The Reddish Family Practice Patient Reference Group
If you would like to be part of the group please follow the link below:
Appointment booking update – Introducing PATCHs
The most regular complaint we receive about the service is around the phone and booking system. We agree it is frustrating for patients (and staff) when you need an appointment and have a long wait in a phone queue to be told there are no appointments left, or are told to “ring back at 8 tomorrow morning.” It is always a challenge to balance demand for appointments, along with the systems and technology available to us. In response to this, the partners have been researching different booking systems and ways of managing patient care that will work both for patients and for staff. The team has looked at various options but after speaking with patients and other practices who also use this system, from February we are pleased to be trialling an online triage system called PATCHs.
PATCHs is a secure online appointment request system, which can also be accessed for patients without internet access. The PATCHs system allows the Practice triage team to respond quickly and efficiently to patient appointment requests by asking a series of questions about your request and then it is sent directly to a clinician to be reviewed. Patients will then be offered appointment based on the clinical urgency of the appointment, and all requests will be responded to within 2 working days, if not on the day. So, instead of having to ring the practice and wait in a queue or come into the practice in order to request an appointment, you will be able email your request directly to our Triage GP who will then be able to allocate you an appropriate appointment.
We have chosen PATCHs as it has been developed by primary care teams, is very patient friendly and already links into our current IT and record system. PATCHs also has additional features like a translation service so patients will be able to ask medical questions in their own language to help communication.
You can find out more about PATCHs on their website: https://www.patchs.ai/patchs_for_patients
and watch a video following this link: https://youtu.be/rvqtjUWhDRw
Please look out for more information for patients over the next few weeks.
Your Patient Reference Group needs you!
If you would like be one of the first to trial the new system with us please speak to a member of staff to be added to our Patient Reference Group or email Robert McDermott with your name and date of birth and preferred contact method at gmicb-sto.p88005-admin@nhs.n
We will be in touch with more details. Thank you!