A Fermanagh Health Centre is introducing a new booking mechanism for patients in order to increase the number of calls answered on a daily basis.

Maple Healthcare, Lisnaskea’s new appointments system is set to help patients have better access to the booking process.

A Maple Healthcare spokesperson said: “The practice has recognised the issues that patients have been experiencing in terms of access through listening to their concerns and dialogue with local representatives.

“To address this issue, we have spent significant time in preparing to adjust our ways of working to ensure efficient and reliable access for patients who require appointments.”

The practice has increased its phone lines during this period as well as the number of clerical staff available on phones from 9am to 10.30am daily to book these appointments. 

The spokesperson said: “All appointment requests will be triaged by clinical staff in real time to ensure that patients are given an appropriate timescale to be seen, considering their presenting complaint, in terms of same-day, face-to-face appointments, urgent telephone appointments or routine appointments.

“This will ensure that patients who have more serious complaints are prioritised.”
A Maple Healthcare GPs statement said: “We’re asking our patients to work with us as we embed this new way of working into our practice.

“We have been trialling this new system for a number of weeks and are happy that this is enabling us to provide patients with easier and more efficient access to the practice for the booking of appointments.

“Through looking at our initial pilot stage, between these times we have reduced the number of patients who cannot get through on the telephone by 70 per cent, and we have increased the number of calls answered by 30 per cent.

“We anticipate that as this new way of working becomes live, these numbers will significantly improve further.

“To enable us to provide an efficient service for patients when booking appointments, it is important that patients who are not looking to book an appointment do not call between the hours of 9am and 10.30am.

“All other queries and requests will be dealt with after 10.30am. We also advise that patients do not attend the practice in order to book an appointment.

“We believe through the successful implementation of this initiative, we can provide a better service for our patients through better access and the more efficient use of resources.

“We thank our patients in advance for their patience and assistance in making these very significant changes to our service.”