Anima Patient Guide

What is Anima?

Anima is an online consultation system. It allows you to:

  • Contact the practice about a medical or administrative issue
  • Ask questions or request advice
  • Send information securely without needing to phone

When should I use Anima?

  • Medical problems that are not emergencies
  • Medication queries
  • Sick notes (fit notes)
  • Administrative requests (letters, forms, referrals)
anima-box

Please do not use Anima for emergencies. If you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath, signs of stroke, or another emergency, call 999.

If all HTMG GP appointments are full, our Care Navigation team may ask you to contact NHS 111.

NHS 111 is a clinical service that will assess your symptoms and make sure you get the right care. They may:

  • Give you advice to manage the problem,  or
  • Direct you to a local pharmacy or another appropriate service, or
  • Direct you back to the Surgery via our allocated 111 booking slots for the GP to contact you.  However, if NHS 111 advise you to contact the GP please do so via an Anima Request sharing details of what the issue is as well as noting that NHS 111 advised to book with GP.

Our Surgery has a number of GP appointments reserved specifically for NHS 111, so this helps ensure urgent problems are still seen safely.

Being asked to contact NHS 111 does not mean you are being turned away. This helps us make sure urgent problems are assessed safely and that GP appointments are available for patients who need them most.  Our Surgery is open from 8am to 6:30pm (Anima Requests are open from 7.30am to 6.30pm).

You can still submit routine requests via Anima during early evening open hours and you will be requested to tick the box confirming your request is not urgent.

If your problem is urgent, you should contact NHS111, Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC), or A&E rather than submitting a routine request.

How do I send an Anima?

USE ANIMA

  1. Log in using your email & the password that you created when registering
  2. Choose whether your issue is medical or administrative
  3. Answer the questions with as much detail as possible
  4. Add photos if requested (e.g. rashes, wounds). Do not send photos of intimate areas
  5. Submit your request

The more details you share, the quicker the practice can help you

What happens after I send an Anima?

Every medical Anima we received is reviewed by the Duty GP

  • The outcome will depend on the information provided so give as much accurate detail as possible
  • You may receive:
    • Advice
    • A prescription
    • A message asking for more information
    • An appointment (phone, video, or face-to-face)
    • A referral to an appropriate service
  • Response times vary depending on demand and urgency -  we aim to respond within the same day that the request was received.
  • Urgent problems are prioritised.
  • Please allow the Surgery time to respond before submitting another request.

Please keep your phone to hand as you will be contacted by telephone call, text message, NHS App, or through Anima

How to send an Anima for a family member

If you need to submit an Anima for a child (under 16 years):

  • After logging in, choose the option to add or manage dependents (this may appear as “Add a child” or “Add dependent”)
  • Enter your child’s details and save them to your account
  • Once added, you will be able to select your child’s name when sending a new Anima

If you need to submit an Anima for an adult (16 years and over) who is unable to use Anima:

  • After logging in yourself, please send an Anima Admin Request to the Surgery advising that you would like ‘<name of adult>’ and their ‘<date of birth>’ to be added as a dependent on your Anima Requests.

Tips for using Anima

  • Submit one issue per request where possible
  • Keep your contact details up to date
  • Use Anima early in the day if possible, ideally between 7.30am and 09.00am

If you have an urgent problem

  • Please make provisional arrangements in case you are advised to attend at short notice
  • There may not be a choice of which local surgery has an available urgent appointment 

When can I phone for an appointment (not use Anima)?

The appointments listed below can only be booked if one of the following applies:

  • A clinician has requested it in your consultation notes.
  • You have a blood test form from the hospital.
  • The appointment is listed as due in your patient record.

The following appointments can be made by phoning the Surgery:

  • Blood tests – (we may send you a booking link, or the GP will request the Care Navigator to book you in directly)
  • Vitamin B12 injections
  • Other injections
  • Annual Medication reviews - by invitation from the Surgery 
  • Smear tests
  • Annual Respiratory reviews  – by invitation from the Surgery 
  • Annual Diabetes reviews  – by invitation from the Surgery 
  • Dressing Changes
  • Flu jabs (Oct – March)

Repeat prescription requests – these can be requested:

  1. Via NHS App
  2. Paper form dropped off at either Surgery
  3. Via our website - please allow 3-5 days for processing

Test result queries – If you have access to the NHS App, you can view your test results there once the GP has received and reviewed them.
If you do not yet have access, please visit either surgery with your ID to complete a form to enable online access.

If you do not have online access

  • Contact the Care Navigators (face to face or telephone) who will assist you to complete an Anima Request.
  • Use our Ipad at either Surgery.

Respect for Staff

We ask all patients to treat our staff with courtesy and respect, so we can provide safe and effective care for everyone.

Our staff are here to help you. Abusive or threatening behaviour—whether verbal, physical, or online—will not be tolerated.  Patients who are abusive may be asked to use alternative services.