Greystoke Surgery

As previously advised, the surgery has increased the number of lines into the surgery to help cope with demand, along with the number of admin to answer the calls. A Patient Participation Group member recently raised a query around patients not being able to get through to the surgery at very busy times, and receiving a message like – ‘your call cannot be connected’.

The PPG had wondered if our phone provider could add a message along the lines of ‘the lines are busy at the moment, please try again later’. We have spoken with IT Telephony and they advise that we could have a message like one above – but – this will incur a cost to the patient to hear the message as the lines have to connect and are chargeable.

We have considered this and we don’t want patients to incur any charges in possibly hearing messages at busy times, so have decided to leave the service as is. We do not want to leave some patients in a position of not having enough credit / minutes to phone the surgery.

We hope you consider this to be a reasonable course of action.

 

A number of videos have been developed to support patients accessing GP Online services on iPhones, Android devices and PCs, via SystmOnline Access for TPP SystmOne Practices.

This includes guidance on logging in, arranging appointments and ordering prescriptions. Links to the videos are below:

IOS devices (Apple)

Android Devices

Windows devices 

 

If you wish to, you can request access to view your medical records online through the Patient Access online service. If agreed, we will allow access to view all the clinically-coded information in your record from 1st January 2015, such as problems, consultations, medication, test results, immunisations and allergies.

How to apply for online access to your medical records

In order to view your medical records online, you will need a Patient Access account. You can register for a Patient Access account by contacting Reception.

For security reasons you will not have access to view your medical records straight away. Instead, you will need to request that this service is activated. We are required to verify your identity to do this, so please bring some photo identification with you.

If you already have a Patient Access account but do not currently have online access to your medical records, you can request this service online, or by contacting Reception. You will also need to read the patient information leaflet and sign the consent form.  Your GP will need to grant permission to view your clinical record and once you have permission, you can view your medical record by logging into your account and clicking on View your medical record.

Patient Information Leaflet and Consent Form:  Online Access to Your Medical Records Info Leaflet and Consent Form

 

The practice has recently introduced a Text Messaging Service. If you would like to sign up to use this service, please contact reception or click on link to print consent form and hand it in at reception. It is vital that you keep your mobile number up to date on our system.

Useful information can be shared via text eg.
• Reminders of forthcoming appointments
• Requests for patients to make an appointment for example: immunisations, routine reviews, blood test
• Notifications of ‘missed’ appointments (DNA’s)
• Notifications of ‘normal’ test results

Texting Consent Form Website

From the 3rd January 2017 we will be introducing a new ‘Same Day Access’ appointment system for GP appointments only.

This is how it works:

1. Call us on the main surgery number 01670 511393 and ask to make an appointment with the doctor.
2. The receptionist will ask you for your name and the most appropriate telephone number to contact you on. If you need to speak to the doctor urgently, because it is an emergency, tell the receptionist straight away.
3. The receptionist will ask you to say generally what your health problem is. You don’t have to tell the receptionist if you don’t want to, but if you can, it helps the doctor to decide who needs their help first.
4. If you think you may need a home visit, please say so when you speak to the receptionist. A home visit request should be made before 11.00 am. If the doctor thinks you need to be seen at home, they will arrange this when you speak to them during a telephone consultation.
5. If you want to talk to a specific doctor please tell the receptionist, wherever possible they will arrange this. (Please bear in mind not all doctors work every day).
6. When you call the surgery your call may go straight through to the doctor if they are free, or you will be added to the doctors list for a call back.
7. The doctor will call you back as soon as they can. If you want us to call you back between certain times then please tell the receptionist and wherever possible we will arrange that.
8. You can talk to the doctor about your health problem in the same way that you would if you were in the consulting room. If the doctor thinks you need to come into the surgery to be seen, or if you would still like to come in, he or she will make an appointment for you.

Please see New Appointment System for more information / FAQs.

Please GP Rotas advising of availability.