End to hated '8am scramble' for doctors' appointments after GPs sign new deal

Growstuff I recognise your objections to an empowered receptionist service including landline telecommunications.

These objections need to be considered.

The image of the GP receptionist needs to be upgraded by professional image makers on behalf of the NHS. This would help members of the public to trust receptionists to understand and respect confidential information.

If receptionists are not already trained in techniques to elicit key information from patients during the telephone call, then the receptionists should be trained to do so, as are doctors. 111 service does this efficiently and no reason why the doctors' receptionists can't be as efficient and empathetic.

The other point, that patients talk on the phone for too long, is handled by e.g. "Thank you, I have your message now and will tell the doctor directly we finish this phone call".

When I fill in my online request and list my reasons, who is actually doing the triaging? Is it a doctor, nurse or the receptionist?

My chum is a GP Practice manager. To date they have not had any instructions or money to implement the computer system. They already have one in place. They did get a small uplift but that only covers the extra NI.

Caleo I'm not objecting at all to an empowered reception service. Wherever did you get that idea? If you've read threads on GN, you'll see that many people (not me) object to telling the receptionist what's wrong with them.

I have given a number of reasons why I like the e-consult system, the main one being that I don't have to hang on the phone to get an appointment.

Gin I expect it's different in other practices, but I know in my practice, nurse practitioners do the triaging.

Our surgery does this already. They get back to you n 24 hours with either a prescription, a telephone appointment or they call. I’ve had a same day appointment using this system with my nominated doctor. Our surgery uses a nurse practitioner or doctor to triage the patients.

It concerns me that those without access to the online system are missing out. I think each surgery should run a register for those who are unable to use online or at risk of needing urgent treatment.

Calling 101 is also an option. They can make representation to your GP practice on your behalf etc.

We must be fortunate here as the NHS seems to work well.

ayse I think they will have to have some kind of register too. If most people are using the online system, there should be greater capacity to answer calls from people who need to phone.

To be honest, if I needed urgent treatment, I wouldn't ring the GP. I'd ring 111 or 999.

Nuttynanna2

Ok. Whatever!

???

It won't just be about online requests. This is the key section from the new contract:

7. We want patients to contact their practice, by phone, online or by walking in, and for people to have an equitable experience across these access modes. This will be a key intervention in the government’s ambition to end the 8am scramble. From 1 October 2025 practices will be required to keep their online consultation tool open for the duration of core hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries and admin requests. This will be subject to necessary safeguards in place to avoid urgent clinical requests being erroneously submitted online.

Yay, sounds great to me

Growstuff, medical receptionists can learn how to work with the sort of algorithm , or fomulaic set of questions that 111 uses.

Medical receptionists can also be trained to respond sympathetically to people who are anxious when they call the surgery.

Medical receptionists can also be taught how to advise callers which sort of help they need, doctor, nurse, and so forth.

None of these areas of expertise involves diagnosis.