Over recent months, we have received feedback regarding our appointment booking system and access to appointments. We understand the frustrations that some patients have experienced, and we would like to take this opportunity to explain why changes were made, what we are doing to improve the system, and how you can help us make the best use of the appointments we have available.
Why We Changed Our Appointment System
Under our previous appointment system, appointments were largely offered on a first-come, first-served basis. While this may seem fair on the surface, it often created challenges for patients with more urgent needs.
For example, a patient who happened to be first through on the phone with a minor issue that could safely wait may have secured a same-day appointment. Meanwhile, another patient who joined the queue later with a more urgent problem may have struggled to access care as quickly as they needed it.
We also needed to ensure that appointments were being used effectively and that valuable clinical time was not being wasted by inappropriate bookings or unused appointments.
How Rapid Health Helps
After more than 12 months of research, discussions with our PCN (Greater Derby) and it’s member practices, and consideration of government digital access requirements, Park Lane Surgery and other local practices introduced Rapid Health as our online access platform.
The aim of Rapid Health is not simply to move appointment booking online. Its purpose is to help us make sure that patients receive the right care, at the right time, from the right healthcare professional.
The system allows us to:
- Prioritise same-day appointments for patients with urgent clinical needs.
- Triage additional requests and ensure they are dealt with appropriately.
- Direct patients to the most suitable clinician for their problem. For example:
- Our Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Pharmacy
- Walk-in centre / A&E
- Ensure available appointments are used as effectively as possible.
- Identify when alternative services may be more appropriate, such as a community pharmacy, Walk-in Centre or Accident & Emergency department, depending on the nature of the problem.
By gathering information about a patient’s symptoms before an appointment is booked, our team can make better decisions about how quickly a patient needs to be seen and who is best placed to help them.
We Know the System Is Not Perfect
We want to be clear that Rapid Health is not a complete solution for every appointment need.
One of the most common concerns we hear is around booking more routine appointments or arranging an appointment with a preferred clinician.
At Park Lane Surgery we have always valued continuity of care. Seeing the GP or clinician who knows you best is particularly important for long-term conditions and ongoing health concerns. Continuity often leads to better outcomes, improved patient experience and more efficient use of appointment time.
We recognise that patients can sometimes find it difficult to arrange these appointments through the current system, and we continue to work closely with Rapid Health to improve this experience.
When Your Preferred Clinician Is Not Available
It may not always be possible to arrange an appointment with your preferred clinician within a reasonable timeframe. As a relatively small surgery, staff sickness, annual leave and existing clinical commitments can sometimes affect availability.
However, continuity of care remains important to us. Our clinicians regularly discuss patient cases with one another when advice or shared input is helpful, and they are often aware of patients who are usually seen by colleagues.
Your clinical notes also help ensure that, if another clinician needs to see you, they can understand your history and continue your care from where the previous clinician left off.
Working with Rapid Health to Improve the Service
Feedback from our patients is extremely important.
I meet with Rapid Health every week alongside other Practice Managers within our PCN, who have also implemented the system. During these meetings we discuss patient feedback, identify common concerns and propose improvements to the platform.
Several changes have already been made as a direct result of feedback from practices and patients. We will continue to work with the company to ensure the system develops in a way that supports both patient access and safe clinical care.
Helpful Alternative for Routine Problems
As a temporary solution to this key problem, until a more permanent fix is provided; we recommend using the “Questions and Admin” section within Rapid Health and selecting “Ask a Question” for certain situations.
This option should be used if your issue relates to:
- A long-term or chronic health condition which has recently worsened.
- A flare-up of a condition that has been treated previously. (eg. A rash which you have been provided medication for before)
- A problem where you are willing to wait to see a specific clinician.
Providing a summary of your problem through this route allows our team to review your request and arrange the most appropriate appointment or management plan if required.
Please note, in all instances, this option should only be used if your problem is NOT urgent.
Urgent requests should still be submitted through the questionnaire, as this allows us to ensure you are seen within an appropriate time for your problem.
Why Online Requests Help Everyone
We recognise that not all patients are able to access online services, and we remain committed to supporting those who need assistance.
We serve a large elderly population, and some patients may be unable to complete online forms due to:
- Lack of internet access.
- Not owning a smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Sight difficulties or other accessibility needs.
- Limited confidence using online technology.
For these patients, our reception team remains available to help. It is also important to understand that all new acute health problems require a symptom questionnaire to be completed. This is the same questionnaire available online through our website and Rapid Health.
When completed by phone, reception staff must carefully work through every question and potential response with the patient. These conversations can often take up to 10 minutes per call.
However, when patients who are comfortable using online services submit their requests electronically, it helps free up telephone lines for those who genuinely cannot and allows us to spend this additional time with them.
Using the online system where possible helps keep phone lines available and reduces waiting times for patients who need additional support.
Understanding the Demand We Face
Like many GP practices across the country, we are facing a significant challenge between patient demand and available capacity.
Park Lane Surgery currently cares for approximately 8,500 patients, all of whom require access to a wide range of services including:
- Assessment of new health concerns.
- Ongoing medical reviews.
- Medication reviews and monitoring.
- Long-term condition management, including asthma and diabetes reviews.
- Vaccinations and injections.
- Wound care and dressings.
- Blood tests and follow-up reviews.
While demand for appointments continues to grow, the physical size of our building and the number of clinical staff available means that the number of appointments we can offer each day is finite.
Our priority remains ensuring that those who need urgent care receive it promptly, while continuing to improve access for routine and ongoing care.
Helping You Get the Right Appointment
To help patients understand the best way to access care, we have created a new Appointment Booking Hints and Tips Poster, which provides simple advice on how to use our services effectively and which routes may be most suitable for different healthcare needs.
We encourage all patients to read this guidance and continue sharing their experiences with us.
Thank You
We understand change can be challenging, and we appreciate the patience and understanding shown by so many patients during this transition.
Your feedback is invaluable and continues to shape the way we deliver services. While no appointment system is perfect, our goal remains the same as it has always been: to provide safe, effective and timely care to the patients who need it most, while maintaining the high standard of continuity and personal care that Park Lane Surgery is known for.
Louis Wood
Practice Manager