December Newsletter 2025

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📢 Important Update: change to the way you request a GP appointment

Thank you for reading this newsletter which gives you more information about how to request GP appointments from Monday 1^st December.

We are moving to a ‘Total Triage’ system where a clinician will review all appointment requests. We hope it will answer some of your concerns and give you useful information to help navigate the new way to book appointments.

Change to the way you request a GP appointment

What is ‘Total Triage’?

Total Triage means that all requests for GP appointments will be now be via an online form. A clinician will review each request before offering an appointment. This helps us ensure that every patient receives the right care, at the right time, with the right member of our team and based on clinical need. The receptionists will no longer be offering appointments over the phone, but will still be able to help with the form if you have difficulties with online access or other accessibility difficulties.

How will it work?

• If you are unable to complete the form our reception team will help you or complete the form on your behalf.
• The forms are open for submission from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday and from 7:30 am to 10:00 am on Saturday.
• There is a choice of forms to use, select the most appropriate and give as much info as possible.
• A GP from the Surgery reviews your request and we decide the best next step, which may be
  • A same-day or routine appointment, whether face to face or telephone
  • Advice or a prescription without needing an appointment
  • Seeing a Physio, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health worker, Pharmacist, Social Prescriber, Nurses and Health Care Assistants
  • Signposting to community pharmacy services, sexual health services, A&E
  • Admin assistance such as processing or chasing hospital referrals
    
    ….and a whole range of other services without needing to see a GP first.
• For regular repeat prescription requests, please continue to request these via the usual routes (via NHS app, Airmid app or Systmonline)

Our promise to you

We are committed to offering safe, timely, and effective care for every patient. Total Triage is designed to ensure we respond to your needs in the most appropriate, timely and efficient way possible. We are not closing the surgery reception and we will offer help to those who need it. We understand that not everyone has digital access so you can still call reception or come into the surgery and the receptionist will complete your request supporting you accessing the care you need.

How you can help?

• Please give as much information as possible. If the GPs need to ask further questions, this will only delay the whole process for you.
• Use the online form if possible, or ask someone to do it so your behalf if there is someone who is able to help you.  Though the receptionist can complete for you, it will be much quicker and we will get much better information, directly from you. There is no shortcut, reception will be doing the same form, so save the time queuing on line and try yourself. This will also help free up the receptionists for those with a genuine need who cannot physically complete the form themselves.
• If you have access to email, please consider ticking email as your preferred route for the reply. We often send detailed replies which are otherwise split over 2-3 text messages vs a single email.
• Be open to the GPs recommendations, they may save you time and help you get care sooner. If a receptionist phones you, this will be only as instructed by a GP.
• Let us know on the form if you wish to request a specific GP or clinician. While we strive to accommodate such requests, availability and the urgency of clinical need may sometimes limit our ability to do so but we will always endeavour to meet individual preferences whenever feasible.
• Please do not email us instead of using the forms. The forms are now for all patient communications.

Advantages for you

There will be no more trying to persuade the reception of your need for an appointment. The GPs will be able to decide what is best for you and fair for all.  TRY IT! We aim get back to you quickly enough to offer a same day urgent appointment if it is deemed necessary.

Benefits

• Timely care for urgent issues
• Patients are matched with the most expert clinician for their problems
• More flexibility and fairer access for all patients
• Safer clinical decisions made earlier in the process

Please continue to speak to your local pharmacist, use NHS 111, attend an urgent Care Centre or A&E when the surgery is closed and the forms are off.

We plan to offer further drop in clinics to explain the forms and help patients download & use the NHS App in December and January.

Watch out for further communications and check our website for updates.

Please download the NHS App

You don’t need any passwords to access the forms, however, it is best to log in via NHS app or Systmonline if you can then from the start you are able to send us pictures or other attachments.

Though it’s not essential to log in via NHS App, if you’ve not yet downloaded, please try to do this.

There are many advantages of having the NHS App, as it’s the now the key into most health apps so there is no need to remember lots of different passwords. It’s the way into your GP records, to  request repeat medication and see all results, letters and booked appointments. There is a big NHS push to increase the use of the App and we hope to start sending out messages via the App sometime soon, to streamline our communications.

• Click here for a step to step guide about how to get NHS App
• Click here for a list of helpful videos about how to use the NHS App

Consider using Pharmacy First Service

Community pharmacies have always offered a convenient way to access healthcare and can offer advise about minor ailments, such as coughs and colds and also can support you with checking blood pressures and offer a wide range of other services, such as contraception, emergency contraception and help with stopping smoking.

However, many now also offer the PHARMACY FIRST scheme which also allows them to supply medication (including antibiotics if needed) for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat, sinusitis and cystitis/urinary tract infections.

This new service has been setup by the NHS to free up GP appointments for patients who need them most and will give people quicker and more convenient access to safe and high quality healthcare.

And finally a quick staffing update:

Our Manager Mina Shah has settled in well and working hard to ensure we offer you the very best service.

Anjali, who has been our secretary and Assistant Practice Manager is leaving leave after three years of service to pursue or a career change.

Abdullah Mohammed is sadly leaving for personal reasons.

And for those that haven’t seen the growing bump, Dr Tindall will be going off on Maternity leave after Christmas. Some of our regular GPs are doing extra sessions and Dr Reema Ghai and Dr Elizabeth Torosyan will be returning to help cover.

May we take this opportunity to wish you an early Seasons Greetings & a Happy & Healthy 2026!

Dr Mandy Baum and Dr Stephanie Tindall and “TEAM WILLOW”