Q: Why is the online form only available until 18:30?
A: Our contract requires us to provide a response within 24 hours. To ensure our clinical team can safely review and action every request while the surgery is open, the system matches our core operating hours (08:00–18:30). For urgent medical help outside of these hours, please contact NHS 111.
Q: Does “Same-Day Outcome” mean I will always see a GP in person?
A: Not necessarily. A “clinical outcome” means we will determine the best next step for you. This might be a face-to-face appointment, a remote consultation, a prescription sent to your pharmacy, a text message with advice, signposting you to the most appropriate NHS service, or a ‘referral’ to a specialist. Our goal is to ensure you get the right care, not just any appointment.
Q: I have a routine health check-up; why is the wait longer than it used to be?
A: Because we are now required to guarantee same-day capacity for every urgent request and dealing with a high volume of online queries, you may experience some delay in your planned care. We are working hard to balance this to keep our planned care as efficient as possible.
Q: What if I am not “tech-savvy” and can’t use the online form?
A: Don’t worry. While we encourage everyone who can use the digital route to do so (to keep our lines free), our Care Navigators are still available on the phone and at the front desk to assist those who cannot access the internet.
Q: Why hasn’t my GP just referred me to a consultant at the hospital?
A: Under the new contract, for the ‘‘Top 10’’ hospital specialities, we are now required to use a “Digital First” approach called Advice & Guidance. This means your GP sends your clinical notes, test results, or photos to a Hospital Consultant electronically before a formal appointment is booked. In many cases, the specialist can provide a management plan or a prescription within a few weeks, saving you a long wait for an outpatient appointment and a trip to the hospital.
Q: Is it safe for a Specialist to give advice without seeing me in person?
A: Yes. Consultants are highly trained to review clinical data, high-quality photographs, and diagnostic tests to provide expert guidance. If the Specialist reviews your digital file and decides they must see you in person to make a safe diagnosis, they will then request a formal face-to-face appointment. The “Challenge” of this system is that it can feel like a delay at the GP surgery, but the “Benefit” is that you receive expert hospital-level input much sooner than the traditional waiting list allows.
Q: What is the “Advice & Guidance Doom Loop” I’ve heard about?
A: This is a significant challenge we are working hard to navigate for you. A “Doom Loop” occurs when a GP asks a Specialist for advice, but the Specialist sends the patient back to the GP with a list of tasks, only for the GP to have to send the patient back to the Specialist again.
- Our Promise: We advocate for our patients to break this cycle. If we believe a digital consultation isn’t enough and you need to be seen in person, we will continue to push the hospital for a formal face-to-face appointment.
