1. On 19 th October 2015 we introduced:  Urgent Appointment System (Triage)  Named GP’s

2.  Urgent Appointment Triage System What is it? If you require an urgent appointment, a GP will carry out an initial telephone assessment of your needs and make a decision about your care (this is commonly referred to as Triage). All routine appointments will continue to be booked via our Reception Team. Why are we doing this?  We want to provide the best care possible to our patients and ensure the right person, can see the right patient, at the right time.  We are aware of the difficulty patients can sometimes experience trying to book an appointment with us and we want to prevent the “ring back tomorrow” conversations.  We have re-designed our appointment system to improve access to a GP within 72 hours (via Triage), and improve access if you need a routine appointment. How does it work? You will leave your contact details and brief description of the problem with a Receptionist who will pass this onto the Triage Doctor. (Our Doctors have asked Receptionists to gather details of your problem so the Triage Doctor can prioritise the urgency of your triage call. Any details you provide will remain confidential.) The Triage Doctor will then call you back, assess your needs, and organise what care you require. Note the Triage Doctor will attempt to call the number you provide two separate times. How does it benefit me? When you need to speak to a GP that day due to an urgent need, you can – by phone You will no longer need to come to practice, or call early in the morning to receive a same day telephone assessment by a GP A GP with access to your medical history can make an accurate decision about your care If you do need to see a GP for an urgent need, you can do so within 72 hours It can save you time by avoiding unnecessary appointments, time off work or journeys to the surgery When you need a longer appointment or more particular care the GP has time to provide the right level of support You will have better access to book non-urgent appointments within a shorter time frame By reducing the number of appointments needed and missed appointments, your GP is freed up to improve the overall quality of care “My doctor can sort some things on the phone, but if I need to see him, he will book me an appointment” “The doctor phones you on your mobile so you don’t have to stay in and wait. If you do have to see her it’s normally the same day or tomorrow.” “If I have a urgent problem I don’t have to ring at 8am anymore. I know I can ring later on and still get to talk to a GP” The Triage Doctor may: book an appointment at the surgery with a GP, nurse or HCA within 72 hours provide advice over the phone issue a prescription organise tests book an appointment at hospital or with another Healthcare professional book a home visit

3.  Named GPs What is it? You, and every patient in our practice has a named GP who will oversee your care. Why are we doing this?  We want to provide you with a Named GP, so you can get to know your GP and they can become familiar with your health needs.  You may also have seen reported in the media that GP workload is becoming increasing un-manageable. In order to support our GP’s to support you, we have allocated patients to their Named GP inline with the number of hours the GP works, ensuring fair distribution of patients. This means you may now be under the care of a new Named GP at the surgery. How does it benefit me? You can get to know your Named GP Your Named GP will be familiar with your ongoing care and health needs You Named GP has a manageable case load, so can focus on your care “My doctor knows me and understands my health needs, so often we can sort things on the phone, without me coming to the practice” “I don’t often come to the Doctor’s, but it’s nice knowing who I should be seeing each time” “I didn’t know my Named GP at first, but I felt reassured after my first appointment that they cared just as much as my old Doctor” How does it work? Wherever possible : We will book all your routine appointments with your Named GP We will book any urgent appointments with your Named GP Your Named GP will review your results and letters Your Named GP will issue your prescriptions You Named GP will oversee your Care Plans