Urgent on the day appointments: Please call the surgery as close to 8:30am as possible. 

Routine appointments: The St Andrews Medical Practice Triage System was developed by GPs at St Andrews Medical Practice pre-Christmas 2023 to address the escalating demand for primary care appointments.

The system utilizes AccuRx's Patient Triage as the online patient communication platform and relies on the triaging expertise of experienced GPs to allocate resources based on clinical urgency and guide patients to the most suitable services.

St Andrews Medical Practice is proud to introduce the following partner doctors involved in implementing and overseeing the Triage System:

Dr Latha Reddy

Dr Heather Ward

Dr Joanna Yong

Dr Michelle Mendonca

This system aligns with the BMA's Safe working in General Practice guidelines, enabling primary care teams to offer appointments more flexibly, direct patients to appropriate care providers, and prioritize assistance for those with the greatest need. This is in line with the transformation to modern general practice.

Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive, with NHS digital data indicating a significant increase in appointments compared to previous years.

Here's how the St Andrews Medical Practice Triage System operates:

1. Online Submission: Patients complete a straightforward online form when seeking routin eaccess, preferably using AccuRx's Patient Triage solution, known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with the clinical system (EMIS Web). For patients unable to utilize the online form, the practice receptionists (Care Navigators) can assist in completing the submission.

2. Triage Workflow: All online submissions enter the AccuRx Patient Triage system's "To Assign" inbox. Care Navigators review the submissions, forwarding clinical requests to the "Clinical Triage" folder for the attention of the Triaging Clinician, while other queries are directed to relevant team folders within the system.

3. Triage by Clinician: Experienced GPs, including Dr Latha Reddy, Dr Heather Ward, Dr Joanna Yong and Dr Michelle Mendonca, perform triage assessments. They may redirect suitable requests to locally commissioned services and categorize primary care appointments into Red, Amber, and Green classifications based on urgency.

4. RAG Rating: Red appointments are dealt with as soon as possible, while Amber appointments are scheduled within defined timeframes (Amber 1 within 1 week, Amber 2 within 2 weeks). Green appointments are for less urgent issues that can wait until the next routine appointment slot.

It's crucial to emphasize that the St Andrews Medical Practice Triage System is not a cure for the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges in primary care. While it enhances the efficiency of existing resources, it does not address the fundamental issues of limited capacity and escalating demand. The practice remains committed to exploring solutions that comprehensively address these challenges.

You can download the NHS app and complete an AccuRx triage form to access our appointment system from the convenience of your phone, tablet or PC.

You can complete an AccuRx questionnaire and submit this for a member of our team to address your needs or to contact you with an appropriate appointment.

We kindly request all patients call from 08.30am for an on the day urgent appointment. For those who can use the digital online AccuRx triage form, this is the method used to request a routine appointment. For patients who need support to complete an online AccuRx triage form, please contact the practice where a member of our care navigation team can support you further.