We would like to share with our patients that from 2nd February 2026 we will have a new way of working at the Birchwood and Sollershott Surgery with a new appointment system.
Please read on further for more information on what this means for you.
Total Triage – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why are Birchwood and Sollershott Surgery changing its appointment system?
Along with NHS England (NHSE), we acknowledge the increasing demand for appointments. Our priority is to ensure that patients who need to see a GP, get an appointment.
You may have recently seen in the news that GP contracts for all NHS GP surgeries in England have changed and we have to manage demand on the service differently. This means that our current working model no longer meets the NHS contract.
After much consideration we feel that the only way we can meet the contract changes is to move to a triage model.
A Total Triage model of care means that anyone requesting an appointment or advice will have their request triaged first by a clinical member of staff.
What is Total Triage?
Total triage is where every patient contacting the Birchwood and Sollershott surgery first provides some information on their reason for contact. That information is then triaged by a clinician. The clinician will decide (based on the information you have given) what medical support you would need.
This way of working has been designed to make sure that access to care is equal and that patients who most need an appointment are able to get one, in a clinically appropriate timeframe, with the right person.
How will it work?
You could visit our website to complete an appointment request, or access through the NHS app if you have that downloaded. You will be asked a few questions so we can get an idea of what you need. To help your request to be triaged in a timely manner it is very important to provide detailed and accurate responses to the questions asked.
I don’t have a computer or access to the internet, what do I do?
If you are not able to access a computer, or you don’t have access to the internet, you can contact the Birchwood and Sollershott surgery by phone, or in person. Our reception staff will be able to help you fill in the online form.
Once they have filled in the form for you, they will send that information for triage. You will then hear back from the surgery.
By coming into the surgery or calling us, you will still be providing information to us to be triaged. We will not be able to provide an appointment at that time to you.
How do I access the practice services?
This is an online system, so we would encourage all patients to submit their own appointment request via the surgery’s website. Our online consult system is accessible to everyone, with no need to download an app or log in. All you need is access to the internet, and you can access the system from any device, including your smartphone or tablet.
Simply visit our website at: https://www.birchwoodandsollershottsurgeries.nhs.uk/
If you do not have access to the internet or a smartphone, you can phone us, or come into the surgery, and a receptionist will complete the form on your behalf. However, the process we will ask you to follow to request an appointment will be the same whether you contact us via our website, by phone or face to face.
Appointments with our Practice Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Phlebotomists and Pharmacists are not affected by this change and will continue to be booked in the usual way.
How will the practice respond?
When you contact the surgery, we will ask you how you would like us to respond to your request. All patient requests will be reviewed by a GP led triage team, who will decide what the best course of action is and get back to you the same day using your preferred communication method identified on your request.
Possible outcomes of the triage could include:
- A same day face to face or telephone appointment with a member of our clinical team
- A pre-bookable (within 7 days or more than 7 days) face to face or telephone appointment with a member of our clinical team
- An Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Minor Illness, Paramedic, Practice Nurse, Healthcare Assistant, Phlebotomy, Pharmacist or First Contact Practitioner appointment
- A reply from the triage team with self-care advice
- Signposting or referral to a more appropriate service, for example a local Pharmacy
Who could I see for an appointment?
Not every health problem requires a GP and over the last five years we have significantly expanded our clinical team and colleagues that we have access to who can help you:
- Advanced Nurse Practitioners: our ANPs can perform a range of complex clinical tasks, including diagnosing, prescribing, and treating patients. They often act as a first point of contact for both minor and chronic conditions and their role includes clinical examinations, making referrals, performing procedures, and leading teams to improve patient outcomes and healthcare services.
- Pharmacists: we have highly trained Clinical Pharmacists and a Pharmacy Technician at the practice who manage all medication related issues, as well supporting patients with hypertension management, lipid management and long-term conditions.
- First Contact Practitioner (FCP): our FCP sees and assesses most patients with musculoskeletal problems and comes up with a plan. This may include further tests and referrals.
- Social Prescriber: our Social Prescriber helps patient where they may have a social problem or health problems linked with social situations.
- Practice Nurses: our experienced nursing team manages many chronic and acute conditions.
- Community Pharmacy: a new service called ‘Pharmacy First’ has been set up to treat several minor conditions and they can prescribe antibiotics where appropriate.
- Self-care: many conditions can be managed with advice and support.
- Self-referral: to Musculoskeletal Health (MSK), As One, smoking cessation etc.
Can I choose what time I come for an appointment?
For routine planned appointments, we will be as flexible as possible (subject to availability). For urgent appointments, we encourage patients to be flexible, and you will likely be asked to attend at any time, or be available for a telephone call, between 8am to 6pm, subject to what we can offer.
What if I have trouble using the new system?
We are committed to supporting patients and their families/carers to get used to this new way of contacting the practice and to becoming comfortable with this over time.
If you have any questions or concerns our team is here to guide and support, you and we will, of course, provide additional support to those patients who are struggling to use our online system.
If you do not have internet access, or experience other difficulties using digital technology, please speak to our team about how we can help you.
Can I walk into the surgery to make an appointment?
The surgery will not be able to provide an appointment to you if you do not submit an appointment request.
We strongly encourage patients to submit their appointment request via the surgery’s website rather than over the phone or by walking into the surgery. However, we appreciate that this may not be possible for some patients.
If you do not have access to the internet or a smartphone, please phone us or come into the surgery and a receptionist will complete the form on your behalf. This will not speed up your appointment request. It will be treated the same as online requests, with your request form being passed to the triage team.
Do I have to share personal information with a receptionist if I ring/walk-in?
It is important you give us as much relevant information as possible so we can ensure your request is triaged properly. We understand that some issues can be sensitive, but our receptionists are an integral part of us being able to provide health services to our patients, they are trained in asking difficult questions and they have all signed confidentiality agreements.
If when visiting the surgery, you would prefer to write your answers down rather than speaking at reception, you would be able to do this.
Do all appointments have to be booked this way?
No, the introduction of Total Triage does not affect Practice Nurse, Healthcare Assistant, Phlebotomy or Pharmacist appointments, which will continue to be booked in the normal way, either over the phone or in practice. This will be particularly relevant for annual reviews, blood tests and wound management.
Why can’t I just book an appointment like I used to?
Nationally, GP capacity can no longer meet the demand and so we must put systems in place to ensure our patients get the most appropriate, safe care. Our patients have fed back that in our current system it is difficult to get an appointment.
Health care is evolving, and we need to embrace this.
Isn’t this ageist?
Many of our more senior patients have access to the internet or smartphones and are quite capable of using our simple online system. Our reception team and Care Co-ordinator will support anyone who needs a bit of extra help in the early days.
What about vulnerable patients or those with an additional need?
We work hard to identify those patients who may need extra help and flag this on their medical records, ensuring the team are aware of any additional requirements. If someone is struggling to navigate the system, we will support in any way we can.
Why can’t I send a request when you are shut?
Primary Care is not an emergency service, as a GP surgery we remain a Monday to Friday, 8am – 6.30pm service and we must manage patient demand. Our practice team work hard, but they also need to work within safe working conditions.
There are other services available for urgent problems outside of our opening times.
Can I choose which GP I want to manage my problem?
We recognise that there are patients whose healthcare needs require them to have continuity of care and where possible we will try and accommodate this. However, who you see will depend on which clinicians are working that day and it will be subject to appointment availability.
Will this help stop a queue in the telephone system?
We hope that as more patients use the online system, telephone waiting times will be significantly reduced for those patients who need to call for other reasons.
How does the new appointment system benefit me?
We are confident that Total Triage will bring many benefits to our patients.
- Where it is being done in other GP practices it has been shown to reduce waiting times, and it will enable us to attend to our patients’ medical needs more promptly and based on clinical need and urgency
- Those who need an appointment will no longer need to call at 8am in the morning.
- Using digital communication will mean that you can engage with us from the comfort of your home or workplace at a time that is suitable to you
- Improved access for patient’s whose professions or life circumstances prevent them from calling or attending to book an appointment at 8:30am.