FROME Medical Practice is hosting a ‘Patient Connect’ Question and Answer meeting at the Frome Medical Centre on Wednesday 25th October at 6.30pm.
The purpose of the meeting will be for patients of the practice to ask their GPs directly about how the new appointments system, being introduced on 15th November, will affect them. The new system is called Patient Connect.
The new Patient Connect system is designed to be more convenient for the patient, connecting them to the right care, at the right time and with the right professional.
Dr Rob Taylor is one of the GPs and partners at the Frome Medical Practice.
“We are introducing Patient Connect in response to our patients’ concerns regarding the time it can sometimes take to see a GP or other health professional,” says Dr Taylor. “The new system means that patients will still call our existing appointments number of 01373 301301. They will then speak to one of our trained care navigators. A telephone consultation will then be booked at an agreed time for later that same day, when one of our health professionals will then call the patient. If the health professional is of the view that the patient needs a follow-up face-to-face consultation, this will usually be booked for later that day. Patients will always be seen if needed.”
Full details of Patient Connect have been posted on the practice website, where patients can also view a film explaining the forthcoming changes. For patients who have no access to the internet, the practice has made available explanatory leaflets for all patients. The internal screen system at the medical centre will also explain the new changes.
“I fully appreciate that there will still be some patients who want reassurance and further explanation as to how the changes to the appointments system and the Walk In clinic will affect them personally,’ adds Dr Taylor. “Our staff are always on hand to explain, but we also felt that it was important to have an open meeting where our patients could come along personally and ask my colleagues and myself directly about Patient Connect and the changes being introduced on the 15th November. All of our patients are of course more than welcome at the meeting on the 25th October.”
Details of the forthcoming changes are available on the practice website at www.fromemedicalpractice.co.uk.
