From 1st May Greystoke Surgery will be using a form accessed via the NHS app or our website or as the main way to access our services. This is in response to feedback from patients about the difficulty in getting through on the phone. The small minority of patients who do not have access to the internet or a relative / friend to do this for them can still phone the surgery and a receptionist will fill in a form on their behalf.
This change will allow all patients to access the help they need in a timely manner without having to contact us multiple times and will take less time than it takes to phone up. It will also allow the surgery to use our limited resources in the most effective manner by directing patients to the most appropriate clinician, who may be a GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health Clinician, Advanced Physiotherapist, Pharmacist or GP Link Worker. Patients have also fedback that they would like to be able to have routine appointments arranged ahead of time and the new system will allow for this too. If it is an ongoing issue please tell us who has been dealing with the problem and we will endeavour to provide continuity.
The form is brief and easy to use, but the more information you give us, the easier it will be for us to help you. Forms with insufficient information will be replied to with a request to provide more information.
Prescriptions can still be ordered via the NHS app or System1 online access, and people who cannot access these can continue to phone the script line. The NHS app also allows patients to see their results without having to contact the surgery and using the NHS app is the quickest way for patients to complete the new consultation form so we would encourage patients to sign up for this.
If you haven’t already signed up to receive messages via SMS please do as this means we can contact patients promptly about appointments, results and other issues.
There is more information including guides and videos on our website, and we will be holding demonstrations at the surgery for any patients who would benefit from being shown to access and submit the form, and how to access the NHS app. If you would like to attend one of these demonstrations please ring Greystoke reception.
Please see Frequently Asked Questions which may be helpful: FAQs for patients
Youtube link may also help:
Patient Flash Demo: How to submit a medical request in Patient Triage – YouTube
Here are some useful instructions from NHS App which will access our system directly:
