**APPOINTMENT CHANGES PLANNED FROM 25TH JULY 2024***
We would like to inform patients from 25th July 2024 we are introducing a Total Triage system where every request for a GP appointment is triaged by our GP Triage Team.
We are making the change to make the appointment system fair and based on clinical need rather than based on a first come first served basis and we hope the change will do away with the 8am rush.
Experience of using this system in other practices has shown us that patients receive a more efficient service and feedback from their patients has been excellent. They have also been able to significantly reduce waiting times to see a healthcare professional by more effective use of appointments.
Reception staff will not be able to book an appointment with a GP directly (other appointments remain bookable by reception e.g. nurse, healthcare assistant, phlebotomist, weekend hub appointments). You will also no longer be able to pre-book a GP appointment online. In addition there are no change to home visits.
From the 25th July to request a doctor’s appointment we are asking all our patients to submit an online form. Some of our patients may already be familiar with the form as this has been on our website for some time.
If you find it difficult to complete the online form you can telephone our reception on 0113 2310626 and the receptionist will complete it for you. Alternatively, you can come to reception and fill in a paper copy. Or you can ask a friend or family member to submit the form on your behalf.
Please note that contacting us by phone or in person does not mean your request will be prioritised more urgently than if you submit it online. All requests are assessed by the Triage Team based on clinical need.
If you want help, support or more information about the changes please ring and ask for Hollie or Katie in reception.
Learn more about the online form……
The form is brief, and will ask you the following questions:
- What your problem is about
- What action you would like
- Your preference for who or when you would like to deal with your problem
- You will be invited to submit photos if relevant.
You will be able to submit the online form between 7am – 7pm, Monday to Friday.
All forms submitted before 2pm will be screened on the same day. Forms submitted after 2pm may be dealt with on the next working day.
You can watch a video about Total Triage here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRSgxLTb1bI
What happens after my form is submitted?
- Medical requests will be screened by a doctor and categorised according to urgency of clinical need. Following triage the doctor will have appointments available within different time frames including same day, within 3 days or within 2 weeks.
- It may be possible to deal with your request without the need to see a healthcare professional. Alternatively, you may receive advice about self-care or other services you can refer yourself to.
- Administrative queries may be dealt with by our reception and administrative team.
What if a patient does not speak English?
We understand that it can be difficult for non-English speaking patients to access care and we have no wish to make this harder. You can ask a friend or family member to complete the form or consider using an online translation tool such as Google translate. If these options are not possible our reception team will assist you with an interpreter if necessary.
THE ARMLEY HUB - From 1st October 2022 if you need to see a GP but can’t attend the surgery through the week you can book an appointment at the Armley Hub on Saturdays 08.00 – 14.00 and it runs from Priory View Medical Centre. For urgent appointments, the service does also offer same day appointments. To access these appointments please ring the practice as normal. If the surgery is closed a divert is in place to direct patients to the Hub directly during its operational hours. The hub was designed to provide better access for patients who struggle to attend the practice through the working week and involved a group of practices from the local area. All patients from this group of practices can book appointments at the hub, and you will be seen by a GP who works on behalf of the local practices. This may mean that you have an appointment with a GP who does not usually work for your local practice, but who will be able to give you the same level of care. All of the GPs working in the hub will be able to access all the necessary information about you to give you the highest level of care and the process will be exactly the same as you would receive from a GP Monday to Friday. Please remember the hub is an extension of general practice as a way to provide more GP appointments to the local population. For more information about the Armley Hub, click here.
Data Op-Outs
You can choose whether your confidential patient information is used for research and planning. You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your confidential patient information is used. You can change your choice at any time.
Type 1 opt-out: medical records held at your GP practice - You can tell your GP practice if you do not want your confidential patient information held in your GP medical record to be used for purposes other than your individual care. This is commonly called a type 1 opt-out. This opt-out request can only be recorded by your GP practice. Please fill and return this form to the surgery Type 1 Opt Out form
Social Prescribing - Welcome to our team of "Social Prescribers" who are working across the local practices! For more information about their role click here
NHS Summary Care Record with additional information
If you are registered with a GP practice in England you will have a Summary Care Record (SCR), unless you have previously chosen not to have one. It includes important information about your health, medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines.
You may need to be treated by health and care professionals that do not know your medical history. Essential details about your healthcare can be difficult to remember, particularly when you are unwell or have complex care needs. Having an SCR means that when you need healthcare you can be helped to recall vital information. SCRs can help the staff involved in your care make better and safer decisions about how best to treat you. You can choose to have additional information included in your SCR, which can enhance the care you receive. For an info leaflet click here. A consent form to add additional information can be found here - this would need to be returned to the surgery.
Opening Hours - Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm - However the Armley HUB based at Priory View Medical Centre will provide limited appointments outside of our normal surgery hours.
The Armley Hub
From 1st October 2022 if you need to see a GP but can’t attend the surgery through the week you can book an appointment at the Armley Hub on Saturdays 08.00 – 14.00 and it runs from Priory View Medical Centre. For urgent appointments, the service does also offer same day appointments. To access these appointments please ring the practice as normal. If the surgery is closed a divert is in place to direct patients to the Hub directly during its operational hours. The Hub was designed to provide better access for patients who struggle to attend the practice through the working week, and involves a group of practices from the local area. All patients from this group of practices can book appointments at the Hub, and you will be seen by a GP who works on behalf of the local practices. This may mean that you have an appointment with a GP who does not usually work for your local practice, but who will be able to give you the same level of care. All of the GPs working in the Hub will be able to access all the necessary information about you to give you the highest level of care and the process will be exactly the same as you would receive from a GP Monday to Friday. Please remember: The Hub is an extension of General Practice as a way to provide more GP appointments to the local population
Accessible Information
We want to get better at communicating with our patients.
If you find it hard to read our letters or if you need someone to support you at appointments, please let us know.
We want to know:
if you need information in braille, large print or easy read
if you need a British Sign Language interpreter or advocate
if we can support you to lipread or use a hearing aid or communication tool
Please tell the receptionist when you arrive for your next appointment, or call on the main surgery number.