Overview

Over 1,600 GP surgeries - approx 55% of all surgeries in the UK - are in a position to offer their patients the ability to book, amend and cancel GP appointments via digital interactive TV, Wii and mobile phone using the Looking Local portal. Patients can also order repeat prescriptions using the same secure service ensuring a continuity of supply.

Looking Local, in conjunction with EMIS, the leading primary care systems provider has extended the successful internet based GP booking and repeat prescription services to TV, mobile and Wii in order to reach households across the digital divide and those who find TV and mobile services more convenient.

Patients across the country are now able to safely access their GP's appointment book just by pushing a few buttons on their remote control or mobile phone. Patients are given a PIN number and ID and have access to the same system that the doctor's receptionist uses when someone phones up or asks for an appointment in person. When ordering a repeat prescription the patient can see a list of their regular medicines and order those that they are running low on, the doctor still signs off the prescription - as they would under any other ordering method - and then the prescription is ready to collect.

Benefits

• Some surgeries marketing all electronic channels have experienced incredible take up, with over 50% of appointments being booked electronically
• This has led to a significant decrease in the number DNA (Do Not Attends), in one case dropping from 13% to less than 0.5% in six months
• A decrease in DNAs means the surgery has greater resources and more time to give to patients
• Once the EMIS software is installed in the surgery, allowing access via Looking Local is a simple command within the system, no additional technical work is required
• Links in with other health, Telecare and Telehealth offerings via Looking Local
• Coherent, useful, sticky service that will encourage usage and fits in with the local strategic partnerships and community cohesion of services
• Goes towards meeting local policy, political and strategic objectives

Service Features

• Allows real time access to the diary of all the doctors diaries in the surgery, showing all available slots to allow the patient to chose the one most convenient for them
• Safe, secure, personalised system
• Negates the need to call as soon as the surgery opens and wait for the receptionist to get an appointment (the surgery can still keep certain emergency slots back using their end of the system)
• Free on DiTV, available 24/7 and accessible on the go on mobile phones and on the Wii
• Easy to navigate, accessibility and usability tested and specifically designed for each device

Comments

"I can get my medication sorted and book a time to see the doctor while watching TV so it doesn't feel like a chore. Most of my colleagues would love it if they knew about it and it would be perfect for my Dad who doesn't have internet and spends hours on the phone and in the surgery at the moment."