The Minster Practice, Lichfield
|
|
|
Updated 20/03/2007 Primary care access is defined as access to a primary care professional which includes nurses as well as GPs. GP access is self explanatory. The Government have set standards of 24 hours for access to primary care and 48 hours for access to a GP (not necessarily your GP of choice). GP access has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Originally patients wanted the service where you turned up at a surgery whilst the door was open and waited your turn. Then an afternoon appointment system was added. Next many patients asked for a full appointment system so that you knew when you would be seen and could plan ahead. Unfortunately, this system broke down several years ago. Increased demand by patients, plus work previously taking place at hospital coming out to primary care, lead to more patients wanting appointments than slots available. Yet the increase in GPs over the last 5 years has been only 1.5%. Urgent access was maintained but at the expense of keeping patients with fixed appointments waiting for longer periods after their appointment time whilst the emergencies were dealt with. The NHS Plan called for access to a GP within 48 hours and how this is achieved varies around the country. In July 2003, it was reported that 2 million patients were no longer able to book in advance. The phone lines in these surgeries opened around 8.30am and slots were booked on a first come first served basis. This makes life difficult for patients needing to plan ahead including the elderly who may need to make transport arrangements. Other practices operate a system whereby the majority of appointments are released only 48 hours beforehand. Which is fine unless like me you have to plan around your work schedule and need to know which day you will be seen and roughly at what time. Choice of doctor is another issue as well. Your practice does not currently limit advance booking and has no plans to do so. Some slots are set aside to release on the day and extra slots are added if there is extra demand. This has enabled us to consistently offer 48 hour access, and often 24 hour access, with the doctor of your choice in over 95% of cases. You can also book nurse appointments when required whether for practice sister tasks or minor illness nurse practitioner services. We have also changed our telephone system as one restriction on appointments used to be getting through on the phone. Of course, when a lot of people ring in, you will get the engaged signal but patients tell us they prefer that to hearing a ringing tone but not getting answered for ages (if at all). Always ring the direct appointment line number 44 09 09. We believe our system balances quick access with personal care and continuity. The flexibility of a small practice is important to maintain this balance. We may have to restrict access to our patient list in the future if we are in danger of growing too big as we do not want to exceed 3 doctors. However, that will not be for a while yet and, even then, will not affect families already registered with us.
|
Send mail to webmaster @minster.org.uk with questions or comments about our website. N.B. Website is for practice patients ONLY.
|
