Fair Use Policy

Fair Use Policy for Online Consultation Requests

Quayside Medical Practice

Purpose of this policy

This Fair Use Policy explains how patients should use our online consultation system safely and appropriately. It aims to:

Keep patients safe by ensuring urgent problems are dealt with in the right way
Help us manage demand so that we can prioritise those most in need
Make sure our GPs, nurses and wider team can work safely and sustainably

When to use an online consultation

You may use an online consultation for non‑urgent, routine issues, for example:

Acute symptoms that do NOT require urgent or emergency attention (see section 4)
Ongoing symptoms that are stable and not rapidly worsening
Routine medication queries (e.g. clarification about dosage, non‑urgent side‑effect queries)
Fit note (sick note) extension requests where your condition is unchanged
Routine administrative requests (e.g. letters, reports, test result queries)
Long‑term condition reviews, where you have been asked to submit information online
Contraceptive pill reviews or routine monitoring, where appropriate forms are provided

Our online consultation system is designed primarily for routine requests. Under the GP contract, we must offer and promote an online consultation tool for routine requests throughout core hours (8.00am–6.30pm). We will respond in line with clinical need and capacity.

When NOT to use an online consultation

For urgent or emergency problems, do not use the online consultation system.

Instead:

Call the surgeryduring opening hours for urgent same‑day issues
Call 999or go to A&E for life‑threatening emergencies (e.g. chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, signs of stroke, heavy bleeding, collapse, severe injury)
Call NHS 111or use 111 online when you are unsure what to do and cannot wait for the surgery
Attend an urgent treatment centre / walk‑in centrewhere appropriate

Online requests are not appropriate for:

Sudden or rapidly worsening symptoms
Severe pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, or suspected stroke
Suicidal thoughts or acute mental health crisis
Children who are very unwell or deteriorating quickly
Situations where you think you may need to be seen urgently the same day

Because online requests are non‑contemporaneous (we do not see them in real time), any free‑text clinical request must be treated as potentially urgent until a clinician has reviewed it. For safety, we may limit or switch off free‑text options when we do not have active clinical capacity to review them.

How often you should submit online requests

To keep the system safe and fair for all patients:

Please do not submit multiple online requests about the same problem on the same day.
If you have already contacted us about an issue (online, by phone or in person), please wait for our response within the advised timeframe before submitting another request.
If your condition significantly worsenswhile waiting, call the surgery or use urgent/emergency services as appropriate, rather than sending another online form.

Repeated or excessive use of online consultations for the same issue can:

Delay care for other patients
Create duplication of work for the clinical team
Increase the risk of errors

We reserve the right to contact patients who are using the system excessively or inappropriately to agree a more suitable way of accessing care.

What you can expect from us

When you submit an online consultation:

You will receive an on‑screen confirmationthat your request has been received.
We will provide an appropriate responsewithin a timeframe that is reasonable and safe, taking into account your clinical needs and our capacity. This may include:
- An appointment (face‑to‑face, telephone or video)
- Advice or care provided via message or phone
- Signposting to another appropriate service (e.g. pharmacy, NHS 111, community services)
- A request for further information, or information on when and how you will hear from us

Our response will be based on clinical priority, not on the order in which requests are received. This means that more urgent problems may be dealt with before routine issues, even if they were submitted later.

We may also:

Convert an online request into a telephone or face‑to‑face appointment if clinically appropriate
Decline or redirect requests that are clearly inappropriate for online consultation

Information you provide

To help us help you safely:

Provide clear, accurate and honest informationabout your symptoms, duration, and any changes
Answer all questions on the form as fully as you can
Do not use online consultations to request care for someone elseunless you are their recognised carer or have parental responsibility, and this is appropriate and agreed
Do not include patient identifiable informationabout other people (e.g. relatives) without their consent

If we are concerned about the information provided, or if it is incomplete, we may need to contact you for clarification or arrange a different type of consultation.

Children, vulnerable adults and complex needs

Online consultations may not be suitable for:

Children under 16
Patients with complex medical problems or multiple conditions
Patients with significant mental health concerns
Patients with safeguarding concerns or on child protection / vulnerable adult registers
Situations where a physical examination is likely to be needed

In these cases, we may:

Offer a face‑to‑face or telephone appointment instead
Ask you to call the surgery directly
Arrange follow‑up with a clinician who knows you and your history

This is to protect vulnerable patients and ensure safe, high‑quality care.

Respectful use and zero tolerance

We understand that being unwell or worried can be stressful. However:

Abusive, threatening or offensive language in online submissions will not be tolerated.
We may decline to respond to abusive messages and will follow our zero tolerancepolicy, which may include warnings, removal of online access, or involving the police where necessary.

Our team is here to help, and we expect all patients to treat staff with respect.

System availability and changes

In line with the GP contract, our online consultation system will be available for routine requests throughout core hours (8.00am–6.30pm).

However, to maintain safety:

We may limit or switch off free‑text clinical requestswhen we do not have active clinical capacity to review them safely (for example, late in the day).
We may restrict the system to pre‑defined, tick‑box formsfor specific routine tasks (e.g. pill checks, annual reviews, admin requests).
We will review our processes regularly to ensure they remain safe for patients and sustainable for staff.

If the system is unavailable, you can still contact us by telephone or by attending the surgery.

Misuse of the online consultation system

Examples of misuse include:

Using online consultations for emergencies or clearly urgent problems
Submitting multiple requests for the same issue in a short period
Using the system to bypass agreed care plans or specialist services
Providing false or misleading information
Using the system for complaints (please use our formal complaints process instead)

Where misuse is identified, we may:

Contact you to discuss more appropriate ways of accessing care
Restrict or remove access to online consultations in persistent or serious cases
Document concerns in your record and, if necessary, involve other agencies in line with safeguarding or zero tolerance policies

Feedback and complaints

We welcome constructive feedback on our online consultation system and this Fair Use Policy.

For general feedback, please contact the practice via our website or reception.
For formal complaints, please use our Practice Complaints Procedure, available from reception or on our website.