Triage is the assessment of illnesses to decipher the clinical needs of the patient and determine the most appropriate treatment.
The Practice introduced a fully telephone triage consultation appointment system in
April 2014. The new appointment system was introduced to improve access to patients.
In addition to improving patient access the benefits of the telephone triage appointment system also provide;

No waiting list

Improved continuity of care

Consultation with a Clinician of choice where possible

Improved use of time for C linicians’ and patients

Reduction in the number of patients who do not attend
Patients who need to see a GP or Nurse
Clinician will make a telephone triage consultation appointment.
Experienced Clinicians return telephone triage calls to patients at a pre-agreed time in order to establish what their problem is and how this can be dealt with most effectively.
Some examples of what Clinicians can offer via the telephone are listed below;

General advice

Test results

Fit notes

Face to face appointments

Prescription queries/requests

Medication reviews

Onward referral to other services
Where it is determined there is a need for the patient to be seen the patient will be offered an appointment with a Clinician at a mutually agreed date.
The Practice has a doctor on call every day to see patients in an emergency.
Patients can book a telephone triage consultation appointment with a GP or
Nurse Clinician by either:

Contacting the Practices Reception
Team by telephone, 0151 424 4098 or by coming into the Practice and liaising face to face with a member of the Reception Team
 Accessing the Practice’s automated
24 hour appointment booking line on
0151 424 4098 and choosing Option
1

On-line via Patient Access which is an on-line appointment booking system and can be accessed 24 hours a day
You can book a telephone triage consultation appointment with a Clinician of your choice anytime of the day or night.

Telephone triage consultation appointments are released from 12.01am via our automated appointment booking line and via Patient Access therefore avoiding the need to telephone the Practice from 8am which is when the telephone lines are busiest.
Appointments with the Nursing Team and
Health Care Assistants are pre-bookable and may be booked in advance. Due to the many difference types and lengths of nurse appointments available, we are unable to offer nurse appointments via our automated telephone booking system or online at the moment. Please contact the Practice by telephone, or face to face, so that we can book you into the appropriate type of appointment.
If you are unable to attend for your appointment, we would appreciate you cancelling it at the earliest opportunity so that it can be offered to another patient.
You can do this via the automated telephone appointment booking system, via online via Patient Access or by telephoning or by coming into the Practice.
When Will the Clinician Call Me Back?
Clinicians will return telephone triage calls at a pre-agreed time. Please note this is an approximate time. As with a face to face consultation, this may be shortly before or after the agreed time as this is generally outside of the Clinicians control and is dependent upon previous appointments.
I Work Full-Time, How Will a Clinician
Contact Me?
Patients are provided with an approximate time when a Clinician will return telephone triage calls. Patients who work should therefore treat their telephone triage appointment the same as they would if they were attending the Practice in person, ensuring they have time to accept the call from the Clinician.
If I am Provided With a Face to Face
Consultation, Will I See The Same
Clinician?
Patients will not always be seen by the
Clinician who they have consulted with via the telephone. If it has been identified that there is a clinical need for a patient to be seen, the triaging Clinician will determine the most appropriate Clinician for the patient to be seen by. The patient will be informed of this and be provided with a face to face consultation.
Appleton Village Surgery
2-6 Appleton Village
Widnes
Cheshire
WA8 6DZ www.appletonvillagesurgery.co.uk