HOW
DO I...
MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT?
All consultations are by appointment, which can be made in person or by telephoning the surgery during working hours. It is important to note that the practice runs both booked appointments (up to 4 weeks in advance) and on-the-day and within 48 hours urgent appointments. The practice is also involved in the minor ailments scheme by local pharmacists.
The practice has a strict policy of adhering to an appointment system.
Patients walking into the surgery will not normally be seen except in case of
emergency. The appointment system is split into appointments which can be booked
in advance and ‘on-the-day’ appointments which can be booked only
on the day. These are strictly for acute and urgent problems.
Please make appointments with the first available doctor. If you wish to see
a specific doctor, please be aware there may be a delay. Let's not waste appointments!
Please cancel if you are unable to attend. This enables us to offer another appointment
if appropriate and offer the cancelled slot to other patients. Please
see the same doctor for on-going problems.
Wherever possible, please tell the receptionist what the appointment is for,
so that she can allocate sufficient time for you. Is a doctor’s appointment
necessary? Could a nurse or pharmacist help you? Would you be happy to receive
advice over the telephone?
Patients with
minor illnesses (sore throat, rashes, chest infections, eye infections, emergency
contraception, wound infection, UTIs) may be offered appointments to see the
nurse. You may be asked to describe your symptoms and the doctor will be available
to see you, should the nurse think it necessary.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN HEALTH ADVICE OR TELEPHONE CONSULTATION WITH A DOCTOR?
Doctors only
take phone calls 15 minutes before their surgery and for up to half an hour following
the surgery. The practice has a strict policy of not interrupting the doctor
between consultations, except for emergencies.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
A HOME VISIT?
Home visits are made at the discretion of your doctor. You do not have an automatic right to expect a home visit. Please do not ask your
doctor to call unless the patient is genuinely too ill to come to the surgery.
A rash or temperature does not prevent patients coming to the surgery and will
not endanger others. Simply tell the receptionist on arrival. Where the condition
of the patient does require a home visit, please try to let us know before 10.00am
each day.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
TEST RESULTS?
These may be obtained by ringing 0844 477 3058 between 2.00 and 4.00pm. The receptionist will then inform you of the result and ask you to make an appointment with the doctor or nurse if necessary. It is practice policy to only
give results of medical tests to patients over 16 and to the parents of those
below this age.
Please do not ask for the results of your partner or spouse. Confidentiality
does not allow us to reveal results to anyone other than the patient. Results
are usually available as follows:
Blood tests - within five working days
Urine and stool specimens - within five working days
ECGs, chest x-rays and ultrasounds - within ten working days
Cervical smears - within four weeks
Please note we cannot usually hurry this process, and do remember it is the
patient's responsibility to contact the surgery for test results.
Laboratory Specimens
Specimens are sent to the hospital on Monday to Friday at 12 noon. If you are
asked to bring a specimen please ensure that you put your name on it and bring
it with the accompanying form in the plastic container provided. The specimen
must reach the surgery by 12 noon at the latest. Specimens arriving after that
time will not be accepted and you may have to take the specimen to the hospital
yourself.
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