New Online Platform Coming Soon

Headlands Surgery shares the timeline for the introduction of a new online consultation platform called Anima.

Headlands Surgery, part of Lakeside Healthcare is introducing Anima, a new online consultation platform that will soon replace eConsult. Here are the key dates to remember:

• eConsult will close on Tuesday 30 January 2024.
• Anima will open on Tuesday 6 February 2024.

During the move, from the closure of eConsult until Anima opens, patients who use eConsult can contact the practice by calling or visiting in person. The practice will be working thoroughly to complete all patient requests made through eConsult. Patients with an open request in eConsult need not take any action; the practice will contact them directly.

Dr Adeel Iqbal, GP Partner and Non-Executive Director at Lakeside Headlands, said:

"A number of our patients have signed up for Anima already. They are all set to contact us online when it opens. They can tell us about the symptoms they are having, ask questions, and follow up on things. I encourage all of our patients to create an account.”

Anima is already in use in over 170 GP practices and by nearly 489,000 patients across the country. It is a secure and confidential platform that patients can use instead of calling or visiting the practice in person.

It is straightforward to use. Patients can fill out an online form to let the practice know about their symptoms, ask questions, or follow up on something. The practice will use this information to prioritise each online form based on urgency and need, ensuring that patients get the right care at the right time.

Patients can easily track the progress of their online form and receive updates by text message or email. Anima is also user-friendly, especially for patients with hearing difficulties or those whose first language is not English.

While the patient experience may feel a bit different, the overall process with Anima is mostly unchanged compared to eConsult. Patients will access Anima by clicking on the option on the website, which will replace the eConsult button.

To use the online form, patients will follow some simple on-screen instructions, answering multiple-choice questions similar to those a doctor might ask during an appointment. The more information a patient can provide, the better the practice can assess symptoms and offer appropriate advice, treatment, or further assessment. If a patient needs to be seen by a doctor or other healthcare professional, then an appointment will be arranged.

Patients who use eConsult must create a new account with Anima for continued online access to the practice. If patients already have an NHS login, they can use the same details. Otherwise, they can create an account with their email address. All patients are encouraged to create an Anima account before it opens.

Stay informed about the move to Anima. This webpage provides clear details about how to create an account, its features, and benefits.

Published: Jan 18, 2024