Appointments

KEEPING YOUR CONTACT DETAILS UP-TO-DATE

Please ensure that we hold your most up-to-date telephone number and email address.

Your clinician will speak with you by appointment, which can be made by telephone 01268 448200.  We have a new call back facility whereby you can leave a message and a Care Navigator will call you back. 

We also offer an automated system which will allow you to book, cancel, change or check an appointment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Use option 1 on the telephone system.

Urgent medical problems will always be dealt on the same day, except Saturday when you will need to call 111. If you think that your problem is medically urgent please make this clear to the receptionist. They will ask what the nature of the emergency is in order to assist the GP and help to prioritise appointments.

Saturday Morning Appointments

Please be aware that we do not offer emergency appointments on Saturday morning. All appointments are pre bookable. If you need urgent medical assistance you need to call 111.

Please note that an appointment is 10 minutes and the doctor or nurse is generally able to only discuss one problem in this time. 

If you need to discuss multiple problems with the doctor or nurse please ensure you book a double appointment.

Interpreter

We try to take the time to explain the nature of your illness and the reasons for our actions.  We will always examine you if necessary and arrange any appropriate tests. We also think it is very important to be honest with our patients, so we do not pretend to have magic cures for illnesses such as simple colds or tummy upsets – that’s why we usually don’t prescribe anything for these minor illnesses.

Medicines can occasionally do more harm than good, so we will only prescribe treatment if we really think it will help you.

If you are too ill to come to the surgery, or are housebound and need a home visit, please telephone the surgery before 11.30am.

Please only ask for visits after this time if it is an emergency (an urgent medical problem, or a sudden change in your condition that cannot wait until the next day).

The receptionist will need some information about the problem so that the doctor can arrange the visits in order of priority. 

You will be telephoned back by the doctor – sometimes, problems can be sorted out with some advice over the telephone, without the need for a visit

Please make every effort to get to the surgery if you can – the facilities are better for examination and any necessary treatment, and you’ll usually be seen more quickly.

We have a Home Visiting service which is managed by BB Healthcare Solutions.  If you request a home visit it may be a doctor or an Advanced Nurse Practitioner from the home visiting service who visits you.

It is important that you inform the reception staff if you are unable to attend your appointment, this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to attend, you will be sent a letter informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment. Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.

You can call or text the above number to cancel an appointment during the surgery opening times. Please note, this number is only to cancel an appointment, and cannot be used for any other enquiries.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

The Practices are involved with a lot of teaching.  Sometimes medical students attend the health centre as part of their training.  Qualified doctors (known as registrars) and nurses may also be attached to the Health Centre to learn about general practice and the community. If they are ‘sitting in’ with a doctor or a nurse, you will be asked for your consent to them being in the room.

If you wish to see the doctor or nurse alone please say so, - we understand and would, of course, respect your wishes.

Occasionally, we may also wish to video a consultation for training purposes only.  You will always be advised of this when booking an appointment – but if you would rather your consultation was not recorded, once again, please say so and we will respect your wishes.

If you have agreed to have your consultation videoed, please report to the reception desk when you arrive for your appointment. That way we can confirm that you are happy for the consultation to be recorded, and arrange for you to sign the necessary consent form.