Overview
Poplar Grove Practice is the largest GP surgery in Maple PCN, serving just under 24,000 patients from a single site with a team of 80 staff. As part of a wider network of 46,000+ patients, the practice needed a scalable and reliable digital solution to manage growing demand and improve patient access.
The challenge
Poplar Grove’s previous telephone system couldn’t keep up with the demands of modern general practice. Call recordings were difficult to access, support was slow and customisation was limited. As patient demand increased and new digital platforms emerged, the system fell short.
The solution
While switching to X-on Health’s Cloud-based telephony system ‘Surgery Connect’ improved call handling through smarter workflows, demand remained high. Introducing Surgery Assist was a turning point. With a smooth setup and responsive support, the practice became a proud pilot site for the AI-powered care navigation chatbot.
Early results & impact
“Implementation was hands-off – they handled everything. And if we needed tweaks, the turnaround was quick.”
Jackie, IT Manager
“It’s a professional, responsive service that adapts to our needs.”
Vicki, PCN/Development Manager
In just 3 months, Surgery Assist delivered measurable benefits:
- Reduced average time to answer by 25%, from 10 minutes to 6 minutes 20 seconds
- Reduced missed calls by over 50%, from 2270 to 986
- Increased NHS App uptake by 4%
Encouraging patients to self-serve or access care through the right channels, the practice experienced 25,000 less calls over the course of a year. The system’s customisable messaging also helped staff respond quickly to shortages and emergencies.
Looking ahead
Poplar Grove Practice continues to work with the X-on Health team to refine their approach to patient access and trial new features. The team remains at the forefront of digital innovation and proudly supports wider adoption of Surgery Assist across the region.
Summary
Introducing Surgery Assist transformed Poplar Grove Practice’s patient access model. The practice now benefits from a flexible, digital-first solution backed by a proactive support team. Together, X-on Health and Poplar Grove Practice have built a system that meets the real-world demands of general practice.