Appointments

If you don’t need an appointment urgently you will be offered a future dated appointment with an appropriate clinician as they are available.

If you need an appointment the same day you will be asked by the Patient Co-ordinator for a brief indication of the reason you need to see a clinician.  This is so that you can be seen by the most appropriate clinician on that day.

The Patient Co-ordinator does not need to know all the details, just a few words.  This information will be put on your appointment booking so that the clinician has a brief idea of why you need to be seen.

Alternatively, if you don’t need an appointment you can request a telephone call from one of our clinicians, depending on the matter.

It is not always possible to see or speak to a preferred Clinician at a date and time convenient to you.  If this is the case you will be offered an alternative appointment with a Clinician who will be able to see and treat you.

We require everyone to treat our Patient Co-ordinator and staff with dignity and respect at all times.  Any callers who fail to do so will have the call terminated without warning.

If you have made an appointment you need to arrive a few minutes before your appointment is due to start.  If you are late for your appointment you will have to make another appointment as the clinician will not be able to shorten another patient’s appointment to accommodate you.

If you find that you are unable to keep an appointment it is very important that you contact us to CANCEL your booked appointment, with as much notice as possible.  This means that the clinicians’ time is not wasted and another patient will be able to make use of that appointment.  You can cancel an appointment by telephone or in person, or if you have booked an appointment online you will be able to cancel it online.

The practice can provide home visits due to illness or infirmity where the patient is physically unable to attend an appointment at the practice.  If you feel you need a home visit you must telephone the practice as early as possible (before 10.00am).  We have to plan our home visits around appointments and clinics, and later home visit requests are very difficult to co-ordinate. We will ask for and need appropriate information when you request a home visit.

The practice can only undertake home visits where the patient is unable to leave the house.

Please notify us in advance (preferably when booking your appointment) if you would like a Chaperone present.

If you need help with interpreting or translation, please let us know when you make the appointment.  You can arrange for a friend or relative to accompany you.  Alternatively we offer a translation service, but we will need at least 24 hours notice to book an interpreter.

It is important to be as frank and open as you can.  You may find it helpful to prepare some notes to bring with you to discuss during your appointment.  Taking phone calls during an appointment is wasting your GP’s time – please either decline the call or explain you will call them back.

If you need advice the same day please telephone the Practice as soon after 8.00 am as possible.

If you need to speak to a clinician the Patient Co-ordinator will either book a telephone/video consultation for you or may suggest you ask your question via e-consult. The relevant clinician will then respond to you within 2 working days.

Our Advance Nurse Practitioners, Locums and Paramedics specialise in on-the-day appointments for when you are unexpectedly not well. These may be face-to-face, by telephone or video call. Alternatively the Patient Advisor can arrange a routine call back with the GP, this may take 3-4 working days. Please ensure you give as much information regarding the call back as possible.