Overview
Located in Farnborough and part of Frimley ICB, Alexander House Surgery wanted to explore how the Omni Consultation Voice Agent can provide equitable access to Online Consultation-style triage via telephone, while reducing admin burden and maintaining clinical oversight.
“We needed a solution where phone users had the same access and triage pathway as digitally enabled patients. The Voice Agent is as big a step forward for patient communications as telephony was in the first instance.”
Patrick, Practice Business Manager and Digital Transformation Manager for Farnborough PCN
Challenges and goals
With 85% of patients still contacting the practice by phone, the team wanted all of their patients to be able to submit Online Consultation requests regardless of digital confidence or access.
The goal was to offer real patient choice while standardising the administration process across channels. The practice wanted to reduce pressure on reception teams, maintain human oversight, and introduce automation in a controlled way without excluding any patient group.
Early insights and implementation
The Voice Agent was introduced as an option within their existing Surgery Connect X-flow. Patients could choose to use the Voice Agent or wait to speak to a receptionist. Requests were captured in structured format within Surgery Connect , ready for review and triage.
Staff were initially cautious about how patients would respond to use of AI. However, as usage increased, feedback became positive. Patients appreciated how quick and straightforward the process felt, particularly when they received responses promptly.
Initial results and impact
The Voice Agent has reduced pressure during busy periods and unexpected staff absence, acting as a safety net. Structured submissions allow staff to review and action requests more quickly than live calls, particularly where clarity might otherwise be affected by background noise.
The reception team finds that the Voice Agent captures 99% of patient information accurately, while giving them full oversight of triage decisions. Patients without smartphones or email addresses have used the service successfully, supporting the practice’s commitment to equitable access.
Looking ahead
Alexander House Surgery plans to continue using the Voice Agent and is exploring future use cases such as outbound recall and medication queries.
Omni Consultation Forms mark the first step for Voice Agents — task-specific and designed to evolve with the needs of practices and patients. This pilot shows how structured voice-led triage can strengthen equitable access while maintaining safety and control.