Anima

[DoggieMum]

I know this is going 'off piste', but I would be interested to know whether anyone here is familiar with the Anima on line system that some GP surgeries are using for patients to contact them rather than the conventional method of a phone call or visit.

Our surgery has been using this system for some time now and it just seems to get worse and worse the more they try to 'improve' it.

Unless you manage to access it first thing in the morning, it tells you that the surgery is a full capacity and come back tomorrow, this is by around 9am.

I found that the options given are irrelevant and it is difficult to choose one that in some way fits the criteria.

Early on in the process, you take an option and you're told you haven't selected a doctor, but it didn't give you that option anyway.

All the way through the options just don't seem to fit and you are restricted into how many characters you can use and all the while the clock is ticking telling you how much time you've got left the complete the form.

Finally, at the end it asks if you want to check your answers before submitting. If you take that option it doesn't do anything so you have to submit anyway.

Does anyone here have to use this system and what are your thoughts please?

[Happyrosie]

my surgery uses e-consult which I assume is similar. So I feel your pain!

In my case, every time I try, I get “not accepting at the moment” and to try again tomorrow. The one time when I did get through I spent a long time inputting my questions/answers, repeating myself a lot because I did not realise early on that I’d need to make a particular point, then at the end it said the questions wasn’t for the surgery and I was to phone 111 or 999 immediately!

I knew perfectly well it wasn’t life threatening in any way so I went back and changed some of the answers, to get the same response.

My surgery has a patient participation group (they all have to have one) and is seeking recruits. I was on one of these twenty years ago and it was a waste of everyone’s time. But yours might be different.

[DoggieMum in reply to Happyrosie]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I applied to go onto our patient group but I didn't get a response. When you have a heart condition all this hassle only makes the problem worse. It's so annoying

[RufusScamp]

My surgery uses askmyGP, and I have just used it to arrange an appointment with a nurse, in under 30 mins for request and replies. They did use Sylvie which had similar problems to yours.

[VelvetSky]

I believe my surgery uses Anima but I can’t get into it and I can’t get any help from them. I have to drive to the surgery, pay to park, queue up for the one receptionist just to make a routine blood test appointment. I haven’t seen my Gp face to face for some 33 months and have only had a couple of phone calls in that time, a waste of time as I’m going deaf and can’t hear half of what is said, already waited 7 months for a hearing aid.

[DoggieMum in reply to VelvetSky]

That's awful, really feel for you. Take care

[Hidden in reply to DoggieMum]

Our surgery uses Klinic, a similar system, but it works from 7.30-4pm. Outside of that use 111 or A&E! Our surgery also makes clear they are NOT an emergency service. If one does manage to get a face to face after being called by a GP-some of whom I've never seen- not only have they no idea who you are-there is hardly ever anyone else waiting!! I think most only do 1 session a day, for 4 days-that's 2 days work a week!!

[DoggieMum in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the comments, but after having complained so bitterly, I have to give praise where its due. I have been advised to apply for attendance allowance, but I needed my medical records in order to do so. I requested them this morning via the on line system and in less than three hours they were in my in box. So the system does work in some respects.

[VelvetSky in reply to DoggieMum]

I see you want to apply for AA, I did but got the Citizens Advice to help complete the form, they thought of things to say that wouldn’t have occurred to me. I don’t recall needing my medical records, I just put a few Consultants letters in with it and it was granted within 3 weeks.

[DoggieMum in reply to VelvetSky]

I've got a charity called Amiga coming to help me fill in the form and it was the lady that is going to help me told me to get my records. Maybe it's changed now

[wilsond]

Sorry not heard of this. Ours has just moved into new premises,but kept the same phone in system.

[Qualipop]

Thankfully not heard of that one. Ours now uses a queue system on the phone with "press 1 to hold your position in the queue and we will ring you back. Problem there is you can wait all day for the call back or when you get one there's another wait of hours for a nurse to call you and decide whether you need to speak to a G P. That then pushes it to going to the surgery around 5pm which is impossible as I have cataracts ( A year's wait to get them done) and I can't see to drive. They use patient access or NHS app for ordering prescriptions but not appointments and you can leave a message online but that can take 3 days for a reply. I actually saw my OWN GP about 5 months ago and he told me that morning they'd had 2000 phone calls.

[DoggieMum in reply to Qualipop]

The good news is that, when you finally get your cataracts done it will change your life. I had mine done just before lockdown and, having been extremely short sighted all my life I now only have to wear glasses for reading. Hope you don't have to wait too long. Take care

[Deejay62]

Hi my surgery uses econsult I’ve had no problems with it. In fact I’ve found it easier than getting through and speaking to a receptionist. Usually my dr sends me a text with a link to click on with loads of appointments on different days and usually I can see a doctor on the same day except weekend.

[DoggieMum in reply to Deejay62]

Lucky you

[Deejay62 in reply to DoggieMum]

It’s a postcode lottery I think. I am blessed.

[Peter-l-h]

not used that system but ‘Ask my GP’ equally hard to use - my surgery Only takes 20 bookings a day from 8 am (Mon - Fri)

In practice approx a ten minute slot

I compose my message in word. Copy it and watch the clock - immediately bookings open I can enter my details and paste my copied message.

Very unsatisfactory and frustrating.

PLH

[MustyK]

My surgery uses eConsult. It can take up to 20mn to complete the on-line forms. Much of the information requested is already on their records so it is really not useful (and a waste of resource). In most cases, having spent almost 20mn, at the ends,the system says "call the surgery"

I gave that feedback to my GP who recommended "a work around".... Basically when I go onto eConsult, I choose the "advice" option which takes me to a short free text box. Then I enter my symptoms and request to see or have a telephone consult. Often I get a rapid response from GP

It is really sad that we have to use a work around the system. The NHS needs to design systems which are PATIENT and CLINICIAN centred. Unfortunately quite a number of IT systems in the NHS fail this basic and yet vital requirement.