We would like to make you aware that we are frequently reviewing our appointment system to reflect our patients’ needs and frequent changes made accordingly. As a result of this we now have early, late, advance book and book on the day appointments. We take into considerations the following:
- Changes in number of positive COVID-19 cases in the region
- High demands from patients with long term illnesses
- Number of Frequent attenders booking unnecessary appointments with clinicians.
- Increasing requests for doctor appointments for self-limiting conditions, which can be self-managed at home.
Due to this, we might signpost you to NHS websites for self-care advice, pharmacists or NHS 111. We might also advise you to ring alternative number to book at a nearby Urgent care centre when all our appointments have been booked for the day.
Our current system is as follows:-
- Advance booking of appointments
You are able to book appointments up to 4 weeks in advance to see a Doctor or a Nurse. These appointments can be booked by attending in person, online or by telephone. Our usual appointment is 10 minutes long. - Advance booking by internet
These can be booked by logging onto online services (NHS App, MyGP app..etc.). You will need to register to access this service. Please ask reception staff for more details. - Book for the next day appointments
There are doctor’s appointments made available each day which are only available to book online the night before. These appointments will be released at 6.30 pm each day for the next day appointments. - Emergency appointments
We endeavour to see all the patients presenting with an urgent medical problem. However, please call the surgery if you feel you need to be seen urgently and a Doctor will assess your case in order to provide the most appropriate cause of action. This may include requesting that you visit the surgery, providing you with a prescription or suggesting a more appropriate pathway of care (i.e. A&E). Please bear in mind that we have limited number of emergency appointments to offer each day.
- Advance booking of appointments
Please be aware that the Surgery time is limited, as the doctors have to do home visits, prescriptions, referrals and reports after surgery has finished.
Face to face appointments
You can book a face to face appointment in advance with a doctor or nurse by telephone or by calling into the surgery. We always try to offer you an appointment on the day you want it but this may not always be possible. You can also book an appointment on internet. Remember you need to have registered to use this service – please ask at Reception
Urgent appointments
If your problem is urgent, you will be seen on the same day, usually by the doctor on-duty at the end of his/her surgery.
Same day appointments
Patients who wish to be seen on the same day may be triaged by a Doctor. This means that the receptionist will take your details and a Doctor will telephone you back. During this telephone call, the Doctor will assess your needs and, if required, agree a mutually convenient time for you to attend at the surgery.
Telephone advice
Only very urgent calls will be put through to the doctor during surgery hours. Please be prepared to give our receptionist as much details of the problem as possible. Our reception staff are trained and has been signposted on how to act on urgent the situations.
PLEASE REMEMBER that our doctors are very busy and only have a 10 minute slot per problem per appointment. Please book a double appointment if you wish to discuss an additional problem.
Preference of Practitioner
All patients are registered with the practice and not with a specific doctor but patients may express a preference to see a particular doctor when making appointments. In the event that your preferred doctor is unavailable, the practice will offer you another doctor. If you insist upon waiting to see a specific doctor, then this will depend upon that doctor’s availability and may result in you having to wait longer than the 48 hours anticipated in the NHS Plan.
