Accessing the Email Inbox

Managing Email Inbox

The key take home messages here:

• Never delete an email.
• Know where things go.
• Always sign email responses so that Leads know who has handled correspondence.

Inbox folders

Scan all Inbox emails and move them to the correct folders. See our page on the 📧Generic Surgery Inbox for more information about how the inbox is structured.

Responding to Emails

Our surgeries receive many email requests which require action. Responding to these in a timely and professional manner is a key reception role, so when composing emails, keep the following in mind:

• Ensure you are on the ‘generic’ surgery default email, and not on your personal email account (see 📧Generic Surgery Inbox for details on how to do this).
• ALWAYS sign your first name on emails you have written. This helps others to keep track of email trails.
• Start email replies in a positive way by saying ‘Thank you for your email.’ This acknowledges that the email trail began with the patient and thus makes them feel heard and valued.

Typical email requests for actioning

The most frequently received emails requiring a timely response are listed below. If in doubt or a new type arises, always ask your Reception Lead.

⚠️ Safeguarding

For more information, see our Safeguarding pages 🦺Child Safeguarding and 🦺Adult Safeguarding or ask your Reception Lead.

Medical notes summaries request

Reception may send a medical summary to a patient when requested by email. However, if the patient wants a full medical report, this is handled by Clinical Admin (see 📝Medical Reports).

• Consultations → Print then attach to email.

Test results request

Reception may send out test results if they are normal. However, if there is an abnormal result → do not send until you have checked with your Reception Lead, especially if the patient has not been in contact with a clinician.

• Consultations → Investigations find results and attach to email.

Change of address

This may not seem like it needs a response, but acknowledging receipt of the request and letting the patient know that it has been done is good practice. So, after editing the address in patient notes, send a quick email:

Medical Certificate/Fit Note/med3 request

These are usually handled by Reception Lead (see🗒️Processing Fit Note Requests). However, there are times when more information is needed in order to issue one, so a receptionist may be asked to write to the patient for the data required.

When corresponding this way, note two things:

• Do not use the ‘Reply’ button - this will only send the email back into the system, not to the patient.
• To email the patient, copy the patient’s email address and paste it into the ‘To’ field.