Carlisle GP surgery changes way patients book appointments to 'improve access'
A Carlisle GP surgery is changing the way patients book appointments to 'improve access'.
As part of a new system called 'total triage', Eden Medical Group patients will now complete a questionnaire via the practice's website to book an appointment.
Some patients will then be directed to a suitable local service such as pharmacies, but most patients will have their questionnaire reviewed by a clinician.
The surgery triage team will review each patient request. The clinical team will decide what the most appropriate care for the patient is which includes deciding on the type of appointment for the patient.
Triage requests are reviewed by clinical priority and the surgery will aim to respond to all requests within three working days, dealing with the most clinically unwell as a priority.
The surgery said that the new system will 'improve access' to the practice, 'enhance the quality of care' and ensure patients are given the most appropriate appointment or advice to meet their needs, 'in a timely way'.
For those unable to fill in the online form, the receptionist can take patients through the form in person or over the phone, they added.
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She said the two had known each other for about four years and called Means' advice 'transformational,' saying her teachings reversed Niazi's prediabetes and other ailments. 'I am proud to sponsor her newsletter through my company,' Niazi said in an email. While the disclosure requirements are rarely enforced by the FTC, Means should have been informing her readers of any connections regardless of whether she was violating any laws, said Olivier Sylvain, a Fordham Law School professor who was previously a senior adviser to the FTC chair. 'What you want in a surgeon general, presumably, is someone who you trust to talk about tobacco, about social media, about caffeinated alcoholic beverages, things that present problems in public health,' Sylvain said, adding, 'Should there be any doubt about claims you make about products?' Means isn't the first surgeon general nominee whose financial entanglements have raised eyebrows. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general from 2017 to 2021, filed federal disclosure forms that showed he invested in several health technology, insurance and pharmaceutical companies before taking the job — among them Pfizer, Mylan and UnitedHealth Group. He also invested in the food and drink giant Nestle. He divested those stocks when he was confirmed for the role and pledged that he and his immediate family would not acquire financial interest in certain industries regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vivek Murthy, who served as surgeon general twice, under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, made more than $2 million in COVID-19-related speaking and consulting fees from Carnival, Netflix, Estee Lauder and Airbnb between holding those positions. He pledged to recuse himself from matters involving those parties for a period of time. Means has not yet gone through a Senate confirmation hearing and has not yet announced the ethical commitments she will make for the role. Hund said that as influencer marketing becomes more common, it is raising more ethical questions, such as what past influencers who enter government should do to avoid the appearance of a conflict. Other administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, have also promoted companies on social media without disclosing their financial ties. 'This is like a learning moment in the evolution of our democracy,' Hund said. 'Is this a runaway train that we just have to get on and ride, or is this something that we want to go differently?'
