For the past four months, we’ve been using a new system called ‘total triage’ to help us manage the increases in demand that GP practices across the country are dealing with. We wanted to update you on what we’ve learned and what this means for you in the future.

What is total triage?

Total triage means that whether you contact us by phone, face-to-face or online you will be taken through a triage process to understand your needs and make sure we can give you the right care at the right time with the right person. It means you can access appointments with our team, request sick notes or other documents and get general help and advice online if that is easier for you.  It means that we will prioritise by what you need, rather than what time of day you call or where you are in a phone queue.

Why did we need to change?

Increases in demand meant that we know patients struggled to access our services when it suited them. We know that patients calling at 8 am could be held in a lengthy queue, and possibly be informed that all appointments had gone by the time they reached the front. We also know that patients keen to avoid the phone queues could face a wait outside the surgery in all weathers.  The process meant that appointments were given on a first-come, first-served basis and that sometimes patients with complex illnesses were unable to get appointments.

Our workforce changes – new faces

Alongside introducing total triage, you may have met some new health professionals when you’ve been into practice recently. We are part of a Primary Care Network (PCN) which is a collection of practices working together to provide services that one practice alone wouldn’t be able to provide. Our surgery is linked with Lydden Surgery, White Cliffs Medical Practice and Pencester Surgery and we form THE East PCN (Total Health Excellence East, Primary Care Network). Together, we employ a number of health professionals on behalf of these surgeries to be able to offer an appointment with the most appropriate professional without the need to be referred via a GP. These include a Physiotherapist, Dietician, Pharmacist, Social Prescriber, Mental Health Nurse and Podiatrist. Read more about the new roles in general practice.

Since converting to the total triage system, and using appointments provided by our PCN network, we are able to help more patients, either via email, phone consultation, face-to-face appointment, consultation with a pharmacist (who are able to prescribe medication if required) or an appointment with one of our extended workforce at our Enhanced Access Hub locations (Buckland Hospital, Dover and Sandgate Road Surgery, Folkestone). We also have access to a Home Visiting Team who are able to assist the GPs with any house visit requests that are made.

Increased GPs

Alongside these changes, we know that we still need to increase the number of GPs at the surgery. Over the last 6 years we have taken on four new GPs to help with the growing communities in Aylesham and Wingham.  We are within the national average for patients per full-time equivalent GP, as defined by the British medical Association.

What does this mean for me?

This change means there is a process to go through first to make sure we get you to the right person at the right time.  You can fill in an econsult form on our website or by using one of our ipads in the practice if you are coming into the surgery – our reception team are available to help support patients who may need a hand completing the form.  We ask that those who are able to use the online form do so, to keep our lines as clear as possible for those who can’t. If you would prefer to phone, a member of the team will complete the form for you -but to make sure you can be triaged effectively they will need to ask you some personal questions. All the forms, whether filled out online, on the phone or in person are reviewed by a clinician who makes the decision about the most appropriate appointment for you.

We would like to hear what you think about these changes as we move forward, we are always keen to hear feedback so that we can keep making improvements.