GPs are now triaging all requests for doctor appointments

This a “Modern General Practice” model to make access to care and treatment easier for patients and improve patient satisfaction. This is a national NHS project, and all general practices must adopt this system by 31st March 2025.

Patients will need to register for PATCHS (our online consultation platform) via our website to submit their request by completing the form, providing as much information as possible.

We appreciate that this may not be possible for some patients and have provisions in place to help with this.

If you are unable or do not have access to the internet, then you can contact the surgery in the usual way and one of our receptionists will complete the form for you either over the telephone or in person. This will be added to the triage list for the GP to review and triage in the same way.

All clinical requests will be triaged by one of our experienced GPs who will decide what the best course of action is. To help our doctors prioritise patients who may need more urgent care, where necessary we may need to ask a few more questions.

The triaging GP will either offer you a Face to Face or Telephone appointment bookable by a “self-book” link, or you may receive a reply with self-care advice or signposted to a more appropriate service.

We understand change can sometimes be difficult, but we are confident that Total Triage will have many benefits including:

  • Addressing the increasing demand for appointments
  • Avoid the frustration of the 8am telephone rush.
  • Reduce waiting times for appointments.
  • Make accessing the practice more convenient.

Routine appointments will be changing from 10 to 15 minutes to accommodate patients who have multiple problems which they need to discuss or who just need a little extra time.

Emergency appointments will remain at 10 minutes and will be for ONE urgent problem only.

Extended Access:
This is a service provided by East Lancashire Alliance on behalf of local practices. The aim of this service is to work closely with local practices to help provide a more flexible and accessible service.
Appointments are booked by us and will be available at The Acorn Centre Accrington and The Health Centre Great Harwood from 6:30pm until 8:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am until 5pm on Saturday’s.

Both Telephone and Face to Face appointments will be available to book with GP’s, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Practice Nurses and Health Care Assistants.
Extended access clinicians will have full access to your medical records which will enable them to make referrals, order tests, produce Fit notes and prescriptions if necessary. All consultations with the Extended Access service will be added to your medical record providing continuity of care.

If we cannot accommodate your appointment request, we will offer you this option. Examples of appointments are:

• Routine problems
• Smear Tests
• Blood tests
• ECG’s
• Dressings
• Chronic disease reviews
• Blood Pressure
• New Patient check

Opening times - Rishton

Monday 08:00 – 18:30

Tuesday 08:00 – 18:30

Wednesday 08:00 – 18:30

Thursday 08:00 – 18:30

Friday 08:00 – 18:30

Saturday CLOSED

Sunday CLOSED

For details on what to do out of hours, please click here

Opening times - Great Harwood

Monday                   08:00 – 18:30

Tuesday                   08:00 – 18:30

Wednesday             08:00 – 18:30

Thursday                 08:00 – 18:30

Friday                       08:00 – 18:30

Saturday                  CLOSED

Sunday                     CLOSED

For details on what to do out of hours, please click here

Training Days

On the following dates the surgery will be closed from 1pm for training and will re-open the following day at normal hours:

Wednesday 10th September 2025
Tuesday 14th October 2025
Thursday 13th November 2025