How to See the Doctor – Routine Appointments
All consultations are by appointment only. Our phone lines for appointments open at 8.30am.
You may consult any doctor you choose but we recommend that you try to see the same doctor whenever possible, for continuity of your care. Routine appointments are usually available with a doctor of choice if you book a week or so ahead. If your request is at shorter notice, it may be necessary for you to see whoever is available.
If you feel your problem needs to be addressed sooner, you may be asked for your details so that a doctor or nurse can phone you back to assess when is the most appropriate appointment for your problem.
Double appointments are most often agreed with the GP, but do let reception know if you feel you may need extra time to deal with a particular problem, so that this can be checked with the GP. Please be punctual, or, if you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. Others can use your slot! _____________________________________________________________________
Same Day Appointments
These are appointments we reserve specifically for medical illnesses that you feel cannot wait until the next routine appointment.
Remember, using routine appointments allows us to have more time to address your problems and concerns and allows you to keep seeing the same doctor. This will always produce the most satisfaction for patients and doctors. See the routine appointments frequently asked questions for further information.
If you have requested an “on the day” appointment, please help us by asking only about the immediate medical problem. Please avoid asking us about other less important issues which may be better dealt with at a routine appointment with your usual doctor.
Below are some examples of things which probably do not require a “same-day” appointment; and are usually better dealt with at a routine appointment:
- Medical Certificates
- Minor self-limiting illness (e.g. simple coughs and colds – you may consider consulting the local pharmacist for help for these)
- Symptoms which have been present for a long time and have not significantly worsened.
- A second opinion
- Prescription requests (any prescription requests can be dealt with by staff)
- An appointment booked for convenience (e.g. your day off work, or you are on holiday).
We hope this will help you use these appointments appropriately. Please do not be offended if we see you in a “same-day” appointment and ask you to rebook for a routine appointment. This helps to ensure that we deal with your problems in the best way we can, and helps us to provide a fair service to all of our patients, and ensures that patients with urgent problems are given priority.
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Urgent Appointments
Every morning we make extra surgeries available of short, five minute appointments for problems which patients feel medically can’t wait. Urgent cases may be seen at this surgery or at the duty doctor’s surgery in the afternoon.
If you have a problem you feel will not wait until the next available routine appointment, please tell the receptionist. You may be asked to leave your telephone number for a doctor to phone you back to assess the urgency of your problem. Note that the surgery number is withheld to callers for reasons of confidentiality. If your phone does not accept anonymous calls, we would have to override this and confidentiality may be compromised.
Please phone if you possibly can rather than coming straight to the surgery. We can advise on the best option for you, depending on your own specific circumstances at the time.
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Children
We prefer sick children to be seen in the surgery. Often this can be quicker than a home visit. If in doubt about bringing your child out, please phone the surgery first for advice.