OUR PHONE SYSTEM

We are aware that in last month’s publication, there was a letter sent into the Braunstone Life regarding our new telephone system and we thought we would take this opportunity to explain a little more regarding the same.

Our new system offers a callback feature, to prevent patients from having to stay in the phone queue. By selecting this option, the system retains your place in the queue and will call you back when you have reached the front. However, if you miss this callback, you will have to telephone the practice again. There were some issues raised recently regarding the callback feature, which we have worked through with our telephone provider. Our provider has now assured us that the issue should be fixed. The call back feature will activate if there are more than ten patients ahead of you or after a certain number of minutes has passed.

Certain lines only open at certain times, which is advised on the option menu. If you select the option before the opening time, the message will advise you that line is closed and which time to try after.

Please also remember that the practice hosts a population of approximately 10,800 patients and therefore queue wait and callback times may be longer than anticipated, depending on how many patients are in the queue at that time. This is particularly prevalent on Mondays and Fridays and days before and after bank holidays.  

Our new phone system was implemented in May this year following patient feedback and is the same system used across other practices in the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland area. We have received a number of good feedback from patients regarding the change since May and this has continued.

If you are experiencing continued difficulties in reaching us by phone and cannot use any of our alternative contact methods such as Accurx Triage, please write to us so that we may investigate the same with our phone provider.

FLU AND COVID VACCINATION PROGRAMME

Eligible patients should now have received text messages inviting them to arrange an appointment for their covid and flu vaccinations. Our clinic for over 65s only will take place on Saturday 5^th October. Our Saturday 19^th October clinic will be for both under and over 65s.

RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV) VACCINATION PROGRAMME    

Eligible patients for this vaccine will receive a text message inviting them to book an appointment.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, also known as RSV is a common winter virus responsible for many coughs and colds during the winter months. The UK is the first country in the world to offer a national vaccination programme that uses the same vaccine to protect both infants and adults from RSV.

The vaccine helps to reduce the risk of serious breathing problems like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

PRESCRIPTION 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. 

In addition, please be aware that the practice does not take prescription requests over the phone. Requests are to be made via paper slip (which can be dropped into the black mental post box just inside the main doors), online or via the Pharmacy. The Prescribing telephone line is for enquiries only and not requests.