Advanced Routine Medical Appointments
There are a number of pre-booked appointments available on each morning or afternoon sessions, you will normally be able to receive a consultation with a doctor of your choice within a reasonable period. However, during holidays or periods of high demand the appointment waiting time can become increased. It is really important to cancel any pre-booked appointments that are no longer required so that someone else can avail of it.
Please note appointments for medical reasons will be given priority over those for Disability Living Allowance, Insurance Reports and other non-NHS requests. It is important that you let reception staff know if you are attending for something other than medical treatment or advice, so that the Doctors may be prepared by having notes, or other relevant information, to hand.
URGENT on the day appointments
These appointments are to cater for the onset of medical conditions that are not an emergency but require medical treatment more urgent and something that cannot wait until a routine appointment. These appointments may be with an un-named Doctor – it is not possible to specify which Doctor you want to see.
These appointments are released on the day at 9am, you will need to ring early as this type of an appointment is in high demand. DOCTORS WILL NOT TOLERATE ABUSE OF THIS PROVISION.
Emergency Appointments
In the case of an urgent medical emergency such as suspected heart attack or stroke you must telephone 999 immediately.
If you feel you need a doctors appointment in an emergency case, the receptionist will be able to direct you by passing a message to the on duty doctor. The doctor will then triage and direct patient of what to do and where best to attend.
Advanced Booking
Appointments may be booked with a specific GP of choice up to 4 weeks in advance. During holiday times, or in the event of illness, availability of a particular Doctor may be affected. Appointments may be booked with a Nurse up to 2 weeks in advance.
On The Day Telephone Consultations
For your convenience there are a number of telephone consultations also available. The reception staff will take essential details of your problem in confidence. They will take a phone number and a Doctor will phone you back. The reception staff will be able to give you an estimated time for your call back.
Waiting Times In The Surgery
Please appreciate that the length of time required by each patient in a consultation is variable and unpredictable. From time to time, a medical emergency or sudden death will require a Doctor to leave the premises unexpectedly. We would ask patients to understand it is impossible for the Doctor, or Nurse, always to keep to a rigid timetable and delays may occur.
We would remind patients that all Doctors in the Practice are responsible for your care. It may not always be necessary to see the same Doctor and, in some instances, our nursing staff may be able to assist you. All patients’ medical records are computerised and access is available to all clinicians in the practice to ensure continuity of care.
Abuse of the appointment system, including obtaining emergency appointments for invalid reasons, cannot be allowed. Patients are requested to be considerate by cancelling appointments in sufficient time so may be given to others.
Home Visits
Requests for house calls should be made by telephone to reception before 10am.
A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.
House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.
Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the surgery.