IMPORTANT NEWS!

There will be a significant change to our appointment system that will IMPROVE how Holbrook Surgery delivers healthcare services to you,

we will be moving to a Total Triage Model of care.

Total Triage (see below) is a new approach to improve accessibility to Primary Care services. The main objectives are to enhance the quality of care our patients receive, to ensure that they are given the most appropriate appointment or advice to meet their needs and that this is done in a timely way.

The demand for appointments has increased hugely in recent years, with patients finding that they have to call or come into the surgery at 8am or 2pm to make an appointment which sometimes means that patients in greatest need are unable to receive the care they need. NHS England has recommended this new approach to address the issue of capacity and to maintain patient safety and satisfaction. 

From Tuesday 14^th May 2024, we will be asking all of our patients to use a short online form to contact the surgery.

This will apply to anything you would normally call the surgery about:

• to book a routine or urgent appointment,
• request a prescription,
• to let us know about changes to your treatment or medication,
• to follow up results
• to request a fit note
• all other administrative and clinical queries.

Whilst our phone lines will still be open, if you do call the surgery we will politely request that you complete an online form.

If your personal circumstances mean that it is impossible for you to do this, or for someone you know to complete the form on your behalf, our patient service team will assist you with this.

The form is brief, and will ask you the following questions:

• What your query is about
• What action you would like
• You will be invited to submit photos if relevant.

You will be able to submit a form 24 hours, 7 day a week. We aim to respond on the same working day if your request is submitted before 14:00, Monday-Friday.

If your request is made after 14:00, we will respond the next working day unless our doctors consider your request to be urgent for the same day.

One of our experienced GPs or our Advanced Nurse Practitioner will review each request to decide which member of the healthcare team is best placed to help. As well as offering GP appointments, following GP assessment, you may be directed to other clinicians in the practice or at the local pharmacies.

  Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after my form is submitted?

• Administrative tasks will be dealt with by our patient support team in the usual way.
• Clinical queries are screened by the doctor and categorised according to urgency of need (red, amber, green).  We have appointments available within different time frames, including on the same day.  Our patient support team will contact you to arrange an appointment.
• We may organise some investigations for you while you are waiting to be seen.
• It may be possible to deal with your problem directly without the need to see a clinician.  Alternatively, you receive advice about self care or other services you can refer yourself to. 

Why has Holbrook Surgery decided to change to this system?

Experience of using this system in other practices has shown us that patients receive a much more efficient service and feedback from patients has been excellent.

We have also been able to significantly reduce waiting times to see a clinician by more effective use of appointments.

The modern general practice team is increasingly multidisciplinary and it is more important than ever that the right problem is seen by the right person. Having a doctor or advanced clinician screening and triaging the forms allows us to do this more accurately, safely and efficiently.

How has Holbrook Surgery Practice consulted with patients about the change?

We have involved our PatientParticipation group in some of the planning and we welcome comments and queries until 08/05/2024 to reception.holbrook@nhs.net

What if my problem is urgent?

You should still submit an online form. Please do so as early as possible on the day to ensure your problem can be dealt with by our duty team.

Can I request a prescription using the online form?

Yes , in the usual way and via the new online form or the NHS App

What if I don’t have access to the internet?

We have installed a laptop in reception with free Wi-Fi. You are also welcome to use our Wi-Fi with your own device.

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. If possible, please 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 patient support team will assist you with an interpreter if necessary.

What if a patient is housebound, elderly, or not able to use online systems?

We will work hard to recognise vulnerable patients who cannot be expected to use the online form (though we would still encourage family members and carers to use the form on the patient’s behalf as it is a very useful way of communicating with the surgery). These patients will still be able to speak to our patient service team who will complete a form on their behalf.

Will you be reviewing this new system?

Yes, as with all quality improvement projects we will review and assess the impact and quality of care being provided to patients at the six month stage and we will involve the Patient Participation Group in this.

If you would like to know more or have a preview of the new system, please join us and the Patient Participation Group between :-

7th May      17.00 - 19.00

10th May     12.00 - 13.00

The Spring Covid booster programme will be starting in April - this is for all patients aged 75 and over (including patients who will turn 75 by the end of June) and for patients aged 5 - 74 who are recorded as immunosuppressed. 

Horsham Collaborative will be completing this programme and their new site is Bohunt School Sports Hall, Bailey Road, Horsham, RH12 6AP. 

Clinics will be on Sundays 28th April, 5th May, 12th May, 19th May and 26th May. 

If you require patient transport to get to the vaccination site, you can call Sussex transport on 01403 754206.

Eligibility is very strict and is NOT for carers or any household members who live with immunosuppressed patients.  The vaccine being used is Spikevax (Moderna) for the 18yrs and over and Pfizer for patients aged 6mths to 17yrs.  Housebound patients will be contacted by Horsham Collaborative in April to organise vaccination. 

Holbrook patients will be able to book into these clinics either by calling 119 or the National Booking System which goes live on the 15th April 2024

The surgery will be closed from 12.30pm on Tuesday 30th April for the afternoon, due to important staff training.

We will re-open at 08.00 as usual on Wednesday 1st May.

If you require anything urgent that cannot wait,

please call (01293 698088) For medical help and support.

Please do not call NHS111 or attend A&E  unless its an emergency.

Remember you can always visit our website for prescriptions and other queries.

the NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.

From October 2023 you will see all prospective information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App you will be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP).

This means you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information after October 2023. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won't need to do anything.

We are supportive of providing you with access to your record, but we wish to do this safely and make you aware that this is happening so that you can opt out, if you so wish. You may wish to speak with us first to understand what it is that you see, and the risks which may be involved in having such confidential data either on your smartphone with the NHS app installed or online if other people might have access to that information through your devices. If you are in a difficult or pressured relationship for example, you may prefer your records to remain accessible only to those treating you.

it is important to remember that documents may, at times contain information that could be upsetting, especially if they contain news of a serious condition. It can also be a cause for worry seeing results online when it isn't clear what the results might mean, and no one is available to ask, as can be the case during the evening or at weekends, for example.

Sometimes people with a mental health condition might prefer not to see documents that remind them of difficult times in their life. it is possible for individual items to be hidden at your request.

Please contact the surgery if you wish to opt out.

These changes only apply to patients with online accounts.

i-Rock Horsham District is a brand-new support and advice hub for young people aged 14 - 25 in West Sussex. At i-Rock, partnership agencies work collaboratively to offer various support services to help with mental health, relationships, money and benefits, family problems, bullying, housing, education and employment. Young people can access the service by dropping in, booking an appointment or through our virtual platform. At i-Rock, we work with you to ensure you succeed and thrive.

Our Clinical Director, Dr Samir Khan, said: "We are extremely proud to be partnered with the team at i-Rock who demonstrate incredible drive and passion towards supporting their target population. We are privileged to be part of this journey towards creating an essential service in Horsham."

CLICK HERE to find out more