Launch day at a practice is something I always look forward to, yet not without a twinge of nervousness – things can go wrong and a difficult day dents enthusiasm which takes time to recover.
Special circumstances at Larwood in Worksop, Bassetlaw were that they had a two week average wait to overcome, and at 32,500 patients were the largest single practice we’d worked with. Their patients were also used to a walk-in service which was abolished with 1 week’s notice, on the same day (simple message, this is the one system now, it has to work).
Well the phone system fails to go over at 8.30 as it always has… 25 patients turn up unaware of the change… but it would have been 100. A small team from management is in the waiting room guiding patients, being helpful and kind, explaining the system.
The start feels a bit chaotic, with queries from GPs trying out their view of online demand for the first time. But work is being done, and by lunchtime we have the first patient surveys – 81% say the new system is better (27/33) and smiles are breaking out.
I hand over the blog to Dr Steve Kell, because he can communicate and all I can do is watch with humbled awe as the week unfolds in tweets.
Steve Kell @SteveKellGP
——-
Quite a day. Changed practice systems today, introduced @askmygp and all patients who contacted the practice dealt with today. Great team.
——-
Hi. AskmyGP – online and telephone access, huge change but great feedback from staff and patients.
——–
Massive change management task but all patients dealt with yesterday, blank screen again today. Fingers crossed.
——-
2 days into full system change to @askmygp:
Really impressed. Different feel to day
Job satisfaction and service ⬆️
Stress ⬇️
Wait – gone
——–
Day 4 of @askmygp – all patients seen so far if needed. Skin problem for 2 years, seen within 20 minutes of submitting message online. ?
———
Week 1 of @askmygp. Exceeded all expectations. Job satisfaction, responsive and one of the best weeks I’ve had as a GP in 18 years.
——-
Have been doing @askmygp 1 week and never had better access AND better continuity. All my patients can speak to me and see me if needed.
——————————————————
The last word is from an anonymous patient, one of 417 who got help online with askmyGP, about 20% of demand in week 1 at Larwood. It surprised me:
“I like this service as it is more personal between me and the doctor . Also it gives the doctor more chance to look at records so they know what has been done in the past . This means I don’t have to wait time trying to explain.”
Relief. The humans are in control, not the computers.
Harry Longman
This page is not for patients, who must find their own practice website to use askmyGP.
