How Do I...
Make An Appointment?

The practice operates a daily triage system which assists the GPs to manage requests for same day appointments and ensures that patients are seen by an appropriate health professional within a sensible timescale. Patients requesting an urgent or same day appointment will be assessed by a GP or nurse prescriber. In discussion with the patient he or she will decide whether you need to be seen at the surgery, or whether some advice or prescription is sufficient. Our nurse prescribers work alongside the GPs to ensure this service meets the needs of our patients. Routine appointments are available to book up to four weeks in advance. Patients are asked to book appointments by telephone whenever possible; the surgery has multiple telephone lines, and a queuing system in operation. Telephones are fully staffed by reception from 08.30 and are answered automatically in the order calls are received. There is no open access or ‘sit and wait’ surgery. To ensure we are fair to all our patients, queuing up at the surgery before it opens does not mean you will be able to ‘jump the queue’. Genuine emergencies will always be seen the same day.

It is preferable to book an appointment in advance if you wish to see a particular doctor, or wish to discuss an ongoing health problem with the same doctor. Whilst the practice strives to ensure that you see the doctor of your choice it may not be possible to offer an early appointment if surgeries are already fully booked, or if the doctor has been on leave.

If surgery is not running on time there is always a good reason, usually as a result of a medical emergency which will always take priority. The receptionist will inform you of any unusual delay and we trust you will be patient and understanding and of course we will try to keep delays to a minimum.

If you are unable to keep a booked appointment it is essential that you contact us so that we can offer the appointment to another patient.

Nurses and doctors are available at certain times of the day to give advice or test results over the telephone. If you are calling for test results, please try to telephone after 13.00. We cannot guarantee a time when calls will be returned; non-urgent calls may not be returned on the same working day.

How Do I...
Obtain A Home Visit?

GP home visits may be appropriate for elderly patients who are housebound, for patients with certain medical conditions and for patients who are terminally ill. Most medical problems are best managed at the surgery, where there are the correct facilities and equipment to allow a thorough assessment. It is the patient’s or carer’s responsibility to arrange transport to the surgery.

If you feel that you need a home visit, please try to telephone the surgery before 10.00. The receptionist will ask for a few details in order for the GP to prioritise urgent calls. It is likely that the duty doctor may telephone you to discuss how your problem can best be assessed and managed. It may not be possible for your usual doctor to provide a home visit.