"E consult is not fit for purpose "

I am sorry for the difficulties you experienced with the E Consult. If a colleague suggested you "tweak" the E Consult, I apologise for that as well.

A more appropriate term would be to ask patients to be "mindful" when completing an E Consult.

Many patients call the Practice after being advised by the E Consult to contact the Practice or 111 immediately. However, when informed that there are no appointments and they should call 111 or visit the Urgent Care Centre, they often tell staff that their situation is not "actually an 8 or a 10." Therefore, it's important for patients to be mindful when submitting an e-consult.

If your symptoms appear to be very serious, E Consult will prevent you from completing the process and recommend that you seek urgent medical advice. As we are not an emergency service, if we have no available appointments due to high demand, you will be directed to call 111 or visit the Urgent Care Centre for more immediate assistance.

E Consult is an online service that asks you questions about your symptoms or condition. After you provide some details to verify your identity, your E Consult is read by a GP . The E Consult the GP decide the best way to help you, and you might not need to visit the surgery.

Benefits of E Consult:

• Available anytime, from any device during Practice hours.

• No need to queue on the phone or wait weeks for an

appointment.

• Complete it from home, work, or on the go.

• Can be used for medical or administrative issues.

• Often, you won't need a face-to-face appointment.

If you prefer to manage your condition without contacting your practice, E Consult can guide you to trusted medical advice and local services like pharmacies.

Trustworthy Service:

• Created by NHS GPs for NHS GPs.

• Leading online consultation provider in the UK.

Convenience:

• Seek advice from your GP during Practice Opening Hours.

• Your GP knows your medical history and can continue your

treatment.

• No need to take unnecessary days off work or leave home if

you're unwell unless a Face to Face appointment is necessary.

• Avoid phone queues.

• Your GP will decide if you need a face-to-face appointment or

if they can help you in other ways i.e. with a phone call or by

sending a prescription to your local pharmacy.