08/07/2026
🩺 HELP US HELP YOU & THINK about how to use our Triage System
At Southmead Surgery, we are committed to providing accessible, high-quality care for everyone.
Our total triage system started in November 2023 and helps ensure patients are seen by the right clinician, at the right time, based on clinical need.
Unfortunately, we are victims of our own success. We now receive the highest number of triage requests per patient in South Buckinghamshire—around twice the national average. This level of demand is not sustainable and could affect our ability to care for those who need us most.
We therefore need your help in order to manage this demand and ensure we have clinical capacity for those who need it most.
Please take the time to read the below message about how to use our triage system to best effect.
Before contacting the surgery, please consider whether another service could help.
If you submit a triage which meets the criteria for pharmacy first, or is a dental problem, we will signpost you to these services.
We CANNOT provide advice if you are out of the country.
💊 Pharmacy First
Your local pharmacist can assess and prescribe treatment for:
✔ Earache (1–17 years)
✔ Impetigo (1+)
✔ Infected insect bites (1+)
✔ Shingles (18+)
✔ Sinusitis (12+)
✔ Sore throat (5+)
✔ Simple urinary tract infections (women aged 16–64)
🦷 Dental Problems
We are unable to manage or provide treatment for dental problems. Please contact your dentist for any tooth or gum problems.
🩹 Accidents & Injuries
If you think you have a fracture or significant injury, please call 111 and request a Minor Injuries Unit appointment (or attend A&E, where appropriate)
🏥 Hospital Care
We cannot:
Change or speed up hospital appointments.
Discuss or interpret tests requested by the hospital.
If you are worried about waiting times, please contact the hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Patient advice and liaison services (PALS) :: Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
If your symptoms have changed significantly since your referral, please let us know.
🌍 Use Our Online Services
For:
Travel vaccination requests
Repeat contraceptive prescriptions
Visit:
https://www.southmeadsurgery.nhs.uk/
💊 Prescription Requests
Request your repeat prescriptions through the NHS App or another approved prescription service whenever possible.
Only submit a prescription request through the triage system if the medication you need does not appear on your repeat prescription list.
💻 Check Before You Contact Us
Many common conditions can be managed with self-care.
Helpful websites:
NHS Symptoms A–Z
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/
Healthier Together
https://frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/
(Especially useful for advice about children and when to seek medical help.)
✅ If You Need to Submit a Triage Request
Please help us by:
✔ Using the correct name, date of birth and telephone number.
✔ Completing separate requests for different family members or different problems.
✔ Submitting your request as early in the day as possible.
✔ Giving as much information as you can and including a photo if appropriate (please do not send intimate images).
✔ Keeping your phone nearby so we can contact you if we need more information.
📅 Mondays are our busiest day
If your request is routine or non-urgent, please consider contacting us later in the week.
❤️ Thank you
By choosing the right service and providing clear information, you are helping us ensure appointments remain available for patients who need urgent medical care.
The Healthier Together programme relies upon patients and healthcare professionals working together to improve how local healthcare is delivered. The website provide advice for parents, young people and pregnant women, and clinical resources to support healthcare professionals – which means that y...
