CHANGES TO APPOINTMENT BOOKING FROM 1^ST MAY 2024

From the 1^st May 2024, the surgery will be implementing a brand new system regarding appointments, based on the patient feedback we have received. We are implementing a waiting list system for appointments. If you call and your problem is not deemed urgent, it will be added to a waiting list. We will call you back with an appropriate appointment. This will mean no “on the day” appointments being given out at 8am based on “who gets through”. All appointments will be triaged, and patients called back to offer appropriate appointments.

We are also in the process of upgrading our phonelines to allow callbacks when patients reach the front of the queue.

We hope that this system will eliminate the waiting times on the phone at 8am and remove the “lottery” element of appointment booking.

PRESECRIPTION REQUEST REMINDER 

We would like to remind patients that the practice operates a four working day period for prescription requests. We cannot guarantee that any requests submitted the same day as the medication is needed will be completed on that day. Therefore, we respectfully request patients allow sufficient time for their prescription to be processed by both the practice and the pharmacy.  

ZERO TOLERANCE 

We would like to remind patients that the practice operates a zero-tolerance policy in line with the rest of the NHS. This means aggressive or violent behaviour towards any of our staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Please remember that we are here to help you to the best of our ability. Any patients found to be behaving in such a manner will be sent a warning letter from the practice. If such behaviour continues after receipt of this letter, this may result in removal from the practice list. 

DID NOT ATTEND AND LATENESS

We have been experiencing an increase in patients who have not attended their appointments, even ones booked on the same day. We kindly ask that if you find yourself unable to attend your appointments, to contact the surgery to cancel the same. By doing this, the appointment can then be offered to another patient who may need it. By not cancelling your appointment, clinician time is wasted and the appointment cannot be offered to anyone else. 

The practice operates a lateness policy, whereby if patients are five or more minutes late to their appointment, the clinician may not see them, and the appointment will need to be re-arranged. This is because patient lateness has an impact of clinic lists and can unfairly cause waiting times for other patients due to be seen to be vastly extended, as well as having an impact on staff safety and wellbeing.

We would therefore request that if you are running late, to contact the practice so we can inform the clinician, as they may still be able to see you.

In the same vein, a clinician may have no choice but to run behind if an individuals’ presentation is more complex than first thought. The appointment may take longer than the time allocated due to arranging various treatment pathways and potentially contacting urgent services. While our clinicians do endeavour to run to time as much as possible, there are some circumstances where falling behind time cannot be avoided.