Access update: How eConsult works from October 2025
From 1st October 2025, NHS guidance under the Modern General Practice Access framework requires all GP practices to manage demand in a way that is both safe and responsive.
At Millway Medical Practice, we continue to offer access through eConsult, telephone, and walk-in, supported by a triage system to make sure everyone gets the right care at the right time.
How Our System Works
You can continue to contact us in three ways during opening hours:
• eConsult (via our website or NHS app from 07.30am) for routine clinical or administrative queries
• Telephone – for urgent or non-urgent matters
• Walk-in – if you prefer to speak to reception in person
If you phone or attend and cannot use the online form yourself, our reception team will use eConsult “Lite” to capture your information. This helps make sure everyone is treated fairly and each request enters the same triage process.
All eConsults are reviewed by a senior GP before we decide on the most appropriate next step. This could be a face-to-face appointment, a phone consultation, written advice by SMS/email, or signposting to another service e.g. local pharmacy. We aim to respond to all eConsults within one working day.
Safe Daily Limit for Online Consultations
To ensure we review, triage and respond in a timely manner, we have a daily safety limit on the number of medical/clinical eConsults we accept.
Once this limit is reached, the clinical eConsult form will temporarily pause new medical submissions until the next morning. This approach ensures that every clinical request we receive can be safely reviewed and actioned within the same working day.
This is consistent with NHS England guidance on safe workload management and is designed to prevent excessive queues or delays in patient care.
If you need urgent same-day assessment after the limit is reached, please call us or come to the surgery. Our duty doctor will handle urgent cases that cannot safely wait. You may also call 111 or attend a local walk-in centre if your issue is pressing and cannot wait until the next working day.
Administrative and Non-Clinical Requests
Our admin eConsult option remains open during normal business hours for non-clinical matters such as:
• Fit notes
• Test results or referral queries
• General administrative enquiries
Please do not use this route for medical issues or symptoms. If you submit a medical issue using the admin route, our team will ask you to resubmit it the next morning via the clinical eConsult form.
From time to time, this form may also close early, for example, during unexpected staff shortages, to ensure we continue to operate safely and within our capacity.
Why This Approach Matters
The balance between digital access and safe workload management is central to NHS England’s Modern General Practice Access guidance. These changes are designed to help us provide timely, safe, and fair access for all patients. By managing demand carefully, we can:
• Focus on the most urgent cases each day
• Prevent backlogs that delay care for others
• Ensure every online consultation gets a proper clinical review and timely response
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We regularly review our processes in line with national guidance and patient feedback. Together, we can ensure Millway Medical Practice remains safe, accessible, and responsive for all our patients.