"What's the best way to get through to the practice?"
Practices are experiencing very high demand for their services and telephone lines can very busy. We appreciate that this is frustrating and have introduced Klinik to take the pressure off the phones. Klinik forms submitted are reviewed the same day by a clinician. If you do need to speak to reception try to avoid calling at 8am as this can be very busy. On the day appointments for urgent acute illness will still be available later in the day.
"Do I have to tell the receptionist everything before I can get an appointment?"
You won't need to give personal information to the receptionist if you are able to complete the Klinik form online yourself. If you require the receptionist to fill in the Klinik form on your behalf then the more detail entered the more appropriate the appointment made for you. Please let the receptionist know of any reservations and they will do all they can to assist.
"Why are appointments still being conducted over the phone?"
Practices have adopted a blended approach to patient consultations, offering both face-to-face and telephone consultations, as appropriate, based on clinical and patient needs.
"Why is my appointment not with a GP?"
Since before the pandemic, the traditional GP practice model has been evolving, with practices expanding their teams, so that patients see the most appropriate health care professional to meet their needs at that time. Many GP practices will have established a multi-disciplinary practice team, which includes extended roles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Paramedics, Mental Health Practitioners and Occupational Therapists. Patients do not always need to see a GP and the practice will have systems in place to navigate patients to the appropriate health care professional or service best placed to treat them. This enables GPs to be able to see the most complex of patients in the most need. GPs are always on site and will be referred to when needed.
"When should I ring 111?"
111 telephone service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be used for urgent health advice on what services to access or how to manage an illness or condition and to access urgent primary care out of hours.
"How am I able to get to see a doctor face to face?"
GPs, along with the whole of the NHS, are under significant pressure. Initial telephone triage with a face-to-face appointment offered if necessary is an efficient way of addressing the needs of as many people as possible. If communication issues mean a telephone call is difficult, please let our team know.
"Why don't GP surgeries open longer hours (evenings/weekends) to meet the demand?"
There is a shortage of GPs across Wales and the UK, so Practices do not have the ability to open safely, for longer hours. The GP Out of Hours Service means you can access a GP 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year around.
"There are no places with NHS dentists, so what can I do?"
If you require urgent dental treatment, please contact Aneurin Bevan Dental Helpline on 01633 744387 or email abb.dental.helpline@wales.nhs.uk