Getting help with Online Services
To help improve levels of care and access to services, we are now offering all patients an option for support in getting set up and using online apps: AskFirst and NHS App. Allowing you to manage your care in your own time, avoiding long waits in our call queues. You can do this by using our automated digital assistant- designed to empower and educate you to access services digitally.
How the digital assistant can help
- help in getting set up with the online apps
- help with booking certain appointment types using online apps
- help with managing and checking appointments
- help with accessing your medical record and test results
- help with managing and requesting prescriptions
- help and guidance with requesting sick notes or Med3
- help requesting proxy access
- help finding your NHS Number
If you’re a patient at our practice you can use this chatbot, an easy way to access a range of help and guidance to get set up online and best utilise your online services.
Launch digital assistant
AskFirst
AskFirst is a new app commissioned by BOB ICS (Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care System) to help patients get the right healthcare they need at the right time. It has been developed by local GPs and a leading IT company, Sensely. Using the app can help patients take more control of their own health.
We are working hard to make sure that patients in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West get the right service when they need it. For patients that need to see a GP we want to make sure that they can get access through mobile phone or smart devices.
We have been commissioned to develop and deliver AskFirst to support patients, registered with a practice within BOB, get easier access to primary care services.
The AskFirst app is free to download and features an interactive symptom checker which triages the patient to the most appropriate onward care service (self-care, NHS111, GP appointment or accident and emergency) within the appropriate timescale, effectively helping patients to choose the right service available.
The AskFirst app is available to download from the Appstore or Google Playstore. You can also use AskFirst on the web.
What are the benefits of using the app?
AskFirst offers many benefits which serve you, your practice and other patients.
AskFirst benefits you because:
- Book Direct – You can book urgent and routine appointments in less than 5 minutes
- Save Time – You will avoid long waits in telephone queues or in queues at the practice
- Instant Care – You get instant referrals to onward care services and cut out any unnecessary consultations in between which means improved care.
- 24/7 Care – Use AskFirst anytime, day or night. The app is available 24/7, 7 days a week
AskFirst benefits your practice and other patients because:
- The phone lines will be freed up for the elderly, frail, patients with disabilities or those without internet access
- Appointment usage will be better monitored resulting in improved efficiency in your practice resulting in better care for all
- Admin staff will have more time to work on administrative duties like communicating with you about yours and other patients’ care.
What can I do via AskFirst?
AskFirst offers all the clinical and administrative services your practice does in exactly the same way. This includes;
- Book routine appointments (physiotherapy, adult/child immunisations, wound dressing, NHS health checks, medication requests)
- Checking your symptoms and being referred to an urgent care service where necessary
- Booking an appointment with a GP if deemed necessary by the Symptom Checker
- Self refer to social prescribing
- Seek travel advice, self-care advice and find local services (dentist, pharmacy, opticians)
- Amend/cancel appointments
- Choose your own virtual healthcare assistant
- Make general requests and administrative queries
Please click here for more information on AskFirst including…
Patient Access
Online services allow you to:
- book, check or cancel appointments with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional
- order repeat prescriptions
- see parts of your health record, including information about medicines, vaccinations and test results
- see communications between your GP Medical Centre and other services, such as hospitals
How to register for Online Services
If you have not used our online services before you will need to:
- Come to the Surgery and provide photo ID so we can confirm your identity and the receptionist will then issue you with a username and password.
- Enter Patient Access and enter your registration details exactly as shown on the form.
- After registering, log on with your username and password.
NHS App
You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.
What the NHS App does
- get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it.
- order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to.
- book appointments – search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments.
- check your symptoms – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you.
- register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision.
- find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning.
- view parts of your GP record – including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results.
If you’re a patient at our practice you can use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.
Get the app
Non-urgent advice: Having Problems?
You can still contact the practice by phone or in person, this is just another option, which other patients have found is more convenient and saves them time. More information including “how to” leaflets and videos of patients and why they are using GP online services are available at www.nhs.uk/gponlineservices