WE ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL GP PRACTICES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO ACCESS THE CARE YOU NEED, WHEN YOU NEED IT - AND FROM THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL. THIS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE A GP, BUT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR YOUR NEEDS.
What We've Done So Far
We have introduced a number of changes over the past few years to help with access including:
•Employed different clinicians as part of the practice team including Clinical Pharmacists, Social Prescribers and First Contact Physiotherapist for example
•Provided more appointments
•Cloud-based telephone system for better call handling
•Online consultations, giving you another way to contact us
What We're Doing in 2025/26
•Easier Contact by Phone
•Call-back option available, no need to wait on hold
•We are working to reduce our call queue waiting times
•We are working together across practices and primary care organisations to provide additional appointments.
•We will also be focusing on the areas highlighted in the boxes below
Online Consultation
•Available Monday to Friday, 8am-6.30pm (excluding bank holidays)
•Clinical queries: response by end of next working day
•Non-clinical queries: response within 3 working days
Care Navigation
•Our team will guide you to the right support - whether by phone, in person, or online
•This may include booking an appointment with a GP, a member of our practice team, or signposting to services such as Community Pharmacy
Improving Your Access to GP Services
Sign Up for the NHS App
The NHS App helps you to:
•Help you manage your appointments
•Order repeat prescriptions
•View parts of your GP health record
•Access trusted health information
If you're aged 13 or over, speak to our reception
team, join one of our digital support workshops or
click on the link to get started: Sign up to the NHS APP
Continuity of Care for Complex Needs
•We listened to your feedback: continuity matters
•Some of our patients with complex health needs will get a named care team - These patients will be informed of their team
•Reviewing our appointments to ensure patients are seeing the right Clinician at the right time
We Want to Hear From You!
In 2024, we:
•Ran a patient survey to gain your thoughts on access to GP services
•Held local face-to-face engagement events and a borough wide webinar
For 2025/26, we will:
•Develop a new patient survey with your help through the Patient Participation Group (PPG)
•Share the survey widely
•Host another open engagement session – all welcome!
We're committed to improving with your help. We'll continue to involve you through:
•Patient Participation Group (PPG) meetings
•Feedback via our practice website
•Local health engagement events