X-on Health is excited to announce its partnership with Hanley Consulting to tackle one of the biggest challenges in primary care: the “8am rush” for GP appointments. By combining advanced technology, data insights, and expert services, this collaboration aims to revolutionise patient access to primary care across the UK.
A Strategic Partnership to Enhance Access
With the NHS last year pushing for Cloud-based telephony to be used in all GP practices across England, X-on Health’s flagship solution, Surgery Connect, is now used by over half of all practices. On average, each practice handles more than 330 calls daily, with a significant surge before 9am. This partnership is set to help surgeries manage demand more effectively, easing pressure on staff and enhancing patient experience.
Hanley Consulting has been a key player in improving patient access since 2009, working closely with primary care partners to optimise processes and ensure surgeries make full use of available tools. Their innovative technology, Surgery Assist (formerly EDATT), has been proven to reduce inbound calls and increase NHS App usage. One early adopter practice has already seen a 54% drop in calls during peak hours. If implemented nationwide, it could prevent 9.1 million unnecessary calls per month.
Delivering Practical Solutions for GP Practices
Surgery Assist is a fully agnostic digital solution, meaning it integrates seamlessly with any NHS-approved Cloud-based telephony system. This flexibility ensures practices can adopt it without overhauling their existing infrastructure. Designed for compatibility, Surgery Assist is a practical choice for surgeries looking to enhance digital capabilities while retaining their current systems.
Julian Coe, Managing Director at X-on Health, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration:
“We are delighted to have Hanley Consulting joining the X-on team. Everyone across the whole of the country wants to see an end to the 8am rush for GP appointments and by adding the intellectual property that Hanley have developed, we offer a very powerful solution. But the technology is only one element of the solution, we know that practices also need human help.”
Often, staff shortages and workload pressures mean practices don’t fully utilise the technology they have. Recognising this, X-on Health and Hanley Consulting have combined expertise and data resources to offer a practical and effective solution. Backed by robust clinical safety and information governance standards, the Access Optimisation Service helps practices get the most from their existing technology without additional strain on staff or major financial investment.
Moving Beyond the “8am Rush”
Sharon Hanley, Managing Director at Hanley Consulting, shared her vision for the future:
“Our main driver has always been supporting digital technologies that will ultimately help improve the health of the nation. However, with 80% of patients still contacting their GP surgery by phone, despite the introduction of alternative methods of contact, we felt there was an obvious disconnect between telephone access and digital access, so partnering with X-on, the leading telephony provider, felt like the natural choice for us. Together, we can introduce smarter, more efficient ways for patients to access the care they need.”
By integrating Surgery Assist with Surgery Connect, this collaboration will make patient access smoother, reducing stress on both patients and frontline staff. The goal is to eliminate the “8am rush” and create a more efficient, proactive, and patient-centred healthcare system.
This partnership marks a significant step forward in transforming primary care access. GP practices will soon witness firsthand how innovative technology can ease demand pressures and improve the overall healthcare experience.
Stay in touch for more updates on how X-on Health and Hanley Consulting are reshaping primary care access across the UK.
Visit www.surgeryassist.co.uk for more information