Earls Barton Medical Centre rolls out new 'simple' system for booking GP services
A change to the way patients book appointments and contact GPs at Earls Barton Medical Centre means people are now being asked to register with online platform, Anima.
Earls Barton Medical Centre will follow in the footsteps of Lakeside Surgeries in Kettering, Corby, Oundle and Brigstock by switching to Anima to handle bookings, online queries and more.
The practice currently serves more than 8,000 people and the switch to Anima, which is free and approved by the NHS, is available for all patients.
A spokesman for the Aggate Way practice said: “We want to say a heartfelt thank you for your patience and resilience over the past two years. We know it hasn't always been easy and we're grateful for your continued support as we've worked hard to restore care and resolve the challenges we inherited at Earls Barton and Penvale Park Medical Centres.
“Now, we're thrilled to share some genuinely exciting news.
“We're making significant improvements to improve access and provide same-day responses to your queries. Our goal is simple: when you contact us, we address your needs that same day — no more waiting and wondering.
"We're not just restoring care — we're building something better. Working hand-in-hand with our community, our goal is to make these practices among the best in Northamptonshire by the end of next year.”
Anima is used in more than 200 NHS clinics in England and was adopted by Lakeside Surgeries practices in early 2024.
It is a platform where patients can submit queries or requests online, which a clinician can review and determine the next course of action, be it advice, a prescription or an appointment, aiming for a same-day response.
Earls Barton Medical Centre was recently told it requires improvement by the care quality commission (CQC), where inspectors noted it needed to improve in the safe, responsive and well-led categories. The report also noted that access to the practice was ‘challenging’, with some patients having difficulty in obtaining appointments.
Signing up to Anima takes around 15 minutes and can be done online here. A registration for each person must be submitted for multiple or family registrations.