eConsult
In our continuous efforts to improve the patient journey and the way we provide healthcare services, Solihull Healthcare Partnership (SHP) are delighted to announce that we are now live with an online consultation platform – eConsult.
The service will be available between 8am and 12pm, Monday to Friday, and will be limited to 150 completed forms per day.
Online consultations allow a patient to submit their request via an online form. There is no need to wait in a phone queue or travel to the practice. The request will be sent to the practice, with questions and answers that specifically relate to the request placed. The information provided allows us to book the most appropriate appointment in the most appropriate time-frame.
eConsult is an NHS-approved digital triage tool designed to enhance patient access, improve practice efficiency and support our fantastic care navigation team (supervised by a dedicated GP) in signposting patients to the right place at the right time for their care.
Developed and managed by NHS doctors, eConsult is one of the leading online consultation platforms in the NHS. Available through our website or the NHS App, this tool offers a clinically safe method to submit patient information.
We want to make sure patients are getting the advice they need at the right time from the right person the first time they contact us about that medical issue.
Having completed a review and investigated, with our Digital Transformation Lead, all available new technology and digital access tools to facilitate an expansion of the digital offering for our patients, we believe eConsult is the best online consultation option.
- Ease of access - no need to call or visit us
- Allows the patient to ensure their concerns are described in full
- Same day response (Monday-Friday)
You can access eConsult by clicking the banner on this page or directly via the NHS App if you are an existing user.
The service will be available between 8am and 12pm, Monday to Friday, and will be limited to 100 completed forms per day.
All forms are reviewed by our care navigation team, which includes a GP. Once the form is assessed, the next steps needed in your patient care will be communicated to you e.g. an appointment, a referral, a prescription etc.
We will deliver a response by 6.30pm the same day but is usually sooner, especially where an urgent assessment is required.
Is my data safe?
eConsult is a data processor, they collect patient information and pass it onto the practice in a format that makes it easy for the practice to read. Once they have passed it to the practice (usually in a matter of seconds) eConsult delete any identifiable patient information. eConsult are not here to sell your data.
Can I submit an eConsult for someone else or my child?
As a parent or guardian of a child between the ages of 6 months to 16 years, you will be able to submit eConsult forms about symptoms or conditions. Patients using the eConsult service should submit forms based on their own symptoms or conditions.
In some cases, it may be likely that people need help submitting an eConsult, perhaps because they cannot access or are not comfortable using services online. You have a route to enable you to submit on behalf of someone else who is registered at the practice and will require their consent.
What about patients who are not able to use eConsult?
If you are not able or would prefer not to use eConsult, all usual methods of access continue to be available to patients, including telephone and visiting us at our surgery sites.
Does using eConsult mean I will get an appointment?
No, however it will ensure the patient can access the care they need from the right healthcare professional or service at the most appropriate time.
Has there been any patient involvement in developing the online consultation platform for SHP?
Yes, our Patient Participation Group have tried and tested eConsult and our processes prior to the launch, providing us with vital feedback to help ensure it is user-friendly and a positive the patient experience.
