be listed for telephone triage.
The triage procedure should take less that 3 minutes and the aim is to provide you with the access and care you need.

A doctor will either speak to you immediately or phone you back within 1/2 hour on any number you give.

The Doctor will meet your needs in one of the following ways:

• Immediate attention with G.P. -- You will be seen immediately if your need is judged medically urgent.
• Agreed appointment with G.P.
• Nurse appointment
• Health care Assistant Appointment
• Phlebotomy Appointment
• Telephone consultation.
• Appointments will also be available on the web.

The aim is NOT to "fob" you off, the Doctor phoning you will most likely be one of the partners i.e. the most senior and experienced Doctors in the practice.

We want to make sure that you are satisfied with your access at the point of call and if not we want to make sure that your needs are met within 30 mins.

Is this it?

No -- we will monitor and refine this plan -- if it's hopeless we will change it.

You have told us there is a problem, and we take your views seriously.