New Online Triage for Urgent appointments

Posted on April 24th, 2026

New Online Triage for Urgent appointments. 💻

🌟 Coming soon 🌟, in keeping with the New GP Contract, Government directive and many other GP Surgeries in England, we are moving to the Online Triage System for urgent appointments provision.

Instead of telephoning the practice, all requests for urgent appointments will require the completion of a simple online triage form, accessed from a smartphone, NHS App or our website, where you will describe your symptoms/needs.

The form will then be assessed by a clinician.

We will reply and inform you of how we will manage your request – ranging from a Face to Face or telephone appointment with a GP/clinician or pharmacist, or we may signpost to a more appropriate service, or give healthcare advice.

As with any new system, there are likely to be challenges and adjustments, but feedback nationally, from many other GP Surgeries already using the Total Triage model, has been universally very positive. With patients receiving replies to their enquiries often within hours of submitting their form, avoiding the inconvenience of waiting in a queue on the phone.

Streamlining service provision in this way is a more effective use of the NHS resource and aims to give appointments to those in most need of one.

For patients unable to contact the practice online, our reception phone lines will remain open for guidance and support in completing the form.

There are no changes to making Practice routine and Nurse appointments, wound dressings appointments, vaccination appointments, HCA or chronic disease (diabetes/asthma/COPD) appointments, and the minor illness.

It is important for you to provide detailed and accurate information about your symptoms on the form. To improve efficiency, and to reduce our need to request more initial information from you, please include how long you have had your symptoms, their severity/effect on your function, and what treatment you have already tried. This will help us triage appropriately.

Please submit only one problem on the form and ensure your contact details – telephone/text/email details – are up-to-date.

Urgent Triage will be open Monday to Friday during core hours. For medical advice over the weekend and bank holidays, please continue to use 111, or 999 for life-threatening emergencies.

7 common conditions can be treated directly by local pharmacists.

These are:

Sinusitis age 12+
Sore throat age 5+
Ear infection/acute otitis media age 1-17
Infected insect bite age 1+
Impetigo skin infection age 1+
Shingles aged 18+
Uncomplicated urinary tract infection for women aged 16-64

For more information on this pharmacy service: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/advice-and-information/2024-11-15/what-can-pharmacy-first-scheme-do-me

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we making this change?

Access to a GP appointment has been a national challenge for years. Urgent Triage will significantly reduce the traditional rush to seek an appointment when surgeries open. It aims to improve patients receiving the right care at the right time.

What if I don’t have a smart phone, online computer access or communication needs?

You can still contact the practice by phone and we will assist you in completing the online Triage form.

How are you advertising the change to Total Triage?

Our Patient Participation Group are kindly disseminating information about the change to Total Triage by a variety of means, and assisting/educating patients accordingly.

We will use digital and poster messaging and social media.

Can a receptionist book an urgent GP appointment over the phone for me directly?

No, all urgent requests must use the form. Whichever way you contact us – online, in person or over the phone, all urgent requests will go through the same ‘single way in’ online Triage process.

What happens if I need an urgent appointment?

Your request will be triaged by a clinician and an appropriate appointment will be booked for you.

How do I submit an admin query?

Requests for sick notes and other administrative can also be made using the online form.

Can I still choose the doctor I wish to see?

You can request to see or speak to a specific doctor by stating so on the form, and we will take this into account when raising our response, but cannot guarantee this.