The health and care system as a whole continues to be under significant pressure. We continue to receive a very high number of requests every day, a substantial number of new requests are for minor ailments.
Our team is working hard to respond to all requests as quickly as possible, however, the national shortage of GPs is impacting on our ability to meet current demands.
We would like to thank all of our patients for their patience and kindness during the recent period of temporary measures. This helped us to prioritise new appointment requests for the most poorly patients with urgent health concerns, whilst reviewing and responding to requests that had been received.
Pressures remain but things are getting back to normal
Following a period of pausing routine and non-urgent work to focus on urgent demand as a priority, we will continue to prioritise the most clinically urgent cases, however, from Monday 23 January 2023, we are also able to accept requests from patients with other health concerns or enquiries.
This is an ongoing and evolving time of pressure for the whole health and care system, and in the short term to help us to manage current demand, we have temporarily adapted the way patients can get in contact with the Practice:
- The ability to create new requests online via askmyGP will continue to remain temporarily paused. Patients can still use askmyGP to request a statement of fitness to work (fit/sick note).
- Patients that would like to request a repeat prescription or have a question about their medication, can visit the Prescriptions and Medicines Centre via our website.
- Patients wishing to make a request for a new health concern or another enquiry can get in touch with the Practice by phone or visit our reception in person to make their request.
- All requests are assessed by a clinician, this will be a Doctor or an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
- We will continue to prioritise the most clinically urgent cases.
- Patients with a less urgent or more routine enquiry will unfortunately experience a longer wait than usual.
- We will aim to minimise any potential delays and do understand this may be frustrating for patients.
- Where appropriate, for example, for some minor ailments, we may signpost a patient to an alternative health and care option more suitable to meet their needs.
Thank you for your ongoing support, patience and kindness.
