ASK MY GP CHANGES

Posted on March 25th, 2024

Since Monday 8th April 2024 we have been changing how Ask My GP is used in practice.

The service is now open from 05:00 until 11:00

This is to support those with responsibilities first thing in the morning and others who are unable to get online early morning. As of this date if you call the practice you will be asked to place an Ask My GP for your request. If you do not have the ability to do this a member of the team will do it for you but all requests will go through exactly the same process. It is much faster to do it yourself, however, we are happy to help those who can’t. We hope that this will help reduce the volume of telephone calls coming into the practice.

Patients can state to us if their request is urgent (they feel that they need support the same day) or routine (where there will be a 1-5 day turnaround). Please note that if the clinician screening all of these requests feels that your request is urgent, when you feel it is routine, they will upgrade that request to get you seen earlier.
As such if you feel your request is urgent and the screening clinician has assessed this and feels it can wait a little longer, this will be explained to you.

There will be forms to complete online for different requests. For example
– if you have a UTI there is a specific form for this which will provide our nurses with all the information they need initially – Early onset UTI’s will be asked to provide a urine sample to the practice.
– If you require a sick note there is a specific form for this which will provide our clinicians with all the information they need initially to deal with your request. Please note sick notes are not classed as urgent requests.
– if you have an admin query there is a specific form for this – these will not be assessed by a clinician in the first instance. But it is a great way to check results, cancel an appointment, book a routine nurse appointment (such as B12 injection), ask a general query to the practice.

It is also good to note here that although our secretaries help and support out patients wherever they can they simply CANNOT see the waiting lists at a hospital. They can check that a referral has been made, but once they have done that and you have received a letter from that hospital department the only way for you to find out any further information is for you to call that department and ask where you are on the waiting list, or an estimated wait period.

The fastest way to get REPEAT prescriptions is to order them online with the NHS App, or SystmOnline (via our website) or to drop off the slip into one of our practices completed with what you need. If you have any queries about your repeat prescription there is a green “Queries for Dispensary” button on our website.

You can cancel an appointment quickly using the yellow “Cancel and Appointment” button on our website.

There are many services which your local pharmacy can support you with, and where required you may be signposted to them for help and support.
Did you know you can access consultations with a pharmacist for: coughs, colds, flu like symptoms, sore throat, congestion, insect bites and stings, contraception, constipation, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, vomiting, nausea, colic, conjunctivitis, scabies, acne, skin dressings, oral thrush, dermatitis issues, UTI’s, early onset pain (back, arms, legs, ankles, wrists, fingers), migraines, sleeping difficulties, cold sores, ulcers, mouth sores, toothache, and many, many more!  There are more things they can support with than most people realise!

We will provide an FAQ document on our website and available in practice to those who may need it.