Accessing GP Services

Posted by: Michael Land - Posted on:

Following feedback from you (our patients) we have been working hard to look for solutions to the access problems you are experiencing caused by a combination of the end of COVID pandemic restrictions and chronic under resourcing by the Department of Health. We have listened to your frustrations around call queues, waiting times, and telephone prescription ordering.

We are very pleased to inform you that following a workforce and service review:

  1. We have recruited additional administration team members
  2. We are introducing a 24/7, 365 days a year automated telephone service that will allow you to book, change, and cancel appointments. You will also be able to order and enquire about medications. This service is in addition to our administration team
  3. We are providing text links for patients to book same day appointments (as they are made available) to avoid having to call-back when they have already been care navigated by our trained staff
  4. We are actively reviewing our clinical rotas to maximise appointment availability
  5. We are advertising for an Advanced Nurse Practitioner to support with minor illnesses
  6. We are working closely with the local pharmacies to refer patients for minor ailments which can be dealt with by the highly trained pharmacists within 4 hours
  7. From 1st October 2022 there will be additional GP appointments being provided by GP Care Wakefield as part of extended hours access (evenings and weekends) for new medical problems (i.e., those you’re not already seeing a GP for)
  8. We are encouraging the use of online consultations for non-complex problems, for which many patients are finding a convenient service
  9. We are reintroducing smarter appointment reminders and the ability to cancel via text
  10. We are improving the quality and clarity of the communications to be relayed to patients for test results, including (where appropriate and previously agreed) direct messages from the clinicians to patients about their results – saving patients from attending for unnecessary appointments
  11. From the 1st November 2022, patients will have automatic access to their online records (this includes test results) from this date. If you want access to records prior to this date (over 16s only), then send an email to [email protected] Please note, providing access to past medical records takes considerable time and there is high demand for this information, so you there is a long wait for this access

Friends and Family Feedback

The comments from August have been mostly positive! Some examples:

Staff very polite, friendly and helpful, especially the receptionist

Dr Deeley is such a lovely doctor.  Her manner is so reassuring and she makes you feel at ease and listens

All staff are absolutely lovely and very helpful

Dr Firmin was awesome

Admin team keep doing what you are doing, doing good

All here at Kings do a wonderful job