Booking an appointment to see a GP or seek medical advice has gone online!
All requests to book an appointment to see a GP or seek medical advice is now done online (via the 1st button below)
For ALL nursing appointment queries, general enquiries, please call the surgery.
For a detailed FAQ on the traige system, what do do, how to contact the surgery - please see below.
Not able to get on line or have difficulty completing a triage form?
We understand not everyone is able to use a computer / mobile phone. We are here to help ALL our patients - Please call the surgery on 01684 577029 if you:
- Require same day attention (let staff know your query is urgent)
- Experience difficulty completing the form or not able to complete the form
- Can not get on line, do not have internet access - or any technical reason!
- Want to book a nursing appointment
- Anything else
Our admin staff are specially trained to ask a series of questions about your medical query. This helps speed up the process and allows the GP to respond to your query quicker.
Patient triage may be paused when safe capacity of triages has been received in order to maintain our quality care provision.
Patient Triage FAQ
What is a “triage”?
An assessment of patient requests / submissions in order to determine the urgency, nature of treatment and best resource to allocate patient.
The result of your submission (triage) could be a GP appointment (Face to Face OR telephone), a nursing appointment, referral to a local physio, referral to the hospital, pharmacy or in some urgent cases 999 or another service provided by the NHS.
Why does everything need to go via a triage?
Not everything goes through a triage. Generally, only requests to see GP or matters that need a GP input / advice / guidance go through a triage process.
The main purpose off the triage system is for a GP to clinically assess, prioritise and allocate the clinical demand off the practice to the most efficient and effective resource in a timely manner. The triage system is generally not designed for administration tasks / questions / problems, cancelling appointments, routine nursing appointments.
What can I put through a triage?
This list is not exhaustive but to act a guide;
“I need to book an appointment to see my GP because …”
“The medication my GP prescribed have not worked and giving my side effects”
“I am concerned about my blood test results”
“I am phoning on behalf of my child who is not well”
“I need a sick note”
I don’t have access to the internet, smart phone, able to complete the form, struggle with or scared of technology and need to see my GP, what can I do?
Phone the surgery OR pop into the practice. Our admin staff will create a triage on your behalf.
Why do I have to explain my medical problems to the admin staff?
Our admin staff are specially trained and instructed to ask questions about your medical condition by using pre-defined questions created by a doctor. Be rest assured, our admin staff DO NOT clinically diagnose your problem or offer clinical advice. ALL feedback you receive from our admin staff is based on pre-defined questions or instructions by a Doctor.
I want to cancel / check / amend my appointment.
Phone the surgery or if you receive a text message reminder you can cancel via the link.
Why does the triage close at different times of the day?
Patient triage may be paused when a safe capacity of triages have been received to maintain our quality care provision.
IE our GP’s limit the number of patients they can safely see / triage on a given day. As hard as our GPs work, they cannot physically triage and see an un-limited number of patients. Whilst we appreciate this can be frustrating at times, but we need to ensure the safety of all our patients and staff.
If you need to see a GP urgently, please call the surgery. We have a duty GP working throughout the day dealing with any urgent issues
What can I do when triage is closed, AND;
- I have an urgent problem / medical query and need to see a GP?
Phone the surgery, explain you have an urgent issue. Our admin staff will then seek advice from the duty GP.
- I need to see my GP and it is not urgent (and can get on line)
Submit a triage the next working day, sooner the better from 08:00am.
- I need to see my GP and it is not urgent (and can NOT get online, don’t know what to do or any issue preventing you from submitting a triage form)
Phone the surgery / Pop into the surgery. Explain to admin staff you are not able to get online / complete the form.
- I don’t not need to see a GP or need GP advice (eg admin question, update on referrals, have you received my paperwork, what time are you open, have you received my blood results, etc etc)
Phone the surgery or email whiteacres.reporting@nhs.net
I have a general / routine nursing query, what should I do?
Phone the surgery, or email. The triage solution is NOT designed for routine / nursing queries. On occasions, a doctor’s guidance may be needed towards your nursing appointment, in which case a triage form may be needed. You will be advised if this is the case.
I have a general admin query that is not medical, (EG, What time are you open, who is your Practice Manager, have you received my paperwork, have you received my rest results) what should I do?
Phone the surgery or email. The triage solution is NOT designed for administration tasks.
Can I request a Doctor’s appointment in advance?
Yes. If the Doctor feels the appointment delay will not put you at risk, this can be arranged. When submitting your triage, please state your availability and you want an appointment later on.
I work 9 till 5 and have difficulty answering the phone at work / bad reception where I work, what can I do?
When submitting your triage please state a possible window (EG your lunch break). Our doctors will try their best to call within the times specified but this is not always possible. Or you can call and speak with admin staff.
Each time I access the triage it is closed or my work pattern prevents me from logging on in the morning but I need to see my GP, what can I do?
Call the surgery explaining the difficulty. Our admin staff will either submit the triage on your behalf and/or speak to the duty GP.
Can I attend the surgery to book a nurse appointment?
Yes. The triage solution is NOT to book nursing appointments. For example if you have been asked by a GP to book a nursing appointment (eg blood test) please call the surgery. However there may be occasions where by a triage submission may be needed as the nursing appointment may need GP input.
I have not seen my GP for a while and with the recent changes I don’t know what to do.
If you have a medical concern, phone or pop into the surgery. Our staff are fully aware not all patients are familiar with technology. Please pop in, or call the surgery if you have any medical concerns – we are here to help!
Can reception make me an appointment with the GP?
Admin staff will no longer be able to book a doctor’s appointment. The triaging GP will review and action your triage. If an appointment is needed, the triage GP will make that decision.
If I contact the surgery and say I want an urgent appointment what happens next as you state that reception will no longer be making appointments?
We have a duty doctor working every day to deal with emergencies. There will be an option of booking urgent appointments with the duty doctor on the day, but if not medically urgent, the doctor will ask the patient to fill in the triage form & attend to your query within given turnaround time.
How long will it take to hear from the practice?
For all medical issues the practice will review your triage the same day and offer you an appointment within an appropriate time scale. If you have not heard back on the 3rd working day please call the surgery. If your query become urgent please call the surgery.
Can I request an appointment on behalf of someone else?
Yes, you can submit the form on behalf of the patient (although please write on the form that you are doing so) and can put the contact number that we should either contact the patient or their representative on. Please note that due to patient confidentiality we cannot always discuss everything unless they have explicitly given permission for us to do so. This is patient specific and at the discretion of the Doctor.
Can I request to see a particular Doctor?
Yes you can. When submitting your triage, please state which GP you would like to see. We will try to meet your expectations, but please note, this is not always guaranteed (Subject to availability)
If you need help when we are closed
- Use NHS 111 online (111.nhs.uk) 111 online is for people aged 5 and over or Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
- Out of hours information
- If it’s a life-threatening emergency call 999.
Home Visits
Home visits are available for patients who are either housebound or unable to visit the Surgery due to illness. All home visits will be organised by a clinician, with more serious or urgent visits taking priority.