03/10/2025
🌿 Patient Message 🌿
Thank You to Our Patients
As you may be aware, from the 1st October, the government has introduced new NHS contract changes that affect how GP practices work. The biggest change is the move to Total Triage, which means every request is first assessed by a clinician so that you can be directed to the right care, at the right time, in the safest way possible.
The government now requires GP practices to make online access available from 8am–6.30pm Monday to Friday. This is intended to make it easier to request appointments or routine help, such as prescription queries, and reduce the “8am scramble.”
At Springs, we have carefully planned for this change. You may not notice much difference in urgent requests, as we continue to respond on the same day. However, there may be longer waits for routine appointments. National guidance suggests waiting lists may be needed, and we are making every effort to avoid this — but if demand continues to rise, we may need to introduce them.
Most importantly, to keep our patients and staff safe, there are limits to how many clinical contacts each doctor can safely manage in a day. If we reach this safe limit, we may need to direct patients to other services, such as NHS 111 or A&E, in line with BMA guidelines.
We also want to thank all patients who already use:
• Pharmacy First for minor illness advice
• Medicines Order Line for prescriptions
• NHS App for managing appointments and repeat prescriptions
Using these services significantly reduces pressure on our GPs and helps us focus on urgent and complex clinical needs. If you haven’t already, we strongly encourage you to download and use the NHS App, which makes it quicker and easier to manage your prescriptions and appointments.
🙏 Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support as we adapt. Together, we can maintain a safe and effective service for our community.
