Update from The Communications and Engagement Team 
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

To all patients and residents across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

Following the global IT outage on Friday 19 July 2024, we can report that EMIS - the appointment and patient record system - is now up and running for GP practices, community pharmacies, and the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) service.

However, please note that disruption does continue for these services due to the backlog of work that has been created by the outage.

The POD team has been working over the weekend to ensure recent prescription orders are processed and staff have also been redeployed to manage the situation. Delays should be expected in the authorising and dispensing of medications, and where GP practice and community pharmacy colleagues are needing to input paper records, taken during Friday’s outage, onto their systems.

Patients are asked to only order repeat prescriptions when they are needed to ensure the services are able to prioritise those which are urgent.

Teams are working incredibly hard to work through the backlog so please be mindful of this should you need to use these services over the coming week and be understanding when speaking to staff.

Please continue to attend any arranged healthcare appointments unless informed otherwise and use the healthcare service which best suits your needs including your local pharmacy and NHS 111 online or call 111 for urgent health advice as normal. To find out which service is right for you, we have put together the following guide to help: ‘Think Which Service’.

Remember, 999 and A&E are for emergency, life-threatening illnesses only.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.   We are still experiencing problems with our computer system and still unable to access the full system, including the appointment system, online access and prescriptions.   We would ask for your continued patience until full service is restored.

In this situation, we would ask that you only contact the practice if your request is urgent.  We will endeavour to keep you informed, as we continue to monitor the situation.

Thank you.

** We currently do not have any access to our appointment system or triage requests. If your query is routine and can wait, please contact us next week. We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause**

A brand new Shrewsbury wide initiative to support local GP practices with extra capacity through the winter is launching soon. The winter Illness Centre set up by Shrewsbury Primary Care Network will start to offer extra appointments from late October 2023. The aim of the service is to provide additional appointments to reduce pressure on primary care and support reducing the number of people visiting hospital Emergency Departments. The winter illness centre will provide appointments for patients with respiratory symptoms such as a cough, sore throat or earache. It is not a walk in service and appointments will not be offered to patients with conditions that are chronic, complex or require ongoing care. If patients are not able to get to the centre they will be seen in their usual practice. Dr Charlotte Hart, Clinical Director for Shrewsbury Primary Care Network said “We are pleased to be able to offer extra face to face ‘on the day’ appointments that will help to take the pressure off our GP practices this winter. The hope is that the centre will run Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm once it gets established.” Please remember that if you need help and advice quickly about a medical condition, visit NHS111 online to find out where you need to go to get the treatment and help you need.

Riverside Medical Practice - New appointment system

AccuRx Triage

Here at Riverside, we have been very aware of the increasing difficulties you have been experiencing as patients in accessing appointments when you need them. Whilst we recognise this is a national issue, it has been made more difficult in our Practice as we have had significant shortages of GPs in the last 6 months.

We have been reviewing the ways we can make this better, so that you have the confidence you will get the advice you need, when you need it.

From 6 July 2023, access to appointments will be made via the Practice website –

www.riverside-medical.co.uk and clicking on the Accurx – Electronic Consulting box.

Patients will complete a simple form outlining their reason for the appointment request. This request will be submitted through the secure online process and be reviewed by a clinician for the appropriate appointment to be made. The online form is available 8.00am-4.00pm every weekday.

For patients without access to the internet they will continue to speak to reception who will complete the online form for them and will submit on their behalf, in the same way as if it were submitted through the internet.

Patients will be contacted within 2 working days of submitting the request unless the clinician triaging the submitted request feel it is more urgent. In this case we will make contact before 3pm that day.

Patients will also be able to use the online form to make enquiries about blood test results, fit notes, reports, and other administrative issues, to save them having to telephone the practice.

For patients, one of the benefits of using this on-line access system, will be that the phone lines will be freed up, making the practice as accessible as possible. If you do have access to the internet from a Smart phone/ tablet or PC then please submit the request yourself. All forms are dealt with in the order they come in and getting a receptionist to complete it will not mean it is dealt with any quicker.

Relatives can also complete the forms for their relatives with the assurance that the response will go to the patient.

Our aim is to help you get the best clinician for the problem you have described, within a time frame that is clinically appropriate.

Tips to help us help you!

• Put as much relevant detail in the text box when you complete the form.
• It is always useful for us to know how long something has been troubling you, and if you are able to state what it is you are worried about, that too can help.
• If you have seen someone at the practice already then let us know who.
• If you have a strong preference to be consulted in person –face to face, on the telephone or via text response that is also useful to know.
• If you think you may need a home visit, please tell us.
• If you think your problem is urgent and needs help on that day, please tell us.
• Please make sure you keep us up to date with your contact details.

We will be evaluating how this system develops and would welcome your feedback on how you found this new service.

Many Thanks for your understanding

Dr Sarah Henshaw on behalf of the Partners and Management team