Appointment System Changes

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Dear Patients of Gravel Hill Surgery,

We are writing to inform you of a change to our appointment system, effective from Monday 3rd March 2025.

We have listened to your feedback about the 8am rush for appointments; we do not want patients queueing up outside at 7.45am, queuing on the telephone for a long time or waiting for a call back. We also appreciate that many patients are unable to telephone us for an appointment when we open at 8am due to work and other commitments.

Another reason for changing our appointment system is to help us to address the demand on our appointments and services. This demand has increased massively in recent years and General Practice must address the issue of capacity, to maintain patient safety. We need to ensure that our patients are booked an appointment with the most appropriate clinician / service in an appropriate timeframe.

Therefore, from Monday 3rd March 2025 we will be using an online system called eConsult to triage appointment requests and queries for the Practice. This will involve filling in an online form about your health issue, consisting of a structured questionnaire and free text boxes.

From Monday 3rd March 2025 please use one of the following ways to send us an online request:

Once you have submitted your answers, they are reviewed by our triage team that same day (led by one of our GPs) to decide which member of our team is best suited to your needs, the timeframe for the appointment and whether the appointment is best suited to be face to face or by telephone. You will then be contacted by a member of our Reception team to arrange this.

What if I cannot access online services?

Please telephone us and our Reception team will complete a form on your behalf which is then triaged in the same way as the online forms.

Is this system for all appointments?

If you are requesting an appointment with a Nurse, Health Care Assistant or GP Assistant, please telephone us and we can book this for you over the telephone. Examples include appointments for dressings, injections and ECGs.

What if I want my test results?

For test results, please look on your NHS App or submit an eConsult form using the link above.

What else can I use this online system for?

You can also use the link above to request sick notes (fit notes) and administrative help (eg medical reports, GP letters).

Thank you in advance for working with us through this change to improve our patient access.

Yours sincerely

Drs Franklin, Price, Meredith and Sahni (GP Partners, Gravel Hill Surgery)