Bassett Road Surgery New Appointment System from 24th September 2024

We know it can sometimes be difficult to get an urgent appointment so we’re changing our appointments system to improve this.

From Tuesday 24th September 2024 anyone who needs an urgent/same day appointment needs to request this online using the “e-consult” messaging system on our website. This is so that we can make sure you see the right clinician at the right time for your problem.

To avoid unnecessary delays in being seen, you will be offered a consultation with someone other than a GP, where this is appropriate, including our Matrons, Minor Illness Practitioners, Pharmacists, MSK practitioners and Physios.

How will it work?

• The e-consult facility is available on our website from 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. If you need a same day appointment, please do your best to submit your request in this time frame. However, be assured that if a problem arises after 4:30pm, you can still ‘phone us and we will still review your request.
• If you are not able to access the internet, please ‘phone our reception team who will help you to complete your request which will then be managed in the same way as online requests.
• Your request will be triaged promptly by one of our on-call GPs or Matrons who may recommend self-care advice, that you see your local pharmacist, or that you have a telephone or face-to-face appointment with a member of the BRS team.
• Once your request has been triaged, a receptionist will contact you to arrange an appointment if needed. It might be that a routine or less urgent appointment is more suitable for you as these appointments allow you more time to discuss complicated issues.
• You are welcome to use the e-consult facility to book routine appointments also as an alternative to ‘phoning.

Important

Please keep your contact details up-to-date, especially mobile phone numbers, and be available to answer them if you have submitted a request for an appointment.

We hope this new system will provide you with a better standard of care, improve access for all our patients and reduce waiting times for routine appointments.

Dr JL Henderson and Partners

Blood Tests

In response to feedback from our patient survey this year, we are enabling patients to book blood test appointments online from Monday 2nd March. All booked appointments for blood tests must have been authorised by a GP, hospital Consultant or be in response to a reminder letter from the practice, e.g. for diabetic monitoring. Please do not use these blood test slots for anything other than authorised blood tests as our Phlebotomist is not qualified to diagnose or prescribe.

Text Messaging Appointment Reminder Service

You may be aware that an average of 40 hours per month of appointment time is wasted as patients forget either to attend or cancel appointments they have already booked. The practice has therefore implemented a service whereby we will send appointment reminders via SMS Text messages. We are able to offer this to all patients for whom we have a mobile phone number recorded on our system.

For the service to be effective, it is important that we have your most up-to-date mobile phone details by completing a contact details form via reception.

Should you wish to be excluded from the text messaging service, please contact us.

Extended Access Appointments

Appointments with GPs and Practice Nurses are now available in the evenings and weekends for patients registered in any of the 3 Leighton Buzzard practices; these are called ‘Extended Access’ appointments.

When you call to make an appointment we may offer you an ‘Extended Access’ appointment, this appointment will be offered from the Leighton Road Surgery base, and will be with a GP or Practice Nurse from one of the practices across Bedfordshire.

Our reception team will confirm all of the details at the time of booking and if you are registered to receive text message alerts, you will receive a text message to confirm the date, time and location of your appointment. Please note that, at present, Extended Access appointments are not available to book online.

There has been no change to normal surgery appointments which are available as usual including our existing Extended Hours with early morning and late evening appointments on Wednesdays. If you would prefer to see a GP or Practice Nurse from this practice, please book an appointment during normal opening hours.