Nurse Triage system explained
- What is it?
- When will the receptionist use this system?
- What if I just need advice and don’t need to be seen?
- When is it best to contact the surgery?
- Emergencies
- Callback to Patients
What is it?
A system where the receptionist will arrange for you to be contacted by a specially trained nurse (occasionally by a doctor) who will arrange appropriate advice, appointments or sometimes home visits. This allows us to give priority to those most in need.
When will the receptionist use this system?
If you feel you need a home visit or same day appointment for a doctor or nurse or if you need to see a doctor or nurse before the next available routine appointment. It will not be used for routine appointment requests. If the patient’s condition changes while waiting for the nurse to return your call please let the surgery know.
What if I just need advice and don’t need to be seen?
The receptionist can add your name to a list for a doctor/nurse to call you back at a time when they are free. This is sometimes called a telephone consultation. See call back to patients.
When is it best to contact the surgery?
Urgent advice, home visit or same day appointment requests: 08:00 – 10:15 Triage Nurse will return your call between 08:45 and 10:30
Emergencies
Please contact the surgery at any time for a medical emergency. The receptionist will pass you straight through to the On Call Doctor if they are in the building. If the doctor is out visiting patients, the receptionist will confirm your details and ask the doctor to return your call as soon as possible.
Callback to Patients
Normally between 12:30 and 13:30 Where at all possible, please give the receptionist a land line telephone number. We are unable to contact patients via mobile telephone unless there are extreme circumstances, as these calls are very expensive.