Waiting times reduced at Lerwick Health Centre, NHS says

NHS Shetland says software that allows patients to log symptoms online is helping them to reduce waiting times at the Lerwick Health Centre.

‘Ask My GP’ has been in use since May, and gives patients the chance to type in their problem and to indicate how they would like someone to contact them.

Manager Adam Czarnobay said previously people had to wait days or weeks for an appointment, but they were able to link patients with a GP far more efficiently now.

He said the software had changed the service “virtually overnight”.

And he said they had been pleasantly surprised that 96 per cent of patients had rated the system “good” or “excellent” in the last four months.

“We do stress to patients that the new online tool does not replace any other method
of contacting the practice,” he said.

“Some folk may not have internet access or do not wish to use the internet in which case they can still phone us”.