What a fantastic year 2015 it is going to be at our two Forest Medical sites!!!
January in particular is going to be an extremely busy and exciting month with the following improvements:
NEW TELEPHONE SYSTEM
The entire telephone system and network is being replaced at Oak Tree Lane Surgery and Rosemary Street Health Centre.
What this means for you, our patients? Well, to begin with ALL new telephones will be set to answer ALL calls between 08:00 and 09:00 each morning. This means a much shorter waiting time to speak to someone when you call in for urgent appointments on the day. Also, if you are wanting to be put through to anyone in particular such as myself, or the medical secretaries, the receptionists monitor will show if we are engaged on another call or in a meeting. This means you do not need to hang on while she tries to contact your specified person. You can merely hang up and we will call you back.
Another great thing about the new system is that the two sites will be networked together. Therefore we need only dial an extension to put you through to Rosemary Street from Oak Tree and vice versa. No more hanging up and making a brand new call to the other site.
I have put a great deal of effort into ensuring that the implementation of this new system does not cause any disruption throughout its duration. However, in my experience I will be shocked, stunned and ultimately flabbergasted if something does not go wrong. I therefore apologise now if you experience any inconvenience whilst the new phones are being installed and we are learning the new system.
MJOG
Also in the first two weeks of January I will be setting up an interactive text messaging service called MJOG. This three month free trial of MJOG works with our clinical system SystmOne to enable text message appointment reminders to be sent to your phone the day before your appointment. Not only that, you can also cancel your appointment using it too!! We will also use it to update your records on such things such as smoking status or invite you to health screening. You will be able to text back using specified words which will put the appropriate action or information into your medical record.
You will also receive the Friends and Family questionnaire via text message and can respond with your answer. This is now a contractual arrangement enforced by NHS England and we appreciate you taking the time to respond.
NEW STARTERS
We will be training up two apprentices while they study for their NVQ in Administration. These apprentices will learn all about how a GP Practice runs and will initially start by shadowing our front desk receptionists, scanners and prescription clerks.
I am sure you will welcome them and be patient with them throughout their training.
SELF CHECK IN MACHINE
I am sure that many of you who have had appointments at Oak Tree Lane have been a little frustrated by the fact that the self check-in machine has been out of action. However, we have purchased a new one and it will be installed in the first week of January.
NEW APPOINTMENT PROCEDURE
Dr Ghosh will retire at the end of January 2015 and due to this we have spent time looking at our present appointment structure and how it can improved to ensure our patients still receive and excellent service when we have one less key clinical member.
Details have now been finalised and can be seen in the appointments page of our website.
As you can see we are jumping into 2015 with guns blazing and we have a great deal of balls in the air to juggle. We constantly strive to make improvements to our service to you and thank you all in anticipation of your patience and understanding.
On behalf of all the partners and staff at Forest Medical I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and wish you all good health and happiness in 2015.
Sincerely
Nicola – Practice Manager