AccuRx Patient Triage

We are introducing a new online system called AccurX Patient Triage which will run alongside our phone system, giving you choice on how you contact us. This service is for non-urgent medical and admin requests.

For all urgent concerns please call the practice via the 01524 511999 or call into our sites as you normally would.

We want to make sure patients are getting the advice they need at the right time from the right person the first time they contact the surgery. We have spent many months researching systems and we believe AccurX Patient Triage is the best option for you as patients and for us as a practice.

We know many of you will have questions about how AccurX Patient Triage system will work and concerns about the effect it may have on your care.

How do patients access the forms?

There will be links on our website which you can access via a computer, your tablet or smartphone. Patients who have the NHS app will be able to access it through that.

What if I do not have access to the internet or struggle to complete forms?

This is an additional service that works alongside our current phone system and you will still be able to call into the practice as you can do at the moment.

What should I do if my request is urgent?

Please do not use AccuRX Patient Triage for Urgent requests.

Urgent requests will be dealt with in the usual manner, please call the practice on 01524 511999 and choose option 4 or call into any of our surgeries for help.

How long will it take to fill in the form?

For medical queries, it will take 5-7 minutes. For administrative or simple issues, it is shorter

Examples of admin issues are:

• To ask about recent test results, to request or ask about a fit note (formally sick notes)
• Change of contact details such as a mobile number

SUBMIT A ROUTINE MEDICAL REQUEST

How long will it take to hear from the practice?

All requests will be acknowledged within 2 working days 

The surgery will contact you as you requested either by text, email or a phone call. You may be offered an appointment or advice, to arrange care from an appropriate healthcare service in the community that we work with, such as a social prescriber, pharmacist, nurse etc.

What if I don’t feel comfortable sharing information over the internet?

We will still be offering the same phone access or face to face contact with our patient advisors we are happy to help in the usual way

Frequently asked questions

Why are we making this change?

This change should make it easier to submit requests to the practice and ensure that requests are seen by the most appropriate member of staff and dealt with in an appropriate timeframe. The benefits of using online consultations are:

• Easy to access – it should only take a few minutes to fill out your information
• No waiting on hold on the phone
• Your request will be seen by the right person
• Convenience – send your request over whenever you need it, rather than when you can get through on the phone
• The surgery might be able to help more quickly and easily, for example with a phone call, or by referring you directly to the service you need, such as physiotherapy

If the patient completes the form online who will get back to them? A patient could become very anxious waiting for a response for up to 2 working days.

After the triage (admin/clinical) the appropriate team member will be in contact with the patient – that might be a Patient Advisor, Secretary, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Nurse, Health Care Assistant, Social Prescriber, Mental Health Worker – depending on the nature of the query submitted.

Will the patient still have a choice of which clinician they see?

There is an option to specify which clinician the patient would like to see. We will try to meet this request, availability permitting.

What if the time/day of the appointment doesn’t work for me?

There is a section on the form where you can tell us the times that you aren’t available, which our team will try to avoid when getting in touch with you.

What happens to a request that I send overnight or at the weekend?

The non-urgent medical request form is available during working hours only. But will not be accessible during weekends and evenings, this is for patient safety. The admin request forms will be available 24 hrs a day but will only be reviewed and actioned in working hours. As the system develops, we may need to amend this. 

Can I request an appointment on behalf of someone else?

Yes, you can submit the form on behalf of the patient, there is an option within the form to do this. Please ensure you complete both sections for yourself and the patient. We cannot discuss anything about another patients medical history with you without explicit consent from them.

This service is for patients registered with Bay Medical Group. If you are staying in the area temporarily and require advice, please contact us on 01524 511999 or call into one of our surgeries.

Will my request be saved to my record?

Any request you submit will be saved to your record so that whoever calls you or sees you about your query has your information to hand.

What if I don’t have a mobile phone?

You can still use the contact form if you don’t have a mobile phone, you just need access to the internet such as on a computer or tablet device. You do need to provide a contact number of some kind, but this could be a landline if you don’t have a mobile phone.

Will this disadvantage me or my elderly or vulnerable relative?

For those with access to a mobile phone or internet, the new online form will be a more convenient way to contact the practice, which should free up our phone lines for those who really need it – especially those who cannot access the internet for whatever reason.

How will our patient know about this new service?

We aim to update our telephone system message, add details to the website and social media pages. We will also display posters in the waiting areas on all of our sites to inform our patients of the upcoming change.

Helpful online resources for the patients

Patient Guide to Patient Triage - Accurx Help Centre

Patient video guide to submitting a non-urgent medical request

Patient video guide to submitting a non-urgent admin request