ACCURX PATIENT TRIAGE

From Monday 7 August eConsult and telephone bookings will be replaced with a new quick and simple online triage form called Accurx to triage ALL GP appointments and to assist you with medical and administrative queries.  This can be accessed through our website between 8am – 4pm.  All requests for appointments will be reviewed by the duty doctor and an appointment will be offered, if necessary, within the RIGHT timeframe, the RIGHT clinician and via the RIGHT method (face to face, telephone). You should no longer telephone the surgery to book a GP appointment.  All appointments with the Nurse or HCA can still be booked in the normal way.

What if I do not have access to the internet or struggle to complete forms?

Our practice phone lines will remain open for anybody with accessibility needs who might find it difficult to complete this form and a member of the patient services team will complete it with you.

What happens after I submit a query for a medical issue to the practice?

Medical queries will be submitted to the GP led triage team.  A member of the team will respond to you within 2 working days.  Conditions that need to be assessed on the same day will be prioritised.  The triage team may send a request for further information if required.

What happens if I need an urgent appointment?

Conditions that require a same day assessment will be booked in on the same day or directed to an appropriate service after your form has been triaged by the duty doctor.

What if I have more than one medical issue that I need help with?

Please only submit one medical issue per triage form, so that you can add sufficient detail for each problem, to allow our GPs to deal appropriately with your request.

How do I submit an admin query?

There is an option to submit an admin query on the form for general administrative issues such as requesting a fit note etc.  This form should be used rather than emailing the practice.  If you send an email, it will be sent back asking you to use Accurx triage.

What happens after 4pm when I cannot access Accurx?

If you have an urgent problem, you will need to phone our patient services team who will signpost you to the appropriate service.  Patients with non-urgent problems will be asked to complete an online form the following day.

Before you contact the surgery please consider the following services, which may better meet your needs:

• NHS111
• On-line Advice. Self-help advice is available online
• A Pharmacy can provide face to face ‘drop in advice’

 Specific conditions for which alternative/additional services are available – **For information please click on the link

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women aged 16-64 (all others please contact the surgery)
• Physiotherapy and Podiatry
• Hearing problems
• Earwax
• Minor Injuries
• Minor Eye Conditions
• Mental health issues
• NHS Health Checks

 If you still need to speak to us, please:

• Please do not Email, unless asked to.   Please complete online form instead.
  
  
• 01235 522379 Please be prepared to give information to the Patient Services team who answer the phone. They are bound by medical confidentiality, so your details are safe with them.
  
  • Or we might direct you to other healthcare services that can meet your needs. - See link
• Repeat prescription requests ideally should be made by using the online requesting service through the website, the NHS app, or through your pharmacy. Alternatively, you can drop in your paper repeat prescription request to the surgery. Please allow four full working days for turnaround from making the request to collecting from the pharmacy. From August 1, 2022 we will no longer be taking any repeat prescription requests via email.
• Please book nurse and health care assistant appointments by calling the surgery.
• Please do not make requests for clinical review via email as it is not a safe way of ensuring your request is seen in a timely fashion. Emails are not checked throughout the day and we would not want to overlook an important clinical query.
• Photos/Further Requested Information At times a doctor or other member of the team may ask you to provide further information or photographs via email, which is acceptable as then we will be looking out for it and make sure to include it in your record.
  
  
• Urine samples should not be dropped off at the surgery unless a doctor or other clinician has asked you to do so, and should then be clearly labelled, contained in a bag, and details of the reason why you have been asked to provide it should be included.

To give an idea of how busy the surgery is, on average we have 219 appointments per day and receive on average 365 calls per day.

In common with many practices we have sadly noticed there has been an increase in unacceptable behaviour towards our receptionists. We are very grateful to the vast majority of our patients who treat them with respect and courtesy, and we kindly ask that everyone keeps in mind that they are doing their best to help you in very difficult circumstances.  You may be interested in this video produced by the Institute of Practice Managers with examples of the abuse GP surgery receptionists face on a daily basis.

Please note: GPs do not offer cervical smears - these appointments must be arranged with a nurse via PST or by using our online appointment service.

Referrals

Click here for information about what happens if our doctor refers you for specialist treatment.

Monday to Friday:

08:40 –12:00   

15:40 -18:30   

Patients are requested, where possible, to telephone as soon as possible after 08:30 on 01235 522379 if a home visit is required that day.

We would request that, apart from the genuinely housebound, all other patients attend the surgery rather than request a home visit because of the extra time home visiting takes. On average four to five patients can be seen in surgery in the time it takes to do a single house call. In addition, the care that can be offered due to the lack of adequate lighting, examination facilities and equipment means that you may not receive as good a service as the doctor may be able to offer if you came to the surgery.

Please note that the doctor may telephone you rather than visit you if this is medically appropriate. Ultimately it is the doctors right to decide whether or not a visit is appropriate for a particular set of circumstances.

There is a good network of footpaths and cycle paths to the surgery and buses stop regularly on Oxford Road which is just a short walk (2 mins) from the surgery. 

The surgery does have its own car park with a disabled parking bay and level access to the main entrance. If the car park is full please park considerately and safely along Boulter Drive or in the public car park at the end of the road which is short walk from the surgery.

Cycle racks are available at the front of the surgery.

 Information on travelling to the surgery using public transport is available on the following websites:

• Oxford Bus Company:http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/main.php?page_id=21
• Stage Coach:http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_27402_X30.pdf

It is important that you inform the Patient Services Team if you are unable to attend your appointment, this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to attend, you will be sent a letter informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment. Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.

You can also complete our appointment cancellation notification request form. This can only be used if your appointment has been arranged for more than 24 hours in advance. (excluding weekends and public holidays). You can also text to cancel your appointment.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.