PATCHS Update
We have been reviewing the use of PATCHS, including volumes, timings and any issues. We are pleased that so many patients are reporting how happy they are with being able to access our services in this way, but there has been a couple of unintended issues that we are now aware of.
- Timing issues – PATCHS completed over the weekend will all land in reception on a Monday morning, which is also our busiest time for phone contact – meaning that we aren’t meeting our commitment to get these all allocated to the right part of our service on the day we receive them. When we look at when people process PATCHS the majority are arriving on working days, but starting the week with a back log built into the system is incredibly difficult for the reception team to cope with, and inevitably has an impact on how quickly we can respond to patients.
- We are seeing an increasing number of duplicate requests – someone will do a PATCHS request and then also phone, duplicating workload and possibly wasting appointments. For the receptionists to have time to accurately check whether there has been a request duplication (and for people to trust that their PATCHS request will be dealt with properly and efficiently) we need to make sure the system works for them too.
Having reviewed the data and talked to our teams about what isn’t working for us, we have made the decision to reduce our PATCHS availability to match our opening hours – so Monday to Friday 8am to 6 pm - which will take effect from 6pm Friday 9th February. There are already safe and effective services in place to cover out of hour primary care based patient needs.
We are now required to assess each patient at the first point they approach the practice for care, which means our receptionists must ask questions to establish which NHS service is most appropriate for the patients needs. This will include community pharmacy services (which has recently improved with 7 new services available on a walk in basis), our physio first service or a number of other services we have access to but which aren’t based at the practice.
If, at the time of contact, all practice based capacity has been fully used, and the issue is not clinically urgent for same day attention, then you have the option of the next available triage slot (which may be up to 2 weeks from point of contact – but may also be completely utilised), completing a PATCHS request (which will be reviewed by reception on the day it is received – up to 4 pm when it will be reviewed the next working day - and passed for clinical triage the next working day) or accessing 111 for advice and support. You do, of course, always have the option to try again by phone the next working day, but you should not be asked to call again. Our reception front desks are open from 8.30 am every working day and again all of the booking options are available in person from that time. As we are all very aware, we are (across the whole of the NHS service) experiencing huge levels of demand – while COVID may well be over the backlogs created are a long way from being clear and, of course, those patients affected will need care and support while they are waiting.
We will continue to keep reviewing all of our access and capacity data, we do understand how frustrating it is when you want to access our services to find you can’t get seen how and when you would prefer, and we do try our very best to factor patient preferences in, but it is fair to say that we are very aware that demand is much greater than availability at the moment, although we are currently offering over 20% more access than the average availability across reporting practices in Bradford.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Everyone at Parklands Medical Practice
November 1st 2023 - Access to Medical Records
We sent a message last week that may not have opened correctly – this is what it advised
We’re required to provide you with access to your full medical record via the NHS app (& NHS website) if you’ve a suitable NHS login, from 22nd November 2023. We’re aware that not everyone will want access to their full record on the internet at this time, & there may be a worry about personal medical records being made available on smartphones or online especially if other people have access to devices.
If you would like to switch off access, please let us know before 17th November 2023. You can do this by emailing us at parklands.patients@nhs.net with your details and the words DECLINE ACCESS, by submitting a Patchs from our website or you can contact us by telephone, however, please ring after 11am. If you are happy to have access you DO NOT need to take any action, it will be set up automatically.
You can change your mind at any time by contacting the practice.
Further information is available here: NHS England » Patient information guides
Workforce Challenges
We would like to share some of the difficulties we are experiencing with gaps in our workforce. Recently we have said goodbye to receptionists, nurses and doctors, mainly due to the level of verbal abuse levelled at the team by patients.
Abuse has increased significantly over the last 2 years leaving us with a front of house team with little experience. Please be tolerant of any minor mistakes that may be made and be assured that the staff are doing their best to accommodate what the patients need.
At times it may be necessary to cancel or move appointments at short notice due to gaps in our teams. We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience this can cause, however, any rude or abusive behaviour towards any staff member is not acceptable.
We have a zero-tolerance policy towards rude and abusive behaviour. Any patient in breach of this policy will be contacted in writing and in some cases may be removed from the practice list.
We appreciate your cooperation at what is a challenging time for all of us.
Community Action Bradford & District, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, and Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership (Act as One) have worked alongside voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to establish a network of Warm Spaces throughout the district this winter
Cost of Living Bradford - Warm Spaces
NHS Digital Data Extraction
If you want to learn more about the NHS Digital data extraction that will go ahead on 23rd of June 2021 please go to : https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/
This includes how to opt out.
Is your child feeling poorly?
You can download a handy booklet to help you know what to do and when to access health services when your child is feeling poorly. The booklet gives you advice about how to help treat your child at home when they have a common childhood illness like a cough, a cold or sickness and diarrhoea. Also included is some advice about asthma.
Is your child poorly leaflet
Care Navigation
When you ring to book a GP appointment, you might notice the reception team will ask you for a brief outline of how they can help you.
This is because we have introduced something called Care Navigation. It means reception teams at GP practices across Bradford District and Craven have been trained to ensure they can help you to find the best service for your needs, so you can receive the right care more quickly.
The service is only for all patients and anything you share will be kept confidential.
Through this specialist training, reception teams will be able to direct you to the most appropriate clinician or service for your needs.
Reception staff will never offer clinical advice. Instead, this new way of working is about offering your choice to see more appropriate professionals in your local practice team or even somewhere else. If they can deal with the problem directly, it will often be quicker and means you may not need to see a GP at all.
By working this way, it helps to free-up time for GPs to care for patients with complex or serious health conditions that can only be managed by a doctor. More importantly though, it means people are seen first by the clinician that is best placed to help you with your health needs.
For more information please click the link below.
http://www.bradforddistrictsccg.nhs.uk/your-health-and-services-/care-navigation/
EXTENDED ACCESS SERVICE – INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS
This practice is part of the extended access service which provides GP, Physiotherapy, Nurse, and Health care assistant appointments from the following locations (hubs) across Bradford:
- North hub: Shipley Medical Practice, Alexandra Road, Shipley, Bradford BD18 3EG
- Central hub: Picton Medical Centre, Westbourne Green Community Health Care Centre, Manningham, Bradford, BD8 8RA
- South hub: The Ridge Medical Practice, Cousen Road, Bradford, BD7 3JX
As a patient registered with this practice, you have access to the following:
Weekday appointments
Evening appointments (6.30pm – 9.30pm) at any of the three hubs to see one of the following, subject to availability:
- GP
- Physiotherapist
- Nurse
- Health care assistant
- Voluntary sector services
Weekend appointments
Weekend appointments are available with a GP from 10.00am - 1.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays from the central hub, subject to availability.
More information about appointments with the extended access service
The service is run by Bradford Care Alliance, which represents all GP practices in the Bradford area. Medical appointments are with GPs and other healthcare staff who work in the area; so your appointment may not be with a clinician from this practice.
To use the service we will ask for your consent to share your medical record and our reception staff will explain what this means and why it is necessary. Click here to learn more about how and why we process your information.
Further details of the services and location maps are available here.
Join your patient participation group
Would you like to be more involved in your GP surgery?
Would you like to help make improvements?
We would love for you to join the PPG group, speak to the Care Navigation Team in reception to find out more!
General Data Protection Regulation
On Friday 25th May 2018 the General data Protection Regulation comes into force. This regulation ensures that the practice will have processes in place which ensure that all information held about patients and staff is secure. for further information please see the practice Privacy Notice accessible on the right hand side of this web page. If you wish family members to speak to the practice on your behalf you must give us permission to do so.
LARC service
(Long acting reversible contraceptive)
Staffing pressures mean the practice can no longer offer this service in house at this time.
Contraceptive and sexual health services can be accessed from LOCALA.
www.locala.org.uk
Contact centre for appointments and advice
030 3330 9500
Monday-Friday 08.30-16.30
February 2017
The practice hopes to deliver these services again soon once staffing shortages have been addressed.
The GP Patient Survey
Some patients registered at the surgery will soon receive a questionnaire about their experiences of local health services.
The survey covers issues such as access to services and satisfaction with treatment.
If you receive a survey please fill it in and return it as soon as possible.
It is really important that your views are heard.
Your response will help improve services we provide for our patients.
For further details and information in other languages please click the following link:
Friends And Family Test
How likely are you to recommend this practice to your friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?
PLEASE LET US KNOW...............
Dental Emergencies
Patients who have a dental emergency but do not have access to a dentist should contact NHS 111.
(Site updated 13/03/2024)