Changes To Appointment System

We are writing to share some exciting news about a significant change to our appointment system that will improve how Westcourt Medical Centre delivers healthcare services to you. 

We are moving to a triage system led by GP’s which also uses an active clinical signposting toolkit.  We understand that change can be difficult, but believe that this new approach will ensure that our patients’ needs are met safely and efficiently. We are committed to delivering a robust service to our patients, and we believe that this new strategy will help us achieve this goal.

Triage is a new approach recommended by NHS England, to improve accessibility to Primary Care services. The main objectives are to enhance the quality of care our patients receive, to ensure that they are given the most appropriate appointment or advice to meet their needs and that this is done in a timely way. 

The changes provide a safe, effective, efficient, fairer system, that makes full use of the skills of all the practitioners within the practice and that meets the patients’ needs

What is Triage? 

Traditionally, patients would book appointments to visit the practice in person. More recently, we have been offering telephone, e-consults and video appointments too.  However, the demand for appointments has increased hugely in recent years, and General Practice must address the issue of capacity, to maintain patient safety and satisfaction. 

Triage systems can: 

• Improve access to health services as practices can direct patients to the right practitioner/service (urgent care/ED services).
• Improve patient care by ensuring that patients with the highest or most complex health needs are prioritised and given longer appointments (if necessary).
• Free up GP time to deal with more complex issues.
• Maximise workforce capacity by making the best use of skills mix in the practice team.
• Reduce GP workload and pressure by distributing and delegating tasks across the practice team.

What is Signposting?

Signposting is a process done by appropriately trained reception, care co-ordinator or other practice staff, to signpost to the most appropriate clinician or elsewhere outside of the practice.  A clinical signposting toolkit is utilised to ensure the best care is given for the patients’ needs.

Signposting and clinical triage allow practices to prioritise patients with the most urgent health needs, ensure they see the most appropriate clinician or are referred to alternative services.

The changes will see every contact either by telephone, email, e-Consult or in person be dealt with via the triage/signposting system.

How does it work?

Our reception team have been trained to use a system known as active signposting, which is designed to direct you, the patient to the most appropriate service for your needs. They will use what is termed a toolkit empowering them to ask the right questions at the right time to make sure you reach the right service for your needs. This toolkit is reviewed regularly by our doctors to ensure up to date information is passed via the receptionist to you the patient.  

Signposting calls and routing patients to the most suitable service, ensures that everyone receives the appropriate level of care and support for their specific needs in a timely manner, streamlining the healthcare process and ensuring that resources are used efficiently.

This toolkit is reviewed regularly by our GP’s to ensure up to date information is passed via the receptionist to you the patient.  Using the signposting toolkit will ensure that we are directing patients to the most appropriate service for their needs.

We understand the importance of face-to-face appointments for many patients. Triage ensures that the practice makes the best use of these, with GPs and other clinicians. Often telephone consultations work well both for patients and clinicians, and we now have excellent facilities to view photographs sent from your mobile phone which are extremely helpful to support best care. 

Some calls may be referred to the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS).  This service allows patients to consult with a community pharmacist who can provide advice, and recommendations and even issue prescriptions if necessary. This is especially useful for minor ailments that can be managed without the need for a GP appointment.

Our GP telephone Speak and Treat service is another option.  Patients may be directed towards this service if their condition can be managed over the phone without the need for an in-person visit.  A GP will assess the situation, provide advice and even prescribe medications if required.

Surgery triage is available for more complex or urgent situations. Triage GP's will assess the urgency and severity of a patient's condition via telephone consultation and provide appropriate guidance on the next steps.  They will be able to determine how quickly an appointment is needed and whether your request would be better dealt with by another trained healthcare professional or to a specialist service if necessary.

Improved Access to Care

Triage has been shown to reduce waiting times and it enables us to attend to your medical needs more promptly.  By using remote consultations, where appropriate, we can free up face to face appointments for those patients that need them.

Convenience

Using digital communication will mean that you can engage with us from the comfort of your home or workplace via email, telephone, NHS app, SystmOne Online.  No more having to travel to the practice and possible long waits for simple enquiries or prescription renewals.  If you haven’t already, please download the NHS App or make your requests online by filling in an e-consult.

Enhanced Patient Experience

We are committed to providing you with the best possible care at Westcourt Medical Centre. Triage improves communication and ensures that you see the person best able to help you, in a timely way. 

Embracing Innovation

As healthcare technology advances, we are committed to staying at the forefront of these innovations. Triage will enable us to adapt and evolve with the changing healthcare landscape and ensure that you benefit from the latest advances in medical care. 

At Westcourt Medical Centre, we have a variety of healthcare professionals which can assist with medical issues.

General Practitioners

Our team of GP’s treat common medical conditions and perform routine exams.  They refer to other medical services if urgent or specialised treatments is needed.  They focus on your overall physical and mental health and serve an important role in a much wider healthcare system.

Paramedics

Our team of paramedics work alongside the GP’s to help manage routine or urgent appointments and also conduct home visits where needed.

Practice Nurses 

Our nursing team carry out 2nd part long term conditions like COPD or Asthma to name a few.   They run clinics for wound care, childhood immunisations, medication injections, travel vaccinations, ear irrigation and checks, and much more

Health Care Assistants 

Our health care assistants carry out phlebotomy, 1st part of long term conditions such as diabetes, ECG, basic wound care, assist with microsuction, minor surgeries and contraception clinics.

Clinical Pharmacist

Our Clinical Pharmacist leads a team of pharmacy technicians and admin.  The pharmacy team look after your prescription requests and medication reviews.  The Clinical Pharmacist also runs clinics for medication review clinics where you can discuss your medication and increasing/reducing doses or reviewing your medication.  The Clinical Pharmacist will be starting a clinic for Home Blood Pressure monitoring blood pressure and also for statins/cholesterol issues shortly.

Physiotherapist 

We have a physiotherapist at the surgery who is able to assist with all musculoskeletal issues such as back, neck and joint pain by assessing and diagnosing.  They give expert advice on how to best manage conditions.

Social Prescribers

Our team of Social Prescribers are able to assist with connecting people to activities, groups and services within the community to meet practical, social and emotional needs that are affecting their health and wellbeing.

Mental Health Advisors 

Our team of mental health advisors are here for children from the age of 8 to 17 years as well as adults.  They offer assessment and provide guidance to patients experiencing mental health difficulties.  

Remote GP Speak & Treat Service 

This service is run by our GP Federation which is made up of local surgeries throughout the area to provide extra services to primary care.  They offer acute on the day remote telephone consultations and also have a GP with special interest in Mental Health who the surgery can refer a patient to.

Our federation also run weekend clinics for wound care and cervical smear taking which are held at our neighbouring surgery of Willow Green.

FAQs

Q. What is a triage system?

A. Clinical triage is a clinical process conducted by a clinician, most often a nurse or GP, to make early clinical decisions and signpost appropriately either within the practice or elsewhere.  Signposting is a process done by appropriately trained reception, care co-ordinators or other practice staff, to signpost to the most appropriate clinician or elsewhere outside of the practice. 

Q. What is signposting?

A. Signposting is a process done by appropriately trained reception, care co-ordinators or other practice staff, to signpost to the most appropriate clinician or elsewhere outside of the practice.  A clinical signposting toolkit is utilised to ensure the best care is given for the patients’ needs.

Signposting and clinical triage allow practices to prioritise patients with the most urgent health needs, ensure they see the most appropriate clinician or are signposted to alternative services.

This can be done in-person at the practice, over the phone or via e-consult.

Q. Why is the practice implementing it?

A. For a number of reasons:

• To improve access, because of the increased demand for appointments.
• To improve our DNA rates (Did Not Attend); on average we see at least 17 hours of wasted GP & nurse time every month because patients do not turn up for their appointments.
• We need to optimise GP appointments; with an ever-developing workforce, less complicated needs can be dealt with by other members of the healthcare team.
• To hopefully reduce waiting times for patients.

Q. Is this to stop me getting an appointment?

A. Not at all.  It is to ensure that patients who need to be seen on that day or in a timely manner are seen by an appropriate health care professional.  It’s also to help us cope with the demand for appointments.

Q. What happens if the surgery reaches safe capacity working for the day?

A.  Should the triage GP's feel that they cannot work safely and patient safety will be compromised due to workload, all further contacts will be re-directed to other services such as NHS111 or A&E which is appropriate for the need.

Q. What if I have trouble using the new system? 

A. We hope to support patients and their families/carers to get used to the new way of contacting the practice and to become comfortable with this over time 

We will, of course, provide additional support to those patients who are unable to use online resources.  

Should you require support or help, please contact a member of the reception team who will only be too happy to assist.

If you would like to be more involved in discussing change at Westcourt you can join our Patient Participation Group, please visit the PPG page on our website.

Thank you for working together with us on this new project to improve our patient access.  We welcome your feedback and ideas moving forward. 

Published: Dec 11, 2023