From May 2021, the Practice decided to use the eConsult system as the first point of contact for patients. This system is available from the Home Page of the website or by clicking on the eConsult logo below.
If you want advice from your doctor, self-help information or have an administrative request (such as a sick note or test results), please complete an eConsult request and a Clinician will get back to you within one working day. Parents can also complete on behalf of their child.
Below are answers to some of the most frequently-asked questions about the eConsult system.
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How will I benefit from using eConsult?
Patients will not have to telephone the practice. They will simply complete the request online to tell the Surgery why help or advice is needed. The Surgery will respond either by telephone or online with details of what is necessary.
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What if the eConsult system is telling me to stop completing the form and ring the surgery to speak to a doctor?
If this happens, the receptionist will advise the best course of action. However, rewording the eConsult can resolve this issue at times.
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What if I have no way of accessing the website or cannot use technology?
Routine telephone appointments will be available but you may have to wait for these. We would encourage all our patients to try and complete the health questionnaire on our website, either by themselves or with help from a family member. This saves time for you and us.
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What if I can’t or don’t want to use the eConsult service and just want to see a doctor?
Routine telephone appointments will be available but you may have to wait for these. We would encourage all our patients to try and complete the health questionnaire on our website, either by themselves or with help from a family member. This saves time for you and us.
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Can I still book an appointment with my GP for a future date?
The Clinician will arrange a follow up appointment if necessary.
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Will all health questionnaires submitted on behalf of a child receive a call back from a GP?
The Clinician will decide on the best response and will contact the parent/guardian accordingly. If it us an urgent issue however, we have triage every day from 8.30am -10.30am, please telephone the surgery.
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If a GP decides that a patient needs to be seen again in about a week, how does this work?
The GP will arrange review at the initial appointment.
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Can I request a date and time for an appointment or call back?
If a face to face appointment or telephone appointment is required the response will ask you to call the practice and you can then discuss times with the reception staff.
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The Practice has been using the eConsult for a number of months now. How are their patients getting on with it?
The eConsult system has been used successfully for five months at Central Avenue Surgery, as well as in many other Practices across Ayrshire. Feedback has on the whole been very positive, especially considering it has not been in use long.
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I have to hand in my phone when I start work, so how can answer if you call me back?
Please advise on your questionnaire that you are uncontactable and the Clinicians will send a message electronically for you to pick up when you next have your telephone.
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If I do not need to use eConsult for a specific Nurse Appointment, when can I call the Surgery?
Surgery Opening hours are 8:00am to 5:30pm, with closing on a Wednesday between 1:00pm and 2:00pm for meetings and training.
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What happens when you need a repeat prescription but haven’t got the slip? Is this an option on the form?
Repeat prescriptions should be requested online via the practice website.
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I feel that I need an appointment today and cannot wait until the next working day, how can I arrange an appointment?
Urgent issues are dealt by phoning the practice between 8:30am and 10:30am each morning. Be prepared to leave a telephone contact number and brief details of the urgent issue. The ANP will triage all calls and call patients back.
