Lochmaben Medical Group

10/11/2025

📆🩺 After week 1 of eConsult, our face to face appointment numbers are higher than pre-COVID

06/11/2025

We would like to thank our patient’s for their patience during our switch to eConsult this week! 😊

📋 We have had a few teething issues (as with any new change), but overall it has went well with over 90% of forms being filled in by patient/carer themselves (with over 10% of those submitted by people age over 90).

💻 Our staff have happily helped the minority with no internet access or no family to fill in for them. As always, if you are struggling but do have internet access, please pop in and we can help you use it - several people have found this helpful. No one will suffer from access due to eConsult, it improved access to all.

✅ Each day the duty GP has reviewed ALL completed forms and either offered advice directly or offered either a same day or routine appointment, depending on clinical urgency.

💬 We have utilised texts/emails for those who prefer this.

☺️>😊 ALL patients requiring an appointment, following review of their eConsult, with our doctors/ANPs/students can have this face to face, if preferred, even if it can be managed over the telephone. eConsult has allowed us to safely achieve this and our F2F consultation numbers have hugely increased.

❗️We’d just like to highlight that eConsult is totally separate to Patient Access (that is used to order medicines). This wasn’t working earlier this week but is now fixed (this was unrelated to eConsult starting). You DO NOT need to register for eConsult, simply click the blue box on our website homepage as per the below video. Then select the relevant option.

31/10/2025

📲💻 eConsult begins this Monday 3rd November

You will be able to submit an eConsult from 07:00-16:00 Mon-Fri

Reminder - you don’t need to register. You only need to click on eConsult link and fill in a form whenever you need to contact us about a medical issue

ℹ️ We hope people that attended our information drop ins found these useful. Please keep asking our staff if you have any practical questions.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 The majority of our patients will be able to use this, but please remember, if you can’t access the internet (on your phone/computer) and you have no friends/family that can fill in a form for you, please just call and our reception team will help – no one will be excluded from getting help – don’t worry!

27/10/2025

1️⃣ week to go until eConsult is live!

eConsult begins at 07:00 on Monday 3rd November.

ℹ️ Just a reminder that our last drop in session is this Thursday 30th 1400-15:30 – there are still spaces available to book.

We felt it would be useful to share some commonly asked questions from our drop-ins:

✅ I’ve tried clicking the link on the website, but it won’t work? – It won’t be live to click until Monday 3rd November

✅ Do I need to register for it? – No, you simply click the link, fill in your name and answer the questions

✅ Do I need to let you know I’ve filled it in? – No, it will come straight through to us. When you fill in the form, it will confirm to you it’s been sent and we have received it.

✅ Can I still use patient access to order prescriptions? – Yes, this will still work. eConsult is MUCH simpler to use than patient access.

✅ I don’t have a computer, but my phone has internet, can I use this? – Yes, you can access eConsult on your phone or computer. You can access it with WiFi or 3G/4G/5G

✅If my relative fills it in, will you call them or me? – This is up to you, it asks for both the person filling in the forms details and patient details and who you will like us to call. Your relative can fill it in from wherever for you, they don’t need to be with you.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Please remember, if you can’t access the internet (on your phone/computer) and you have no friends/family that can fill in a form for you, please just call and our reception team will help – no one will be excluded from getting help – don’t worry!

20/10/2025

ℹ️🖥️ Reminder:

Our first eConsult drop in session is tomorrow, with slots between 15:30-17:00. There are still spaces left - please call reception to book

A member of our team will demonstrate how to fill in a form, helping you feel confident to fill one in. We hope the sessions reduce any worries and show the benefits this new system will bring in improving convenience whilst ensuring safer, fairer, improved access.

The below link summarises how to use eConsult:

Contact your own NHS GP practice online for free for medical or administrative requests. Find out how to use eConsult.

07/10/2025

✨ New way to access your GP✨

📆 From Monday 3rd November, Lochmaben Medical Group is introducing an enhanced digital appointment system. Requests for a clinician appointment should be made by filling in an online eConsult form, which will be accessed through our website at www.lochmabenmedical.co.uk) from 07:00-16:00 Mon-Fri (our website will be updated over the coming week). The more information provided on the form, means we will be able to provide the best advice. The form will be triaged by a GP within 24hours and depending on the clinical need, you may be given a same-day appointment or a routine appointment. The system highlights those who have urgent symptoms, so triaging GP can look at these first. Nursing and healthcare assistant appointments are bookable as normal by calling up.

If you are unable to fill in an online consult due to a language barrier, no internet access or disability, elderly/vulnerable, then a family/friend can fill in for you, or our reception team will fill a shortened form in for you – no one will be digitally excluded.

🚙 Home visit requests for those who are bedbound should be requested as normal, prior to 10am, by calling the practice.

🔷 Why are we making this change?

✅ To ensure urgent issues are prioritised safely

✅ To direct you to the most appropriate professional (GP, ANP, nurse, pharmacist, advanced physiotherapist, mental health nurse or another service)

✅ To give you a fairer and more consistent service

⏳ To end the 08:00 am rush – no more waiting in a queue at 08:00am. You can contact us for help before work.

✅ To improve convenience for patients – no more waiting on a call back at an inconvenient time

✅ To improve continuity of care – we can better allocate you to the same person that has been dealing with long term issues

✅ To free up clinician time from the telephone triage we currently do, allowing more appointments to be created.

🧑🏻‍⚕️ In addition to this, we are currently recruiting an additional full time GP

✅ It will decrease our DNA appointment rates, freeing up space for other patients and the increased efficiency will help appointment availability.

💬 The ability to be able to text patients – we can send sick notes, information leaflets, website links. This is more environmentally friendly and will reduce our paper use.

We know moving to this system is a big change. However, this modern method is well received at other practices and standard at all English practices. Below is a video of how to fill in an online form. We will also be putting information guides and FAQs on our website over the coming week. For those who feel they may need some in person support, we will be holding 10 minute bookable drop in slots, where our admin team will talk them through filling in the form.

Please note these will be shared sessions with up to 4 people. These can be booked via reception and will be on:
1️⃣ Tues 21st – 15:30-17:00
2️⃣ Thurs 30th – 14:00-15:30

We’re grateful for your patience and support as we make this exciting change. Thank you for helping us provide quicker, fairer and safer access for all our patients. We are confident that once people get familiar with this, it will be a positive move.

eConsult is a way to contact your own NHS GP practice online, for free, anywhere and anytime you have access to the internet, quickly and safely. eConsult is...

06/10/2025

‼️ Next Monday is a public holiday, please plan in advance and ensure you order your medication in time

01/10/2025

01/09/2025

Reminder of practice closure ‼️

A reminder that our practice will be closed on Wednesday from 1pm for the shaping the future of GMS event.

Practice Closure Notice ❗️

Our practice will be closed from 1pm on Wednesday 3rd September for a planned engagement session to support our local Shaping the Future of GMS programme.

We encourage you to plan ahead similar to public holiday closures to ensure you have all medications you require during this period.

If your medical issue is urgent and cannot wait until we reopen, please call 01387 241033

Thank you for your understanding.

For more information, including how you can become involved in the general public workshops, visit: https://www.nhsdg.co.uk/general-medical-services-review/

26/08/2025

Practice Closure Notice ❗️

Our practice will be closed from 1pm on Wednesday 3rd September for a planned engagement session to support our local Shaping the Future of GMS programme.

We encourage you to plan ahead similar to public holiday closures to ensure you have all medications you require during this period.

If your medical issue is urgent and cannot wait until we reopen, please call 01387 241033

Thank you for your understanding.

For more information, including how you can become involved in the general public workshops, visit: https://www.nhsdg.co.uk/general-medical-services-review/

20/08/2025

Today marks the last day for our GP trainee Dr Amr Alsharawy, having successfully completed his GP training. It has been a pleasure working with him and see him develop into an excellent GP. We are pleased he is staying locally as a GP in Dumfries - we wish him all the best for the future! 🩺