Digital First, Patient Second? Sandwich Medical Practice Changes

From 1 September 2025, Sandwich Medical Practice is switching to a system called Total Triage. It’s being promoted as efficient and modern—but what does it actually mean for patients?

🕒 The New Routine

– ANIMA online form opens at 7:30am
– Phone lines open at 8:00am
– Reception desk sees walk-ins later

Regardless of how you contact the practice, your request goes through the same form. Online patients enter early, while callers and walk-ins wait for staff to do the same thing later.

👴 No Smartphone? No Internet?

Imagine you’re 80, arriving at 8am with just a basic mobile phone:

– Reception staff won’t book your appointment directly.
– Instead, they’ll fill in the ANIMA form for you.
– You’ll be contacted later after the system triages your request.

You’ll still get help—but your spot in the queue depends on when the form is completed, not when you arrived.

📞 What Happens When You Call?

– The receptionist doesn’t book you in.
– They enter your details into the form during the call.
– You’re triaged in the same queue—but behind anyone who submitted online earlier.

🧠 The Real Shift

Before	After (Total Triage)
Queue at 8am → get appointment	Queue at 8am → form filled in
Call at 8am → get appointment	Call at 8am → form filled in
No internet → still get help	No internet → help filling in form
Early access = no advantage	Online at 7:30am = head start

🗣️ What People Are Saying

– “Receptionists are abrupt.”
– “GPs seem rushed.”
– “I was told to book a follow-up, then asked ‘What do you need today?’”
– “I submitted the form at 7:30am and got a reply by 9. My neighbour called at 8 and waited until 4.”

📣 Take Action

– Visit Sandwich Medical Practice’s ANIMA form
– Ask the practice what support is available for patients without internet access.
– Join the Patient Participation Group to push for clearer, more inclusive services.