MODERN GENERAL PRACTICE
We wish to share some very exciting news about a significant change to our appointment system that will improve the way our surgery delivers care to all our patients.
Abbey-Dale Medical Centre has already started the move towards a ‘Modern General Practice’ model which has made access to care and treatment easier for patients and has helped improve patient satisfaction. This has been achieved by offering our patients different ways to get in touch with us, including:
• Using our online form
• Using the NHS app
• By email [blackpool.abbeydale@nhs.net]
From the 1st August 2025, we will take it one stage further.
URGENT GP APPOINTMENTS
To request a same day urgent appointment when we are open, you will be able to
• Fill out the online form
• use your NHS account
• Telephone the practice
• Visit us and speak to one of the team at the desk.
Whichever way you choose to contact us you will be asked to provide some information on the reasons for that contact and those reasons will be reviewed by one of our care navigators who will signpost you to the most appropriate service. If you need to see a GP your name will be added to our triage list, it will be up to the GP to decide the best course of action. Where necessary, we might ask you to answer a few additional questions to help our GP prioritise those patients who need more urgent care.
Following the GP triage, you could:
• be given a face to face or telephone appointment
• have a reply from the GP with self-care advice
• be signposted to a more appropriate service
• or we may ask you to book a routine appointment.
Please note that for the GP to triage your request in a timely manner it is very important to provide detailed and accurate information about your symptoms.
For example, if a patient has a cough, it would be much easier for the GP to triage the request with the following information:
‘I had a cough for 10 days. I have already used over the counter medicine, but it is not helping and in the last couple of days my cough has been worsening, and it feels more chesty. I also have a high temperature.’
You can submit a form via our website during opening hours which will be triaged that same day but if your need is more urgent, and the surgery is closed then please continue to use the 111 service or call 999 for life threatening emergencies.
CAPACITY REACHED
Please note that at times we may temporarily suspend the online triage form to help manage the demand. In these circumstances you will see the following:
• a message to advise that the Patient Triage is temporarily unavailable.
How does this benefit you?
We know that change can be difficult sometimes, but we are confident that our new system will bring many benefits to our patients – for example:
• We hope to reduce waiting times, and it enables us to attend to your medical needs more promptly.
• Using digital communication will mean that you can engage with us from the comfort of your home or workplace.
• Triage ensures that limited healthcare resources are allocated to patients who need them most urgently.
ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS
To request a routine appointment when we are open, you can:
• Fill out the online form. We will respond within 48 hours
• use your NHS account to contact us
• Email us on blackpool.abbeydale@nhs.net
• Phone us after 10am on 01253 696696
• Visit the surgery and speak with one of our care navigators
NON-GP APPOINTMENTS
There will be NO change to the way we book our nursing, physio, podiatrist, pharmacist, mental health practitioner appointments but we do ask that you telephone the surgery after 10am – Monday to Friday – to book.
Thank you for supporting us with this new project.