Richard recently returned to Ivel Medical Centre to review progress since the new team took over at a time of challenge for the practice and also to review the impact on appointments since the launch of their new Total Triage system (SystmConnect) on 10th March.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Ivel has taken a proactive and it seems, well-planned, approach to this transition. The team described how a great deal of preparatory work went into ensuring the rollout was smooth and patient friendly. Ahead of launch, the practice hosted a dedicated workshop to walk patients through the new system, covering how to navigate the platform, how to book appointments, and what to expect. The session was supported by volunteers from Bedfordshire Rural Charities, who provided hands-on demonstrations and digital support.
Recognising that not everyone is confident with online systems, the practice also offered one-to-one support in the weeks following launch, so that patients felt supported every step of the way.
The new triage system allows the practice to categorise and respond to patient requests more efficiently, ensuring that high-priority cases receive priority access and directing appointments to the right health professional which is not always the GP.
The practice said they were aware that some patients may still struggle with the online system and support remains available over the phone or in person at the surgery..
I was also advised that out-of-hours and extended access appointments are now available directly from the Ivel site itself. Evening appointments now run three times a week (6:30pm–8:30pm), and Saturday clinics are available from 9am to 5pm.
As ever, I’m keen to hear directly from constituents. Please do feel free to share your experiences with me at [email protected]. But also, the lead GP told me that they would always want to hear directly from patients about improvements that can be made.
