Helping you get through to us quickly, and to the right care safely
When you contact the practice by phone, two systems may help you: SMARTvoice, which answers your call, and SMARTnavigation, which helps our care navigators direct you to the right care. Both were introduced because our patients asked for a quicker way to get through, and both are designed and supervised so that a member of our team completes every request.
SMARTvoice: answering your call
SMARTvoice is an automated telephone assistant that answers every call to the practice instantly, so there is no queue and no engaged tone.
- You are told at the start of the call that you are speaking to an automated assistant and that the call is recorded.
- You explain your request in your own words, for example a prescription, a sick note, or an admin query.
- Your request is captured, you receive a confirmation text, and a member of our reception team completes it. The assistant never changes your medical record.
- If you would rather speak to a person, you can ask at any point and you will be put through.
- If you describe a medical emergency, you are directed straight to 999.
The assistant follows scripts written and signed off by our GPs. It does not give medical advice and does not make clinical decisions.
SMARTnavigation: getting you to the right care
SMARTnavigation supports our care navigation team when you contact us with a clinical concern. It is not a chatbot and it does not replace clinical judgement.
- Our care navigator asks a set of structured questions, written by our GPs and checked against national NICE guidance, for the concern you describe.
- Any signs that need urgent attention are checked first, and always lead to the appropriate urgent action.
- Based on your answers, the system recommends the right kind of appointment or service, for example a same-day appointment, a nurse, a pharmacy, or self-care advice.
- A member of our team always makes the final decision and books your appointment. SMARTnavigation supports the conversation; it does not diagnose or treat.
What has not changed
- You can still walk in, still use our online services, and still ask to speak to a receptionist.
- Every route into the practice that existed before is still here. These systems are an additional, faster way in, not a replacement for speaking to our team.
We keep listening and improving
We run an open, weekly survey for patients and staff, and every change made to these systems is logged and signed off by our named GP Clinical Safety Officer. Recent changes made directly from patient feedback include a guaranteed route to a person, fewer repeated questions, and a shorter, plainer greeting.
Questions or feedback
If you have any questions about SMARTvoice or SMARTnavigation, or would like to give us feedback, please speak to a member of our reception team or contact the practice using the details on our Contact Us page.
