In May 2024, our telephone system was updated to a new advanced system. This allows us to have more control, and offer our patients a simpler, more advanced telephone experience.
New Features available within our telephone system:
The Check and Cancel System
This automated system allows you to:
- Check the details of your upcoming appointments.
- Cancel appointments you no longer need – without having to wait on hold.
The benefits of using Check and Cancel Are:
- Saves time – No need to wait on hold
- Available 24/7 – Cancel Anytime, even outside surgery hours
- Helps free up appointments for other patients
To use Check and Cancel, simply phone our main telephone number 0117 980 5100 at any time. You must use the mobile number recorded in your clinical record when calling. The automated system will ask you for your date of birth in the format DD-MM-YY (For example, if your birthday was the 1st of January 1990, you should enter 010190.
Updated welcome message and new options to choose from.
We have revised our welcome message to make it shorter and updated all the information it provides. Callers will now hear 6 new options, these are:
- Option 1 to check, or cancel an appointment.
- Option 2 to book an appointment.
- Option 3 for Prescription Enquiries.
- Option 4 for Test results – This line is only open from 11:30.
- Option 5 for childhood imms
- Option 6 for all other enquiries
Call Back
If there are more than 5 people in the queue, or the queue waiting time is over 10 minutes long, you will be given the option of a ‘call back’. Selecting this option will end the call on your phone but keep you in our virtual queue. This means there is no longer a need to stay on the phone waiting, and you can continue about your day. Then when you reach the front of the queue, our team will call you back.
If you are unavailable when we call you back, you will stay in our virtual queue, and we will try again once after 5 minutes.
Call Recording
One of the new features of the new telephone system is call recording.
Call Recording
Some telephone calls may be recorded for training, monitoring and safety purposes.
To learn more, go to: https://orchardmedicalcentre.co.uk/call-recording-policy/
What does this mean for me?
Our telephone number is staying the same, to contact us, call 0117 980 5100.
The way in which we book appointments has not changed, and you will still be speaking with our health navigators when you call the practice. You can also request an appointment through the forms available on our website.
We have been working closely with our GP federation to setup this new system. We recognise that at times it can be tricky getting through to your GP surgery over the phone and staying on hold for over 10 mins can get frustrating. We hope that introducing a new system will ease the pressures on the phones and in turn make calling the surgery a much better experience.