Patient Fair Use Policy

Upwell Street Surgery uses Accurx as our total triage platform, enabling patients to contact us online with medical and administrative requests. We are committed to providing equitable, high-quality care to all our patients.

This Fair Use Policy exists to ensure that no individual patient's use of our Accurx triage system disproportionately impacts other patients' ability to access care, particularly during periods of high demand.

What We Ask of You

We respectfully request that all patients engage with our online triage system in a fair, considerate, and responsible manner, in line with the guidelines below.

Submitting Requests via Accurx

  • Please submit one Accurx triage form per issue. Submitting multiple forms for the same problem will not speed up a response and places additional pressure on the clinical team.
  • Please do not include multiple unrelated issues within a single Accurx form. Each submission should relate to one problem — this ensures requests are triaged safely and fairly.
  • Please provide as much relevant information as possible in your initial submission to help us triage your request appropriately first time.
  • Please do not submit repeated forms chasing an existing request — our team will respond within the timeframes outlined below.
  • Please use Accurx for medical or administrative queries appropriate to primary care. Where another service is more suitable (e.g. pharmacy, NHS 111, urgent treatment centre), we may signpost you there.

Appointment Attendance

  • Please attend appointments you have booked, or cancel with as much notice as possible so the slot can be offered to another patient.
  • Please be patient if there are delays — these are often caused by clinical emergencies or patients requiring additional time. We will keep you informed where possible.

Home Visit Requests

  • Please request a home visit only if you are too unwell or physically unable to attend the surgery. All home visit requests will be triaged and may not always be deemed clinically necessary. To help with capacity we have a paramedic home visiting service and if appropriate the GP may allocate you to be visited by this healthcare professional.

Repeat Prescriptions

  • Please allow a minimum of 48 working hours for repeat prescription requests to be processed, starting from the next working day after the request is received.
  • Please do not contact the surgery to chase prescriptions before this time has elapsed.

Contacting the Practice

  • Please ensure your contact details held with us are kept up to date so we can reach you when needed.
  • All interactions with our staff should be respectful and courteous. Verbal or physical abuse will not be tolerated under the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy.

What Counts as Excessive Use?

Excessive or inconsiderate use of the Accurx triage system may impede other patients from accessing care. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Submitting an unreasonably high volume of Accurx forms within a short period of time.
  • Submitting multiple forms for the same issue simultaneously.
  • Including multiple unrelated issues within a single Accurx form.
  • Repeatedly submitting requests outside the scope of primary care.
  • Submitting forms for issues more appropriately managed by self-care, pharmacy, or other services.

Our Commitment to You

In return, Upwell Street Surgery commits to the following:

  • We will treat all patients with dignity, respect, and fairness, without exception.
  • We will aim to respond to all Accurx triage submissions within 24 hours, starting from the next working day after receipt.
  • We will allocate access to services based on clinical need.
  • We will keep patients informed about our services, their rights, and any changes that may affect their care.
  • We will provide a confidential complaints procedure and take all patient feedback seriously.
  • We are committed to continuously reviewing and improving our systems within the resources available to us.

If There Is a Problem

  • If a patient's use of our services is considered excessive or inappropriate, or if conduct toward staff falls outside acceptable standards, we will follow a structured process:

Initial Contact

  • We will notify the patient — by telephone or in writing — that a concern has been identified.
  • We will explain the nature of the issue clearly and seek the patient's perspective.
  • Where appropriate, we will agree a contract of reasonable usage with the patient, with clear expectations.

Internal Review

  • Relevant staff will be informed as appropriate.
  • The patient's behaviour and any relevant contributing factors (such as health conditions or personal circumstances) will be discussed at a Practice Meeting.

If the Issue Continues

  • In cases where conduct is deemed unreasonable and results in an irretrievable breakdown of the doctor-patient relationship, the practice may request removal from the patient list via PCSE.
  • The patient will be notified in writing of any such decision and the reasons behind it.
  • We will ensure the patient is not left without access to a GP and will provide guidance on registering with an alternative practice.

Upwell Street Surgery  |  Fair Use Policy  |  Updated July 2026