Dear patients,
We are delighted to announce that Fernville Surgery will be introducing a new Total Triage System starting on Monday, 10th March 2025. Recommended by NHS England to improve access, this change will bring us in line with other practices in the area.
The Total Triage System is designed to streamline how we manage appointments, ensuring that all patients receive the most appropriate care promptly and efficiently.
We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we make this transition. Our priority remains providing you with the highest quality of care and meeting your healthcare needs effectively and with the right person.
Thank you for your support as we embrace this positive change for the benefit of our patients and community.
The Partners
What is Total Triage?
Total triage means that every patient requiring a GP appointment is triaged (or screened) by a clinician first. You will be asked to complete an online form through our website and this will enable us to direct your query to the most appropriate person who can help you as quickly as possible. If you do not have internet access our staff will complete this form for you over the phone.
Why are we doing this?
Recommended by NHS England to improve access to patients, this change will bring us in line with other practices in the area.
Traditional methods of contacting your GP often meant that appointments were being allocated on a first come, first served basis, with long phone queues to get in touch with us. This meant that vulnerable patients, or those who needed care sooner were missing out.
By using an online form for all requests, we can quickly and fairly prioritise and action them, ensuring that you get the right care at the right place and at the right time. Not all clinical matters require a GP; if appropriate some queries can be directed to other healthcare professionals, allowing GPs to focus on patients who truly need their expertise most.
This system also provides us with valuable data to better understand patient demand, enabling us to plan our services and and staffing more effectively.
How will I contact my GP?
The quickest way to contact us with medical or administrative queries is by submitting an online request through our website or through the NHS App.
For step-by-step instructions on how to submit a request this way, click the button below:
What if I don’t have a smartphone or can’t use the internet?
You can still telephone us or visit in person. The receptionist will ask you questions about your request to fill out the online form on your behalf.
The surgery team will then assess your request and will be back in touch with next steps.
All requests will be assessed as soon as possible and in the same way, regardless of how you contacted the surgery.
Whats happens once I’ve submitted my request?
We will use the information you provide to ensure that you’re given the most appropriate care. We may send you a text message containing a link to provide more information if needed.
If an appointment is required, we may send you an appointment booking link via text message, or arrange this over the phone.
If there is a faster or more appropriate route to care, you may be offered this, such as being asked to go to your local pharmacy, or being referred to another service.
Why are receptionists acting as ‘Gatekeepers’?
Through our Total Triage system, all GP appointment requests are directed to the duty doctor, who ensures you receive care from the right person at the right time. Our receptionists do not make clinical decisions; they operate under the doctor’s guidance, despite any misconceptions you may hear on social media!
We kindly ask for your patience and understanding when interacting with our team.
What is Accurx?
Accurx is an NHS-approved software supplier. We already use Accurx to manage urgent appointments, patient requests, request additional information from you and send you messages about your care.