From Wednesday 29 April 2026, St Johns Surgery will be introducing a new Total Triage system for how patients request GP appointments.
This change is being introduced to help us manage demand more safely, reduce long phone queues, and ensure that patients are prioritised based on clinical need, rather than how quickly they can get through on the phones.
What is Total Triage?
Total Triage means that every request to see or speak to a GP will begin with a short form.
This helps our clinical team understand your symptoms or concerns and ensure you receive the right care at the right time.
The information you provide allows us to assess whether you need:
Advice or self‑care
A prescription
A clinician call
A GP appointment
Signposting to another service (Pharmacy, First Contact Physiotherapy, NHS 111 or 999 when appropriate)
What do I need to do?
You do not need to do anything yet.
We will share full details and instructions on how to submit a GP request closer to the launch date.
What if I cannot complete a form myself?
Our phone lines will remain open, and our reception team will complete the form with you if you are unable to do it yourself.
Nobody will be excluded from care.
This includes patients who:
Do not use the internet
Cannot complete forms independently
Need language support
Prefer to contact us by phone or in person
Nurse and Healthcare Assistant Appointments
Appointments with our Practice Nurses or HCAs will continue to be booked by reception as normal.
These appointments do not require a form.
Why are we introducing this change?
Total Triage helps us:
Reduce long phone queues
Prioritise urgent needs safely
Improve fairness and consistency
Direct patients to the right clinician or service first time
Provide quicker solutions where an appointment is not needed
Thank you for your understanding and support as we prepare for this improvement to our service.
Further updates will follow soon.
