GMS standards for surgeries – Can you achieve them?

What are the GMS standards and how can you make sure as a surgery you are achieving the requirements needed in 2020?

Surgeries and practices need to have the appropriate telephone system in place to support the needs of people – appropriate telephony and call handling systems need to be in place to support the need of callers and avoid the need for people to call back multiple times. Systems also need to provide analytic data to the practice.

Measures expected to be achieved this year (2020)

A planned two-year programme of implementation of appropriate systems resulting in: 

• 100% of practices have a recording function for incoming and outgoing lines.
• 100% of practices have the ability to stack calls and are utilising this fully.
• 100% of practices interrogate their phone systems and analyse the data provided.
• 90% of calls are answered within 2 minutes of the recorded message ending.
• Less than 20% of calls are abandoned (Reported but not yet monitored)
• Data to be exported for analysis of the telephone system.
• 100% of practices in Wales to have recorded bilingual introductory messages that usually last no longer than 2 minutes. (A national standardised message will be developed with the option of local development.)

By end of March 2021:

25% of all pre-bookable appointments are bookable through a digital solution (e.g. MHOL). This includes appointments with other healthcare professionals.  

100% of practices offer access to repeat prescriptions through a digital solution (e.g. MHOL).  

100% of practices offer care home access to repeat prescription ordering service through a digital solution.

To find out how you can achieve the GMS standards, make sure you get in contact with one of our Healthcare Communication Specialists today – call us on 01656 33 44 55 or email sales@datakom.co.uk.