Overview
Sitting on the Highlands Health Board and serving 2,350 patients across 720 square kilometres of rugged Highland terrain, Aultbea & Gairloch Medical Practice provide essential care in one of the UK’s most remote regions. With tourist numbers causing seasonal surges and the nearest hospital 70 miles away, dependable, flexible communication is critical, particularly during out-of-hours.
The challenge
Before partnering with X-on Health, the practice faced persistent issues with a VOIP system that was not designed for the needs of general practice. Poor customer service, inflexible features and incorrect billing undermined day-to-day operations. The team lacked control over their setup and had limited visibility into how calls were being handled across their two geographically dispersed sites.
The solution
Recognising the need for a more responsive, healthcare-focused solution, the team chose Surgery Connect. The decision was driven by the platform’s tailored features, transparent pricing, strong sector reputation and the collaborative, informed approach of X-on Health’s support teams.
Within Surgery Connect, the practice deployed the Phonebar for desktop-based call handling and real-time visibility, Patient Callback to improve access during busy periods, and X-flow to customise call routing for both sites and local demand.
Early results & impact
“The exemplary Surgery Connect customer service provided for a smooth transition, maintaining our patient services. We’re keen to explore more ways Cloud-based telephony can transform our practice away from the limits of desk-based phones.”
Andy, Practice Manager at Aultbea & Gairloch Medical Practice
Since going live, the practice has significantly improved how it manages patient communications. Staff now benefit from full visibility of call flows, allowing better resourcing and more informed decisions. Integration across the two sites is seamless, and the ability to tailor and control the system locally has added a level of operational agility previously unavailable.
Looking ahead
The practice continues to explore how best to use Surgery Connect to further streamline access, especially during tourist season. With a strong support partnership in place, they are well positioned to adapt and scale their communications strategy as needs evolve
Summary
By implementing Surgery Connect, Aultbea & Gairloch Medical Practice resolved long-standing communication challenges with a solution designed for general practice. The team now benefits from a flexible, reliable system that supports seamless care delivery across remote sites and reinforces their commitment to accessible, high-quality patient care.