Appointments

Non-urgent advice: Telephone Triage

The surgery runs a telephone triage system. When you call the surgery you will be asked if a doctor or nurse could telephone you back, if you are needing help on the same day. The more information you are able to provide does help the receptionist place you with the correct health professional in the team. 

Queuing up early in the morning will not necessarily guarantee you an appointment.  To run more efficiency you may be offered the triage service and telephoned back.

If you would like to understand more about the new service please ask reception who are here to help.

Non-urgent advice: Appointments With a Doctor

The surgery runs the telephone triage system where all patients are triaged if they need to be seen by a GP on the same day. Appointments are kept back for urgent medical problems. The GP or Nurse Practitioner on triage will call you back, if you call in the morning you will normally receive a call back by the end of the morning and the same if you call in the afternoon, and if they feel they need to see you they will arrange a time for you to come down to the surgery.

Please note the doctor of your choice may be unavailable either on holiday or study leave.

Please do everything you can to keep your appointment and inform us as soon as possible if you are unable to attend for your appointment. If you arrive later than your appointment time the doctor may ask to see you at the end of surgery. If we are running late, please bear with us – on another occasion it may be you who needs the extra time.

The surgery is designed to allow wheelchair access and there are also disabled toilet facilities.

Non-urgent advice: Experienced Nurses

Experienced Nurses are available to call you back.  This can provide quick access to solving your medical queries.

Advice on:

How to manage minor ailments or infections, coughs and colds, flu-like symptoms not responding to the recommended over the counter remedies
Advice on recent investigations, ie, Blood results, X Rays or scans
Follow up support on new treatments, started on medication and advice on stable chronic disease areas – e.g: Asthma, Hypertension, Diabetes, COPD and Stroke
Medication reviews and prescribing of medication where appropriate
Signposting of discussed need to relevant health professional
General health enquiries

Please Note: Remember your local Pharmacy can also provide advice on minor ailments and illnesses

Non-urgent advice: Cancel an Appointment

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 also complete our appointment cancellation notification request form. This can only be used if your appointment has been arranged for more than 24 hours in advance. (excluding weekends and public holidays). You can also text to cancel your appointment.

Cancel your appointment online

Using the NHS App

What the NHS app can be used for

  • get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it.
  • order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to.
  • book appointments – search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments.
  • check your symptoms – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you.
  • register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision.
  • find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning.
  • view parts of your GP record – including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results.

Late for your Appointment

Please attend your appointment on time, if you are late you may not be seen. If you are not seen you will not be able to rearrange your appointment until the next working day-except in the event of an medical emergency that requires immediate attention.

One Appointment, One Problem

Before you see the GP, work out what you are worried about. Highlight your concerns. Think about how you would describe your symptoms and get to the point without keeping important information to the end. Note that too many problems distract the doctor on dealing with your main problem and the doctor may be more likely to rush. Therefore we request that you address only one problem per appointment.

Text Reminder Service

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.

Title
Email
Do you consent to Text messages?

Extended Access

Additional appointments are available from 4-8pm and on Saturdays (these can be at other local surgery sites i.e Broadfield, Bewbush and Saxonbrook).

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:30.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby.

Chaperones

Sometimes it is helpful to both the patient and the doctor to have another person in the room during a physical examination. Please understand that you may ask for a chaperone to be present and the doctor will not be offended. The doctor themselves may also request another person to be present.