Patients in Humber, Coast and Vale can access medical advice and help from their GP – without needing to visit their local GP practice in person or wait on the phone.
The free online GP practice service, which can be used at any time of the day, can save people time because it removes the need for them to make unnecessary phone calls or trips to their GP practice to request the help they need. The confidential online service can be used by anyone registered with a GP practice and is accessible via smartphone, tablet or computer.
Patients using the service will be able to:
- Seek medical advice about a new problem or an ongoing issue
- Take part in an online consultation
- Order repeat prescriptions
- Manage appointments
- Request test results
- Request GP letters and ‘fit for work’ notes
To access the online service, patients can visit their GP practice website and follow the simple instructions. They can use the search tool at nhsonline.info to find their GP practice website and more information about GP online services.
Dr Nigel Wells, a GP and Clinical Lead for the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, said:
“The free GP practice online service gives patients much more flexibility and choice in how and when they access healthcare.
“People with busy lives often struggle to find the time to contact their GP practice to request help, so this service offers them the convenience of accessing GP services online, at a time that suits them.
“This means patients can avoid unnecessary trips to their GP practice for non-urgent health issues, and they won’t need to spend time waiting on the phone, as requesting medical advice and administrative tasks such as managing repeat prescriptions and getting test results can now be managed online.
“This service does not replace face-to-face appointments, which will continue to be available for anyone who needs them. By people accessing services online when it’s appropriate to do so, it frees up face-to-face GP appointments for those people who really need them.”
For patients requesting online consultations, symptoms can be submitted via a simple online form. They will then get a response from their GP practice within 1-2 working days. This could be via email, phone or video call.
The response from your GP surgery could include medical advice, the offer of a face-to-face appointment or referral to another health service, such as your local pharmacy.
You should contact the NHS 111 service if you require urgent medical attention, or call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department in an emergency.
To access the GP online service, visit your GP practice website.
You can use the search tool at nhsonline.info to find your GP practice website and find out more about GP online services.
