What's changing? đ
From mid-October, your patient-facing Patient Triage form will include a CAPTCHA.
This is a standard web security check that confirms a request is coming from a real person, not an automated bot or AI agent.
We're gradually switching it on for practices, so it may reach your form a little after this date.
If you don't use a third-party AI receptionist, you don't need to do anything. Your workflow, templates and triage process all stay the same.
At a glance
| Before | With CAPTCHA security check |
Patients filling in the form online | No security check | A short "I'm not a robot" check after entering their date of birth |
Patients using the NHS App or signed in with NHS login | No security check | No change. They won't see the CAPTCHA |
How requests reach your practice | Patient Triage inbox | No change |
Your templates and triage workflow | No change | No change |
AI receptionists / third-party tools submitting into Patient Triage | May work (not officially supported) | Will stop working unless your practice has an exemption in place |
Why are we making this change?
Bots and AI tools are getting better at automatically filling out and submitting online forms. As well as leading to fraudulent or spam submissions, a large volume of automated requests can:
Overwhelm your team's capacity to triage genuine requests
Put pressure on the Patient Triage service for every practice that uses it
CAPTCHA ensures that requests coming through Patient Triage are from real patients, protecting both your practice and the wider service.
What will patients see?
The CAPTCHA appears after the patient enters their date of birth. The patient won't be asked to do anything else differently.
Most of the time, the patient doesn't see anything, or just ticks a single "I'm not a robot" box.
Occasionally, they may be asked to complete a quick puzzle.
It takes a few seconds, and then they carry on with the form as normal
Patients who submit through the NHS App, or who sign in with NHS login, will never be shown the CAPTCHA. How to submit a request to your GP Practice using the NHS App
Using a third-party integration or AI receptionist?
This is the only case where your practice may need to take action.
Accurx doesn't officially support third-party integrations or AI receptionists submitting into Patient Triage. Once CAPTCHA is switched on for your form, these tools won't be able to complete the check, so they'll stop working.
How to request an exemption
If your practice relies on an AI receptionist and wants to keep using it:
Ask your Practice Manager or a GP Partner to complete the CAPTCHA exemption form.
FAQ's
Do I need to do anything to turn CAPTCHA on?
Practices don't need to do anything to enable CAPTCHA.
Will CAPTCHA stop genuine patients from submitting requests?
CAPTCHA is designed to let genuine patients through with little or no effort. Most patients either won't see anything or will just tick one box. Some will occasionally get a quick puzzle.
What happens if a patient can't complete the CAPTCHA?
If the check doesn't work the first time, the patient will be asked to try again. If they still can't get through, they can submit their request using the NHS App, which doesn't show a CAPTCHA, or contact the practice another way, for example by phone.
Will patients ever have to complete the CAPTCHA more than once?
Most patients only complete the check once per request. A patient who takes a long time to fill out the form or goes back and forth between pages repeatedly may be asked to complete the check again before continuing.
Do patients using the NHS App or NHS login see the CAPTCHA?
Patients who submit through the NHS App or sign in with NHS login are never shown the CAPTCHA.
We use an AI receptionist. Will it keep working?
AI receptionists and other third-party tools that submit to Patient Triage will stop working once CAPTCHA is enabled, unless your practice has an exemption. To request an exemption, your Practice Manager or a GP Partner needs to complete the CAPTCHA exemption form.
Who can request an exemption?
Only a Practice Manager or a GP Partner can complete the exemption form, because it involves signing an agreement on behalf of the practice.
Does this change the clinical safety of Patient Triage?
CAPTCHA only checks that the person filling in the form is real. It doesn't change the questions patients are asked, how requests are triaged, or how they reach your practice. For more on how Patient Triage is kept safe, see Patient Triage: Clinical Safety.
If you have any further questions or feedback, please get in touch with our support team using the message bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this page đ