AQW 1492/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health what proposals he has to modernise communication between patients and General Practices and hospitals, to improve the service for patients making appointments.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 4 February 2020
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 4 February 2020
- Answer due by
- 19 February 2020
- Answered
- 4 March 202029 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
As GP practices are independent contractors there are a variety of approaches taken to communicate with patients. GP Clinical Systems can now offer, 24/7 access to booking appointments, two-way messaging between clinicians & patients, and facilitate requests for repeat medications. Some practices only offer a subset of these services.
The Health & Social Care Board ran the “Ask My GP” pilot in 2018/19, providing a telephone triage model of pre appointment assessment prior to appointment booking. The Health & Social Care Board also approved grants for GP practices to upgrade GP telephone systems to provide patients with access to a menu of services.