Patients across Keighley, Silsden, Cross Hills and Skipton should be able to access their GP more easily as a group of doctors' surgeries launches a new online system.
Local GP group Modality AWC says it has been trying to come up with a solution to the ongoing issue of access - with many patients finding themselves stuck in a phone queuing system or missing a call back from the doctor.
The new patient access system launches today (Monday 24th April) after an intensive few months working with patients to develop the system. Modality has also been running virtual and in-person roadshow events to showcase the new system.
Modality AWC spokesperson Lois Brown said: "If we can encourage as many patients as possible to contact us online, then phone lines should be less busy for those who can’t.
"At the present time, we can have in excess of 4,000 calls per day and this is unsustainable for us and unsafe for patients who struggle to get through and might even give up.
"The new system will help us assess requests efficiently, so we can triage the queries to the right team quickly and make sure we can prioritise urgent requests.
"Unfortunately, we still receive large number of non-urgent or inappropriate requests that can use up our scarce time and resources."
Surgeries that are part of the Modality AWC group and using the new system are: Farfield Practice on West Lane and Holycroft Surgery on Oakworth Road both in Keighley, Kilmeny Practice on Ashbourne Road in Ingrow, Long Lee Surgery, Oakworth Medical Practice, Haworth Medical Practice, Silsden Surgery, Steeton Surgery, Cross Hills Practice and Fisher Medical Centre in Skipton.
To access the system just go to your practice website and click on the link to submit your request. The system is easy to use, and you can select a wide range of types of requests from asking for test results to requesting a face to face consultation with a health professional.
You can pop into your practice and get help using the new system and the phone lines remain for anyone who can’t use or access digital services.
Listen to Lois Brown telling Rombalds Radio about the new 'digital front door' for patients on the Rombalds Radio Local podcast or by tapping play below.
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