Access to your GP medical records from 29th November 2023 onwards for all patients 16 years and above
As from 29st November 2023 all patients 16 years old and above will automatically have full forward access to their GP health record from the date this goes live.
This can be accessed via sign up/login to the NHS App. Patients should not need anything from the surgery as the relevant identity checks can be completed via the NHS App.
If a patient cannot verify their identity through the NHS App, they will be asked to contact the surgery.
If you cannot access the form online please collect a paper copy from reception.
In order to process your request you will need to verify your I.D by uploading a photo of yourself holding the I.D documents or bring this into reception. Please ensure that all documents are readable.
If patients want to see their historical medical record this would be a SARS request and they would need to put this in writing.
If you want an e-Consult today please submit a e-Consult form by 5pm, anything after 5pm will be triaged the next working day
This Autumn Highfield Surgery is excited to introduce a new service to improve patient access and to allow us to give you the best service based on clinical / health needs.
This service is called eConsult, and it will allow you to contact us online at any time of the day or night and at your own convenience.
Please note that Nurse appointments will remain bookable via telephone ONLY.
All the partners and staff at Highfield Surgery will endeavour to provide all our patients with the highest quality care that we can. Patient confidentiality is assured at all times as all staff are required to sign a confidentiality agreement ensuring that strict rules are adhered to at all times. Highfield Surgery is also registered with the Data Protection Act.
Access to your GP Practice is changing– Beat the phone line lottery
This Autumn Highfield Surgery is excited to introduce a new service to improve patient access and to allow us to give you the best service based on clinical / health needs.
This service is called eConsult, and it will allow you to contact us online at any time of the day or night and at your own convenience.
You can access eConsult via our website, or via the NHS App on your phone.
Your eConsult query will be assessed. You will receive an acknowledgement by the end of the next working day (or within 72 hours for administrative queries). This will include details advising of your appointment date and time or follow up steps required.
You may be offered an appointment with other clinicians such as advanced nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, physician associates, mental health nurse or referred to the community pharmacist. These health professionals are the best people to see for certain conditions and will be able to give you more time than a GP.
Please do not telephone us. eConsult takes away the need to queue on the telephone between 8am and 6.30pm each day! This service ensures that your query is dealt with efficiently. This will help keep the lines free for vulnerable patients, emergencies, or those without internet access.
eConsult lets you consult with us online by completing a quick form that is sent and reviewed by the practice.
If you do not have internet access, you can call the surgery and the reception staff will fill an eConsult-lite on your behalf. The form is similar to the one on our website and the receptionist will therefore need to ask a lot of questions in order to complete your query on the phone. We ask for your patience as we are aware this will take longer.
eConsult will be available seven days a week, 24hrs a day. Your eConsult or eConsult-lite will be triaged and signposted based on clinical need. You will receive an acknowledgement by the end of the next working day for clinical queries (or within 72 hours for administrative queries) – excluding weekends & Bank Holidays. This acknowledgment will include, either details advising of your appointment date and time, a response to your query or the next follow up steps.
Click the link for a step-by-step guide of how to use eConsult.
Please note that Nurse appointments will remain bookable via telephone ONLY.
Please telephone the surgery (01442 265322) to book an appointment for the following:
Cervical screening (smear test)
Vaccinations
Blood glucose monitoring
Blood tests
Blood pressure checks
Ear irrigation
ECG
INR
NHS Health Check
Wound dressings
Removal of stiches/clips/sutures
24hr blood pressure monitoring
Urine dipstick
Important information
eConsult will pick up on urgent/life threatening conditions and you may be asked to attend the Urgent Care Centre or Accident & Emergency Department. Please do not call the Surgery.
Please be aware that any misuse of this service could potentially lead to your removal from the Practice
eConsult FAQs
When can I use eConsult?
You can submit your eConsult seven days a week, 24hrs a day. No replies over weekends and bank holidays.
What happens if I have more than one issue?
Please submit one eConsult per problem. This will allow us to gather more accurate information to help you.
When will I get a response back?
The clinician will review your response and get back to you by the end of the next working day for clinical queries. We will contact you by phone or by email.
What about the Elderly and Vulnerable?
Elderly patients who have access to the internet can use the service, otherwise they can call the surgery as usual on the practice telephone number. The receptionist will have to ask you questions to complete this form for you. This will be a longer phone call than usual.
What about my Child?
Parents can submit an eConsult on behalf of their children if they are > 6 months. For children < 6 months please phone the surgery.
How old do I need to be to use eConsult?
You can submit your own eConsult once you are 16 years old. If you are aged 16-17, to submit an eConsult select the ‘For your child’ tab. If 18 or over submit your eConsult normally. If you are below 16 and wish to discuss an issue of which your parents are not aware, please phone the surgery to speak to reception.
But I need to be seen?
Your eConsult will be reviewed by a Clinician who will then decide if you need to be seen for a face-to-face appointment. The practice will inform you of this.
You may be offered an appointment with other clinicians such as advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physician associates, mental health nurse or referred to the community pharmacist. These health professionals are the best people to see for certain conditions and will be able to give you more time than a GP.
What happens if my condition is not listed on eConsult?
If your condition is not listed, please select the option ‘Ask about general symptoms….’
Can I submit photos?
You may be asked to submit a photo with your eConsult to help us with a diagnosis. However, please do not include photos of intimate areas – for example genitalia or breasts.
I have an administrative request.
You can submit admin requests such as requesting a fit note (sick note) by selecting “I want administrative help” on the eConsult page.
Just a Click Away We aim to make your contact with the Surgery as easy as possible, therefore you can now access a number of services online. Ordering a repeat prescription is just a click away, and if you’re not yet registered with online services, please complete our Online Services Registration form, or pop into the practice for a registration pack.
Visiting the Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic We are still open and available for all of our patients so if you are feeling unwell or are experiencing any change in your health, please do contact us. We are still your GP Surgery and still here to look after you, our Doctors and Nurses are still working and are available to speak to you and then offer you a normal face to face appointment if they feel you need to be seen.
Many patients may be having health issues and we are keen for these not to be forgotten. If you have any health concerns please do ring for telephone advice initially or you can contact us through our Website if you’d prefer.
Help Us to Help You! Be Kind!
There is a nationwide campaign that was launched by the Institute of Practice Management highlighting the abuse that general practice reception staff can face on a daily basis. We are partnering with a group of GP surgeries that also serve our local community to make an official statement and to share awareness of this campaign, as disappointingly we do experience this from a small number of our patients.
The past 18 months are likely a period in our history which no one would ever wish to see repeated; it has affected every single person. Whilst a lot of sectors and industries have shut up shop or reduced their capacity in an effort to keep their employees safe, Primary Care has not only remained open, but has increased the number of appointments available, ensured that all premises are COVID secure, changed the way we work completely to maintain services, all of this whilst at the same time managing a vaccination centre to ensure our patient populations receive their COVID Vaccines as quickly as possible. We are dealing with unprecedented levels of demand.
Your local GP practice has continued to care for patients by adapting their way of working to ensure that you could continue to receive the care you needed. Changes such as telephone and online triage were brought in not only to protect patients, but also to mitigate risk and protect the staff as much as was possible, thereby ensuring that staff were able to come into work every single day throughout this pandemic. Whilst accessing your surgery may have been and may continue to be in a different way, we have always been open and have been seeing patients that needed to be seen.
Every member of staff has gone above and beyond, sometimes at a cost to themselves (and sometimes their family) to ensure that patients get the best possible care that we can deliver under such challenging circumstances. We are all tired. We have all been pushed to our limits, and often beyond. All whilst working harder than ever before, so a patient shouting or swearing can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Unfortunately, the love and appreciation that was there for the NHS has diminished and it has been replaced with aggression and frustration. The increase in abuse that our reception staff and doctors alike have had to endure is totally unacceptable. The swearing, shouting, heartless comments, and slander which is posted on social media is frankly, quite demoralising and does not always represent the truth. We do not deserve to be treated in this way and we will not hesitate to implement our zero-tolerance policy on anyone who thinks this type of behaviour is, whether in person or on social media.
We ask that you be kind to anyone you come into contact with at your surgery – we are trying our best to serve you safely and ensure your health is looked after. Everything we do is with the aim to continue to provide the best care and support needed to our patients whilst keeping everyone safe.
NHS digital NHS COVID Pass information can be found here on this website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/ How to get a digital NHS […]
In Dacorum, all the GPs have joined forces and the Covid vaccination centre has been set up in Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead.
Primary care has been entrusted to vaccinate all patients aged 50 and over and we will be doing so by strict order of priority as advised by the JCVI .
We are all running a text/call service using a system called AccuBook. If you have a mobile phone, you will likely receive a message from your GP surgery inviting you to make an appointment for your jab. If you do not have a mobile phone, you will get a phone call instead.
At the same time, NHS England is setting up a central NHS booking system for its sites, including the one in Stevenage. It is therefore possible that some local residents will receive both a text/call from their local GP and a letter from the NHS about the site in Stevenage. It is possible that you might get the letter from the NHS about the Stevenage site first, and this may well be confusing for some. You as the patient will have a personal choice. If you choose to go to Stevenage, you can. But you are not obliged to – you can get your jab in Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead, once your GP gets in contact.
Please make sure that you book your appointment for your Covid Vaccination as soon as you can when invited.
If you book your appointment and cannot attend, please remember to cancel your appointment using the link shared in the message.
We have recently been having a lot of patients booking their vaccine at Maxted Road and not turning up. This takes away an appointment for another patient and wastes considerable resources at our site.
Please protect yourselves and protect those that you care about. Get your jab.
FAQs
Question: How will we be invited for an appointment.
Answer: Text message, or a phone call for those who don’t have mobile phones.
Question: Do I have to go to the Stevenage vaccination site?
Answer: No, it is your choice, you can wait to be called by your GP to attend the Hemel Hempstead vaccination centre.
Question: Where will we be getting the vaccine?
Answer: One Central Site in Dacorum.
Question: When do I need to contact the surgery to make an appointment?
Answer: Do not contact the surgery, we will contact you
Long-Term Condition Review
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