Our New Contact Us Form
Headcorn Surgery are pleased to announce an update to our Triage service. On Tuesday 25th June 2024, we will be launching ‘Anima’, a new system will replace our current Online Contact Us form
Anima seamlessly and confidentially integrates with your medical record bringing improvements to how you access care and appointments; and how our staff assess your condition. Anima allows our team to continue to improve access times by helping us to direct you to the most appropriate care for your medical needs.
This ensures we make use of our limited resources in the most safe and efficient way. All appointments will continue to be offered according to clinical urgency and need.
Your request will be handled in exactly the same manner whether you complete the Anima request online yourself, or contact us via telephone, where our receptionists will ask the same questions to ensure equity of access for all patients. We would encourage all patients who can do so to use Anima, as this will prevent you needing to queue on the telephone and keep lines free for those who do not have internet access. Completing an Anima request yourself also provides you with more discretion should you prefer not to discuss your medical problem with one of our receptionists.
We would like to ask for your patience whilst we change to Anima as we are aware that introducing any new system may have some teething troubles, however we are not anticipating any disruption.
For patients who meet any of the criteria below, please be reassured you can still call the surgery where one of our Reception team will be able to assist you:
- If you do not have access to the internet, or struggle using it;
- If you have a language barrier;
- If you have a disability;
- If you are in mental health crisis;
- If you are neurodivergent.
What are the benefits to me as a patient?
As a patient you will benefit from:
- Being able to log on to see the status and outcomes of your current and past requests.
- You will be asked questions based on your issues (asked without medical jargon)
- You can use the system in a number of languages
- Your medical records will be more complete for the future
- The practice responses will be clearer
- You will receive a text message and email to let you know when the practice has responded (no more missing emails in the junk box).
- You can provide all the information that the practice needs without waiting on the phone
How Does Anima Work?
1. Register
Create and account on Anima or log in using your NHS app login details
Within your account dashboard, you can see the status of any request you have made, book appointments or contact the practice
2. Submit
Whenever you have a health concern, you complete a request on the Anima website.
You can submit requests for a variety of medical and administrative queries.
If you want to request a GP appointment please select the option “I want help with a medical issue” or see our videos below.
3. Review
This request is then reviewed by a GP the same day if possible and an appropriate outcome is emailed to you, along with a text message.
FAQs
What are the opening times for Anima?
We aim to have Anima open from midnight – 6pm every weekday. This means that you are able to submit at anytime up to 6pm.
Occasionally we may have to close Anima early, see below for more details
Why Is Anima closed?
On some days, demand for a GP appointment far outweighs the safe capacity we can provide. On these days, we may have to turn anima off early because we are full. .
How soon will I hear back?
We aim to respond to all queries as soon as possible.
Some more routine queries may take us a few days to get back to you, however you can always check the status of your query via your Anima dashboard.
What happens if I can’t access the internet or don’t feel confident using it?
Our reception team are always happy to help.
They are able to submit requests for you and can call you back to inform you of the outcome of your request and/or book you in for the necessary appointment.
We also provide the facility for patients without internet or laptop access to submit their own request at the surgery; with or without the assistance of a receptionist
Why have we changed to Anima?
GP practices are experiencing significant strain with declining GP numbers and increasing demand. Ensuring that patients are seen by the appropriate clinician in the right place and the right time means that patient care and experience is improved, and it reduces pressure on GP practices, allowing GPs to spend their time where it is needed the most.
We have already partially implemented the digital triage system using Accurx; however we feel that the way we view and manage your requests could be clearer and more detail. This will in turn, help us help you quickly and more efficiently.
Can I use Anima to request a repeat prescription?
Currently, the process of requesting medication through Anima is not the easiest way. We would recommend you use the NHS app to request your repeat prescriptions.
Can I book nurse appointments through Anima?
You can certainly use Anima to request nurse appointments, but these can also be booked by calling reception in the usual way. The only appointments that should be requested through Anima are GP appointments.
Is Anima an App?
No, Anima is not an app currently. It can only be accessed through the website. The Anima team are working on integration with the NHS app and we will update you when this has happened.
You can log into Anima using your NHS app login credentials, or create your own unique Anima username and password.
Can I contact Anima directly?
Yes! We would encourage you to email Anima’s support team on support@animahealth.com if you have trouble using the website.
Tutorials
Please see the videos below that will hopefully help you to navigate using Anima. If you continue to struggle please call our reception team who will be happy to help.