E-Consultation Service Update

Posted by: jessicahelyer - Posted on:

Our e-consultation tool is an accessible, simple and integrated way for patients to contact the practice. With short, easy to complete forms; patients can contact us with simple requests such as requesting repeat prescriptions, ongoing sick notes, test results or for routine appointments. Please allow at least 2 working days for your request to be fulfilled.

Administration Queries:

Doctor’s Letter

Patients request letters from their GP for a number of reasons and our doctors are frequently asked to provide private or ‘To Whom it May Concern’ letters or reports for third parties. The usual fee for a standard letter is a minimum of £30. Although more complicated/detailed letters or reports may attract a higher fee. Please allow at least 10 working days for your request to be fulfilled. For more information please see: https://www.woodhousemedicalpractice.nhs.uk/requesting-a-letter-from-your-gp/ 

Fit Note (Sick Note)

This is for requesting ongoing sick/fit notes. The statutory requirement is to self-certify for the first 7 days of an illness and the doctor will not issue a sick note to cover this period. If you require time off work for illness for a longer period than 7 days, you will require a sick/fit note. If you have not had a sick/fit note for this period of illness before, you will need to book an appointment prior to one being issued.

We will book you in for regular reviews if you receive ongoing sick notes and see if there is anything we can do to support you during this time of illness or helping you return to work. Please note, sick/fit notes can be backdated. We have a great service offered at the surgery by colleagues at DWP who can support you with advice and support to help you into or back into work. For more information please see: https://www.woodhousemedicalpractice.nhs.uk/2022/04/06/dwp-work-coach/ 

Questions about a Referral

You should have received some paperwork via a secure text message or post shortly after the doctor advised you they were processing a referral. That paperwork provides you with all the information you will need to either chase, book or cancel your referral. If you did not receive this, you can request this using this section of our website. We usually ask patients to chase their own referral as you can advise the hospital more effectively about your health needs and availability to attend for appointments and your health needs.

Repeat Prescriptions

You can request repeat prescriptions for any items you get on a regular basis. Please note you must allow at least 2 working days for the practice to approve your request and send it electronically to your nominated pharmacy. Your pharmacy will then need time to process the prescription before you can collect the items. Routinely, we will not contact you if your request is approved.

Test Results

This enables you to request test results to be sent via a secure text message. This is only if, if we have received them from the lab and they have been processed by the doctor. Alternatively, once your results have been sent back to us from the lab, you can access these results instantly via the NHS app, as long as you have an active account and linked it to our practice. Please note we do not email these requests as it is not secure. To create an online account linked to our practice, please see: https://www.woodhousemedicalpractice.nhs.uk/2021/10/18/requesting-online-access/ 

I need help with Something Else

This allows you to submit simple, quick and direct questions to the practice that do not require significant explanation. More complex questions may be better dealt with by phoning the practice direct.

I want help for a Medical Issue

This allows you to request non-urgent, routine appointments or ask for simple advice that you may not necessarily need an appointment. These requests will be reviewed by our trained and experienced administration team who will navigate and signpost your request to the most appropriate team or service. This may not always be a doctor as we have several clinicians who work within our practice and provide specialist care such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, social prescribers or mental health workers.

Many of the above requests can be done via the NHS app without having to use our e-consultation tool. If you do not already have online access but would like to, please see: https://www.woodhousemedicalpractice.nhs.uk/2021/10/18/requesting-online-access/