Access - Expectations

Access Expectations / Practice Activity

We have an open and honest approach to the services we offer, and how to access them. We will also signpost you to additional services where appropriate.

1. Contact method - When you contact the surgery, you will be treated equally regardless of the contact method you choose.
2. Calls – If you choose to contact us via telephone, calls will be answered by a trained member of staff who will need to ask specific questions in order to direct you to the most appropriate service. To make sure you get the best support, you may be signposted to an external service, and if so, these reasons will be clearly explained to you. E.g., Pharmacy, Minor Injuries, Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) or A&E. 
3. Appointments – Where access to a service, e.g., an appointment with a doctor, is clinically appropriate, you will be assessed and offered an appropriate consultation without the need to call back. This may mean, an appointment is made for a future date, but will be consistent with your assessed clinical need. Please note; the way to book an appointment is now done electronically, please click the link in 'Point 4' for more information.
4. Online – An online service is available via our eConsult system. And this is now the main way to book your appointments. Click here for more information. Submissions are triaged on a daily basis and a response is normally within 48 hours and appropriate action taken depending on your clinical need.
5. Nurse Appointments – nurse appointments are available to book up to 4 weeks in advance, subject to availability.

Practice Activity

As part of our contract with the BCU HB we are committed and aim to increase accessibility where needed. Each month we will publish our activity statistics here for you to view.

January 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 3050
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 146
• Number of calls abandoned: 287
• Items issued via prescription: 23800
• Referrals made: 610
• Fit notes issued: 147
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 14450
• Text messages sent and received: 1771
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1269
• Appointments - total: 5301
• Appointments - seen: 5089
• Appointments - DNA: 212

February 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 4204
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 4010
• Number of calls abandoned: 204
• Items issued via prescription: 20876
• Referrals made: 612
• Fit notes issued: 142
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 12933
• Text messages sent and received: 1670
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1121
• Appointments - total: 4684
• Appointments - seen: 4436
• Appointments - DNA: 248

March 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 4713
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 4448
• Number of calls abandoned: 265
• Items issued via prescription: 25611
• Referrals made: 639
• Fit notes issued: 167
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 11900
• Text messages sent and received: 1459
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1275
• Appointments - total: 3656
• Appointments - seen: 3379
• Appointments - DNA: 277

April 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 3820
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 3818
• Number of calls abandoned: 0
• Items issued via prescription: 20892
• Referrals made: 570
• Fit notes issued: 123
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 10188
• Text messages sent and received: 1531
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1036
• Appointments - total: 2946
• Appointments - seen: 2763
• Appointments - DNA: 183

May 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 4095
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 4008
• Number of calls abandoned: 142
• Items issued via prescription: 24447
• Referrals made: 545
• Fit notes issued: 144
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 10908
• Text messages sent and received: 1403
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1146
• Appointments - total: 3271
• Appointments - seen: 2971
• Appointments - DNA: 300

June 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 4475
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 4336
• Number of calls abandoned: 191
• Items issued via prescription: 23366
• Referrals made: 607
• Fit notes issued: 132
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 12202
• Text messages sent and received: 1469
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1316
• Appointments - total: 3310
• Appointments - seen: 3053
• Appointments - DNA: 257

July 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 5627
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 1948
• Number of calls abandoned: 1066
• Items issued via prescription: 22981
• Referrals made: 465
• Fit notes issued: 124
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 10921
• Text messages sent and received: 1648
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1262
• Appointments - total: 3072
• Appointments - seen: 2856
• Appointments - DNA: 216

Aug 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 6155
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 2034
• Number of calls abandoned: 1072
• Items issued via prescription: 24227
• Referrals made: 488
• Fit notes issued: 139
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 12604
• Text messages sent and received: 2601
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1345
• Appointments - total: 3100
• Appointments - seen: 2898
• Appointments - DNA: 202

Sept 2023

• Total number of calls to surgery: 6396
• Number of calls answered within two minutes: 1907
• Number of calls abandoned: 1365
• Items issued via prescription: 22,666
• Referrals made: 537
• Fit notes issued: 151
• Administrative communications issued (letters/emails): 11,130
• Text messages sent and received: 4462
• Total digital requests submitted to practice: 1294
• Appointments - total: 4629
• Appointments - seen: 4307
• Appointments - DNA: 322