"Absolute waste of time"

Dear Anonymous, Thank you for taking the time to contact Health Care First with your feedback. If you would like to e-mail wyicb-wak.feedback.hcf@nhs.net we can investigate your issues in more detail and see where the system fell down for you.

We would like to update you on the steps we are taking to improve access to our practice based on your and others feedback.

The Challenge

General practice is currently under a lot of pressure due to rising demand, increasing costs, and staff shortages. These challenges can make it harder for you to get an appointment with us.

Recognising these challenges, we know we must rethink how we do things to reduce the stress on you when trying to get an appointment with the right person.

Your input helped us create three options:

Option 1 – Direct Booking: You can call us at any time to book an appointment, and our Care Navigators will schedule you directly into any available slot. The requests will not be reviewed by our clinical team.

Option 2 – Prioritising Vulnerable Patients: We will give priority access to appointments for our most clinically vulnerable patients. A clinician will not assess these appointments

Option 3 – Clinically Led Triage: All appointment requests will be reviewed by our clinical team, which includes GPs, Nurse Practitioners, and Duty Nurses. They will assess the urgency of each case, match you with the most appropriate clinician, and consider which site you would prefer to attend. Once all appointments are filled, the clinical team may navigate you elsewhere.

The outcome of this vote, which included insights from recent roadshows, our PPG (Patient Participation Group), and the patient surveys, was Option 3: Clinically Led Triage.

we are committed to implementing a new system that addresses the key challenges you highlighted. Here’s what we will focus on:

• All appointment requests will be clinically reviewed: This team will include a GP, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Paediatric Nurse, and a Practice Nurse. This ensures every case is assessed for urgency and matched with the right clinician.

• We will prioritise vulnerable patients: Patients with the greatest need will be prioritised where appropriate.

• We will focus on improved personalised care: We will aim to consider your preferred site for appointments, offering a more tailored and efficient service.

• We will point you to other services where appropriate: Our clinical team will guide you to other suitable services when necessary and appropriate, ensuring your care needs are met effectively.

We understand that no system is perfect, and with Clinician-Led Triage, there may be times when you need to wait a little longer for a response.

Thank you for your support and for helping us create a better, more responsive healthcare experience.

Feedback Team Health Care First