Frequently Asked Questions

About this service

• What is this service?

  It is a set of online tools for you to check which service is right for your symptoms, get immediate self-help advice, find out what other services can help you or send an online consultation to your GP practice. It may help manage certain conditions, without the need to attend the surgery in person.

• What is an online consultation?

  This is when you send your practice a completed web form about a condition from the website. The practice then calls you or emails you by the end of the next working day to offer you advice, tell you whether you need an appointment or offer you a prescription.

• If my problem is urgent will I be able to use this service?

  If you have a medically urgent problem we recommend you contact the surgery straight away, ring NHS 111, or dial 999 in the case of an extreme emergency.

• Do I have to pay for this service?

  No. This service is completely free for NHS patients.

• Why is my GP practice offering this service?

  This service should improve your access to advice and treatment from your own surgery. It could also avoid the need for you to come in for some conditions.

Learn about my condition

• How can I find out more about my own condition?

  We provide information on a variety of different conditions that can be searched for by condition, symptom or area of the body.

• How do I find my condition?

  You can search by symptom, area of the body or condition if you know what it is.

• What can I do if the website doesn't answer my question?

  Please ring NHS 111 or take an online consultation. Alternatively, contact the surgery for phone advice.

• What happens if I can't see my condition on your list?

  Unfortunately we are unable to offer this service for all conditions. Please telephone the surgery or NHS 111 for further medical advice.

The online consultation service

• Who can use this service?

  Anyone can use the health information provided on this site. However, the online consultation service is only for patients registered at this practice aged 16 and over; and for parents or legal guardians of children over 6 months.

• Why do I need to be registered at this practice?

  This is because the practice needs to have your medical records in order to make a safe decision about your treatment.

• Can I use this service for my child?

  If you are the parent or legal guardian of a child over 6 months old you may use this service on their behalf, but only for certain conditions.

• Can I use this service for someone I am the registered carer for?

  Yes, but only if you are the registered carer for that patient and the practice has their written consent on their medical records.

Is it safe?

• How will I know this service is safe for me?

  GPs at your practice personally review all requests and have access to your medical records enabling them to make a safe decision regarding the right course of treatment for you. If they have any doubt, they will ring you or ask you to see them in person.

• How do I know this service is safe for my condition?

  We have selected the conditions where certain presentations are safe to treat without necessarily bringing you into the surgery. We use health information and questionnaires that have been quality assured by a panel of experienced doctors and pharmacists. The consultation questions are very thorough, alert you and your doctor to any dangerous symptoms, and also consider which medications are unsuitable for you, for example: if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

• Are all the doctors registered in the UK?

  All the GPs at your practice are registered to practice in the UK and registered with the General Medical Council.

• How secure is the information I give you?

  The privacy requirements relating to confidentiality and security of your information are the same as for a face-to-face consultation. This website is secure and does not share any data about you without your consent.

How does it work?

• How long does it take for the doctor to get back to me?

  During office hours, the practice will aim to review your request and respond to you by phone, text or email the same day. However, this may not always be possible so the practice have set a target of contacting you by 6:30PM on Friday, 6th of December at the latest. If you complete a consultation for administrative help, a response may take up to 3 working days. Any consultations submitted on the weekend will be reviewed on Monday. If you are still waiting to hear from your practice after this time, please telephone the practice or follow the link in your confirmation email.

• How will the practice contact me?

  Your practice will contact you by phone, text or email. Please note that a call from your practice may sometimes appear on your phone as "Blocked", "No caller ID" or "Private number". And don't forget to check your junk email folder.

• What if I want to consult the nurse?

  We plan to include access to the nursing team eventually. For the moment, please telephone the surgery if you want to make an appointment to see the nurse.

• What if I am still not feeling better after treatment?

  If you are still not feeling any better after treatment, please contact the surgery for further advice.

Does this change my existing GP service?

• Can I still come in to see my GP?

  Yes. You can still make an appointment in the usual way and come in to see your GP if you wish.

• Can I still telephone the surgery for advice?

  Yes. You can telephone the surgery for advice during practice opening hours.

• Can I book an appointment through this service?

  No, but most practices have this as a separate feature on the website.

• Can I request a home visit?

  No. Please contact the surgery to request a home visit.

About your medication

• Will I be able to pick up a prescription at the reception desk?

  Yes, if the GP has approved your treatment based on your online consultation. If the GP is in any doubt, the practice will ring you to discuss.

• Can I pick up my prescription from a local pharmacy?

  Yes, if that pharmacy has an arrangement with your practice to collect prescriptions. The practice may also be able to send your prescription electronically to a pharmacy of your choosing (discuss this with them when they contact you).

• Can I order a repeat prescription through this service?

  This service is for new problems and for recurrences of existing problems, for which a prescription may be offered. It is not for routine repeat prescriptions which should be requested in the normal way.

• What happens if I experience any side effects with your treatments?

  Please contact the practice by phone or follow the instructions on the answering machine if the practice is closed.

Feedback

• What if I want to suggest improvements to the site or service?

  Please contact the eConsult product team.

• What if I have a complaint?

  Please contact the practice manager by telephone on 0208 574 5186 or in writing.

Security

• How do you keep my data safe?

  Our entire website runs within a secured connection (256-bit SSL), so any information you enter into the system is transmitted in encrypted form. Your details are then transferred to your practice via a TLS-encrypted connection. If you would prefer not to complete the online questionnaire please give the practice a call and they will be happy to provide you with alternative options to resolve your health concern.

• Do you store any details about me?

  We do not store any identifiable medical information about you. If you have opted to take our survey, we temporarily store your email address and name, so we can send the survey to you after 7 days. We store this data encrypted in our database, and delete it once the survey has been sent.

• Do you use cookies to store any information about me?

  We only use cookies to allow for the basic functioning of our system, and do not use them to store user details. Full details are on our privacy policy.

• What other security measures do you have in place?

  Our servers are protected behind a firewall. We ensure we always apply all relevant security patches. We have regular audits by a security consultant to ensure we are adhering to best practice (both in regards to our servers, and to our application).

Mobile devices and special equipment

• Can I access your service from my smartphone/tablet?

  Yes. The service can be used via your smartphone or tablet.

• Do I need any special equipment?

  The health information and online questionnaires can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, providing you use an up-to-date browser.

• What do I do if you need a blood pressure reading?

  A blood pressure machine may be available at your practice or local pharmacy. Contact them directly to find out what is available.