Newsletter September 2025

 

We're Changing How You Book Appointments – Introducing Total Triage

Orchard Surgery are introducing a Total Triage System for all appointment requests on the 1st September 2025. This change means that every request for an appointment will be reviewed by a doctor before it is booked. Our aim is to make sure each patient is seen by the most appropriate healthcare professional, in the most suitable way, and at the right time.

What is Total Triage?

Total triage means that all appointment requests are assessed by a clinician before any appointments are made. This helps us ensure that your medical care is tailored to your needs. Depending on your issue, the outcome may be a face-to-face appointment, a telephone consultation, booking with an alternative healthcare practitioner such as our nurses, physiotherapist or pharmacist, or advising an appropriate alternative service such as the local pharmacy. 

Contact us about your request - Accurx Patient Portal

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Why We Are Making This Change

We know that the current system can be frustrating, especially with long waits on the phone and the difficulty of securing appointments at busy times. This new way of working has a number of benefits for both patients and staff.

It allows us to:

  • Prioritise patients based on clinical urgency, not on who calls first
  • Ensure that appointments are used appropriately
  • Offer more flexible ways to receive care
  • Reduce pressure on our reception and clinical teams

This change also supports the guidance from NHS England, which asks all GP practices to improve access and reduce the need for patients to queue for appointments at 8am each morning.

We understand that appointments are hard to get, however, there are a number of issue that can be seen by your local pharmacist. They include: 

  • sinusitis.
  • sore throat.
  • earache.
  • infected insect bites.
  • impetigo.
  • shingles.
  • uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

Please consider whether you can be helped at your pharmacy, before trying to obtain an appointment.

For further information regarding the new triage system – please see additional details on our website here.

 

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Shared Care agreements 

We have recently had some specific questions relating to shared care agreements with private providers. We have had to make the very difficult decision to no longer provide shared care with private providers. This is due to the lack of funding and due to the fact that many medications prescribed privately are not licenced in Primary care.

We have written to those patients affected, and informed them, that they need to refer back to the private providers for their medication. We fully understand the concerns that this raises, however, we are not funded to take on this shared care. The GP’s are more than happy to refer you to an NHS provider, and will subsequently take on the share care agreement with those NHS providers once you are stable with your medication.

This situation is out of our hands, and we would advise patients to discuss this matter with NHS England and your local MP.

In the meantime, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions:

What is the specialist role in shared care?

  • The specialist confirms the diagnosis and start prescribing the medication
  • They provide information to the patient about the medication and will  monitor the patient until the dose is stable
  • They will write to the GP requesting share cared when the condition and medication are stable, but will continue to prescribe until the GP has agreed to take on the shared care, which will only be for NHS providers
  • Review the medicine at regular intervals to ensure it is still safe and effective.

What is the role of the GP?

  • Review the request from the specialist promptly, and where the GP does not agree to shared care, will inform the specialist within 14 days providing a reason
  • If the GP accepts the shared care from an NHS providers, they will prescribe, and monitor the medicine as set out by the specialist
  • Report any side effects to the specialist
  • Make sure the patient is given appointments for monitoring the medicine

Is shared care possible between a private healthcare provider and a GP?

  • This is only possible when this service is being provided for the patient on behalf of the NHS
  • If the patient is seeing a private specialist, and that service is not being provided on behalf of the NHS, medicines would need to be supplied by the private specialist
  • If a patient would like to obtain shared care medication through the NHS, they should talk to the GP about having their care for their condition transferred to the local NHS
 

Staff News

We are pleased to announce that we have appointed a new salaried GP at the surgery following Dr Rodgers departure. Dr Judith Clayton will be joining the practice in November 2025. 

We have also be joined by a new registrar Dr Barbara Sevella who started with us in August 2025. 

 

Building Works

As many of you may be aware through the recent announcement from NHS England, that some funds have been made available to surgeries in order to complete a refurbishment. We please to announce that we have been allocated some funds to do just that. We will be looking to increase the amount of clinical rooms, refurbish the patient toilets and improve the reception area, along with some reconfiguration of existing clinical rooms and admin rooms upstairs.  

Whilst we are very much in the planning process, we hope to start the works in the winter with a view to completing the works by March 2026. We will, of course, keep our patients abreast of any works that will be done through the newsletter and on our website.

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Advance warning of  closure afternoons

We will be closed on the following dates:

  • Thursday 18th September 2025 - 2pm to 6pm

Surgery Contact Details

Published: Aug 28, 2025