Shakespeare Road Medical Practice: Appointments

In response to feedback from our patients, and from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), we undertook a comprehensive review of our appointment system. We recognised that patients were waiting too long on the phone to get through to make an appointment and all too often the appointments were fully booked. To improve the situation, we moved to a Total Triage system, using the eConsult system.

eConsult is an online system that prompts patients to provide information that describes their current medical concerns. Patients will be asked questions about their symptoms and it will only take a few minutes to complete.

When you have submitted the questionnaire, the form will be received by the surgery via this online system and you will receive a copy via email. This email will contain the unique reference number relating to the form and is for possible future use in the event of the surgery having to be contacted at a later date.

We will aim to respond to requests by the end of the next working day.

We may respond in a variety of ways, based on information provided or the urgency of the condition:

• If appropriate, an appointment with a clinician may be offered, either on the day or for a later date.

• The patient may receive a phone call from a Health Professional at the surgery. This is because a face-to-face appointment may not be needed to resolve the issue and will save a visit to the surgery.

• The patient may have a video consultation with the Clinician; again this may be the most appropriate way of dealing with the issue and avoid an unnecessary visit to the practice.

• You may be referred directly for investigations or a hospital appointment to further investigate symptoms.

• You may be directed to another Health Professional outside the surgery, as they may be best placed to offer the advice or support needed. This could include local pharmacy support, or other services such as physiotherapy.

• You may be directed towards appropriate self-help advice.

Note: At all times we will protect our patients’ privacy and will not discuss personal matters unless we are certain we are speaking to the correct patient or someone authorised to speak on their behalf.

What if I can’t or don’t want to use the eConsult service?

For patients unable to use or access eConsult, the Care Navigator team will complete the eConsult heath questionnaire over the phone with you.

Can I see the doctor of my choice?

If you want to speak to a particular GP, please submit an eConsult on one of their usual working days.

Blood tests

Please do not book a blood test unless one of our doctors or nurses has asked you to. This is because we have to put the details on your record before your appointment so that the clinician taking your blood knows which tests your doctor/nurse has asked for.

Should a face-to-face appointment be required, our dedicated admin team will call you to arrange a time and day that is convenient for you. This will usually be the same or next day. Where possible and requested, this will be with the clinician of your choice.

Please help us to help you and our other patients. Our doctors are able to see several patients in the surgery in the time it takes to do a single home visit. For this reason, we ask our patients to come to the surgery where required, and we also offer video and telephone consultations where appropriate. Find our more about home visits.

Should a telephone appointment be required, you will be called either immediately, later on the same day or by the next day at the latest depending on the nature of the problem.

111 is the free, easy-to-remember number to call when you need help or advice urgently when it’s not a life-threatening situation, if we are closed and you cannot contact us. If you or someone else experiences severe chest pain, loss of blood or suspected broken bones, or any life threatening illness go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department or call 999. Find out more about our opening hours.

COVID-19 and children

At this challenging time, it is extremely important for you to know that COVID-19 is unlikely to make your child unwell, but they (like everyone else) might be infectious so staying at home even when well remains the message with COVID-19.

However, all the ‘normal’ illnesses that can make children severely unwell still remain and there is a major risk that parents may delay bringing their child to the attention of healthcare professionals even if they are unwell because of concerns about COVID-19. GPs and hospitals are still providing the same safe care that they have always done for children.

If you are not sure if your child is unwell and whether they need to be seen, click here or call 111 or contact your GP. For information about crying babies, click here. If your child appears severely unwell and advice is not quickly available call 999 or take them to the Emergency Department (A&E), as you would in other times.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have produced a very helpful infographic on accessing the right care for your unwell child. Please click here to view this.

A message for all our patients re: COVID-19

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time of unprecedented levels of demand on NHS services. You can find out more about why GPs are needing to work differently in the BMA’s helpful poster guide.

Please be on time for your appointment, this helps us to run on schedule and to give you the maximum amount of time available. Importantly, please let us know as soon as possible if you no longer require your appointment via our website, or by text reply to your appointment reminder or by calling us. We can then offer the appointment to someone else. 

10% of all appointments are missed. This affects your ability to get an appointment when you need it. Please let us know if you are unable to make your appointment.

If you have received a text regarding a missed appointment, please view our letters regarding missed appointments:

Select from the following categories to find information about self-care, local services to which you can self-refer and other health information and action plans.

Request Forms

• New Patient Registration
• PPG Joiner Form
• Change Personal Details
• Travel Risk

Self-care

For a range of self-care information, including handy fact sheets, visit the self-care forum website: Fact Sheets - Self Care Forum

NHS sympton checker

The NHS website has a resource where you can check your symptons online. You can visit it here.

NHS Live Well

NHS advice about healthy living, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. Visit: Live Well - NHS (www.nhs.uk)