Possible Alternatives to Booking a GP Appointment
GP surgeries provide advice on a number of issues in relation to examinations, treatment, vaccinations, prescriptions and other routine healthcare; but did you know there are lots of other local NHS services that you can go to directly for help?
Please read our guide to Possible alternatives to booking a GP appointment (pdf)
NHS England - List Maintenance Project
Registration letters from NHS England – please respond if you get one
The NHS is carrying out work in Bath, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire to make sure the patient details on GP lists are accurate. Letters are being sent to some patients, but not all. If you do receive a letter, please either confirm your details or submit any changes. If the details are correct, you can confirm by freepost, by Freephone, via text message or online. Changes can also be made by returning the form in the prepaid envelope
It is important to respond to the letter, as GP lists do become out of date over time. If we don’t have an accurate record of your name and address, then we or a hospital may not be able to contact you with important information.
We may also need to contact you:
- with test results
- to invite you for bowel, breast or cervical screening to protect against cancer, for example
- to offer vaccination against infectious diseases such as flu or measles, mumps and rubella
- to give you an appointment as part of your plan to stay healthy if you have a long-term illness.
Please respond to the letter within four weeks, so the NHS can be certain about your details. If you do not respond, the NHS will assume that you have moved away, and begin the process to remove you from the practice list.
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Patients that DNA (do not attend)
Patients that do not attend appointments are a problem not only for St James Surgery but nationally. We have approximately 107 DNA missed appointments per month (averaged over the past 12 months). Please help reduce this number by contacting us if you cannot make your appointment. For more information, read our DNA policy
SystmOnline Services
SystmOnline provides patients with access to online services at the practice. Drop into the practice with a photo ID (passport, driving licence etc) and register for login details. With access to SystmOnline you can order repeat prescriptions, book appointments online and even access a short summary of your patient record using this service.
The Friends and Family Test (FFT)
The Friends and Family Test is an important feedback tool. It gathers information anonymously about your recent experiences when visiting the surgery. FFT provides a mechanism to highlight both good and poor patient experiences and as a patient registered with the practice, you have the opportunity to take the test after every visit. The test is available to complete on line here on the website or you can pick up a form from reception.