Innovative Approach at Brigg GP Surgery Reduces Waiting Times

Riverside Surgery in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, is revolutionising patient care with an inventive ‘one-stop shop’ model. By enlisting care navigators and making use of progressive technology such as a dispensing robot and a 24-hour prescription vending machine, the surgery is drastically cutting waiting times and amplifying patient satisfaction. Catering to 24,000 patients spread over five sites, the surgery has instated a call-handling centre. Here, clinical decisions are reached at the initial point of contact. This strategy ensures that urgent cases receive precedence, while reducing the waiting period for non-urgent appointments. The surgery’s business manager, Michelle Slimm, underlines the role of technology in modernising services, with the dispensing robot ‘Vincent’ and the PharmaSelf24 prescription dispenser reducing staff workload and diminishing lines. This model, which features community visits by nurses such as Amanda Barlow, is perceived as the future of addressing the needs of an ageing populace. Patient representative Chris Darlington recognises the early challenges encountered by some with the novel system but points out the burgeoning acceptance and appreciation among patients. The endeavours of Riverside Surgery denote a significant transformation in primary healthcare provision in Lincolnshire, with the aim to harmonise clinical safety and patient expectations with the practicalities of modern general practice.

The Lincoln Post adapted this story from original reporting by www.bbc.com.