Appointments

To request an appointment (6am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday)

• Use your NHS account to create a triage form request (on the NHS website or in the NHS app)
• Create a triage form request via this link https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/h84020
• If you wish to book with our other in-house clincians (Pharmacist, Nurse, first contact physiotherapist, dietician, lifestyle coach or social prescriber etc) then please call to book without a doctors referral/appointment

Completing the Triage Form

 If you can, we kindly ask that you complete the short online triage form at home, either by yourself or with the help of a friend or family member. Patients who can do this online are strongly encouraged to do so. During busy times if you are requesting, we complete the form for you we may need to call you back to complete.

When forms are completed over the phone or at reception, it can:

• Increase waiting times for other patients
• Mean sensitive medical details are shared in a less private setting

Completing the form at home helps protect your privacy and allows us to support all patients more quickly and efficiently.

If you are housebound please complete a triage form as soon as possible, please ring reception before 10am.

What Does This Mean for Patients?

Instead of phoning the practice to book a doctors appointment, patients will need to complete a short online triage form.

• The form can be accessed via the NHS App, or our website (as above).
• You will be asked to describe your full symptoms or needs, which will then be reviewed by a doctor within 1 working day. If you can attach a photo this would be helpful for the doctor to review.
• There are two request types:
  • Medical – for health issues or symptoms
  • Admin – for medical records requests, paperwork, or admin queries

For medical requests, you can also attach a photo to support the triage process. We recommend this if there is something a GP can review. Please do not send photos of intimate areas.

For a short guide on how to complete the Total Triage form, watch this video: YouTube Guide

Help Us Help You

It’s important that you provide as much clear information as possible so the doctor can assess your clinical needs without delay.

The more information you provide, the quicker and more effectively we can help.

Examples of not enough information:

• “I’ve had a breathing issue for a while”
• “My mental health is playing up”
• “I want to discuss a problem with my arm”
• “My medication isn’t working”

If insufficient information is provided, we may need to request a re-submission with more detail.

Please note: Each Total Triage request should be for one issue only and to be fair to all patients you should only submit one triage per patient per day.

What Happens After You Submit a Form?

A clinician will review your request and respond by the next working day (Monday–Friday) usually by message. This may include:

• A face-to-face appointment with a doctor same day, next day or within a few days. Patient will be sent links to book these via text. Links will last 7 working days.
• The doctor may call to discuss the matter via the phone if appropriate however please don’t request this.
• Support from our in-house clinicians. Patient maybe sent links to book these via text. Links will last 7 working days.
• Signposting to a more appropriate service
• Self-care advice

If you are asked to book an appointment with a doctor, you have a choice of doctors however if your preferred doctor isn’t available please try at 8am or 2pm another day as the link lasts 7 days however we strongly recommend you book asap with any doctor as this could delay your healthcare.

Important

• Do NOT call reception after submitting a Total Triage request. We will contact you depending on the request type.
• If you have not heard back within 1 working day (e.g. submitted Monday 6am → response by Tuesday 6:30pm or submitted Friday morning → response by Monday 6:30pm), please contact the surgery.
• If at any point your condition worsens or becomes urgent, call NHS 111 immediately for urgent medical help.

Extended access appointments (When we are closed)

We offer extended access appointments in the surgery Monday to Thursday online however for Friday evening we offer appointments at Kingston Health Centre which are bookable by FAIRHILL MEDICAL PRACTICE ONLY via the telephone.

For on the day Saturday appointments please call KINGSTON CHAMBERS on 020 34058631 who offer appointments Saturday 9am to 5pm at Kingston Health Centre. Please ONLY call after 9am on Saturdays.

If you need medical help any other time please call 111.

The extended hours service will be able to see and treat minor illnesses and injuries that would normally be seen at a GP practice.

This includes:

• Minor illness such as headaches, dizziness, high temperatures and severe flu-like symptoms and hay-fever
• Minor cuts, bruises, burns and scalds
• Strains and sprains
• Minor infections including ear, nose and throat
• Abdominal pain
• Dermatology and skin complaints
• Urgent prescription medicines

Your appointment

We offer face to face appointments which can be booked by creating a triage which is reviewed by a clinician and then invited to book with a doctor. If you wish to book with any other clinician, then please call us as we can book this anytime without seeing a doctor.

If you are late for your appointment the doctor may not be able to see you so please ensure you are 5 to 10 minutes early for your appointment as we usually run on-time.

Please do not ask the doctor to see someone else during the appointment as this is not fair on other patients or clinically safe so the doctor will only see the patient who’s been triaged and for the reason they have been triaged.

Some appointments maybe upstairs so if you have mobility issues then please let the surgery know in plenty of time.

Chaperones

You are very welcome to bring a trusted friend or relative with you to your consultation, especially if English is not your first language or if you feel you may have difficulty clearly expressing your needs to the Doctor or Nurse.

A chaperone can also be provided by the practice. This will be a trained member of the practice team who is familiar with the examination or procedure and has undergone a DBS check. If a practice chaperone is present, they will remain only for the duration of the examination.

Telephone appointments

We condut telephone appointment with our doctors for test results only. All other appointments with doctors are face to face. If we have send you a message to book a telephone appointment for your results then please call or to book or us the link to book. Please note you not be called at the stated time and will be AM or PM. If you results were normal but you still need medical help then please create a triage medical request and give full details including if you still have symptons, stating you had tests and any photos if nessessary.

Please be aware we DO NOT convert face to face appointments to telephone appointments or telephone appointments to face to face.

All telephone appointments with a Doctor, Pharmacist or any other clinician may not be at the stated time and will be AM or PM.

We can only help people who are in the UK via our telephone appointment service.

Cancelling or changing an appointment

If you need to cancel your appointment, please call or go online at least 1 hour before the appointment:

• Use your NHS account (on the NHS website or in the NHS app)
• Use your Patient Access account (on the Patient Access website)
• Phone us: Kingston Hill Branch: 020 8546 1407, Fairfield Branch: 020 8546 1771, University Branch: 020 8417 2204

Home visits

Please make every effort to come to the surgery so that we can more thoroughly assess your illness however we understand that some of our patients are housebound or are too unwell on the day to get to the surgery. Our reception staff have been instructed to ask for details of your illness so that we may assess the degree of urgency. You must contact us before 10am and a clinician will visit you if they feel that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgent a home visit is needed. You may even be visited at home by a community nurse or a Paramedic if the GP deems it appropriate.

Please remember that several patients can be seen at the surgery in the time that it takes to do a home visit.

If you need help when we are closed

If you need urgent medical advice between 6.30pm  and 8am weekdays, or during weekends and Bank Holidays call 111

NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do. For children under 5 call 111

For people aged 5 and over go to 111.nhs.uk

If you need help with your appointment

Please tell us:

• If you need an interpreter, please book a 15-minute appointment and input this into the comments/reason of the appointment or let us know in advance so we are aware in advance. If this doesn’t happen, we may not be able to see you. You are more than welcome to bring an adult to translate however they need to be face to face with you and not on the telephone.
• If you have any other access or communication needs.