Appointments

 

Community Pharmacy

Pharmacy teams are also able to offer a range of NHS services.

Learn more about what your pharmacy can do for you!

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How to request an appointment

We request patients use our online service for GP appointments and other minor illness, minor injury appointments.

If you telephone the surgery, you will be required to complete the same set of questions with the receptionist, however this will take much longer.

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Request a Sickness Certificate

Taken sick leave for more than 7 days in a row? Request your sick/fit note here.

If you are off work for 7 days or less, you do not need to give your employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a medical professional.

Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or you can download it from the HMRC website.

You must give your employer a doctor’s ‘fit note’ (sometimes called a ‘sick note’) if you’ve been ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.

Contact us online to request a sick note

 

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Request a Home Visit

Home visits are reserved for housebound patients and in exceptional circumstances for those too unwell to come to the surgery.

If a home visit is required we encourage patients to phone as early as possible in the day giving the receptionist some idea of the problem so that the doctor can assess the urgency.

Please remember that home visits are very time consuming and that facilities are better in the surgery than at home.

Children can usually be safely wrapped up and brought to the surgery. Patients with rashes can be put in a separate room. We request you therefore attend the surgery whenever it is possible.

At all times please ring the Practice on: 01243 527264

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Chaperone Policy

You are very welcome to be accompanied by a trusted friend or relative at your consultation if you wish

This is all the more important if English is not your first language, or if you feel you might not be able to express what you need clearly to the doctor or nurse.  

In additon, for intimate examinations, you will be offered the choice of having another professional clinician present at the examination. This is called chaperoning.

If we cant allocate a chaperone when you wish one to be there, then we can reschedule your examination to another time.

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How to Cancel an Appointment

Please let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to make your appointment.

If you are cancelling an appointment that is within the next 24 hours please contact reception on 01243 527264

Or you can use our online services.

Please remember that there may be a shortage of appointments and when you fail to attend you have prevented someone else from being seen in your place. On average about 150 appointments are missed each month.

Cancellations notified less than 30 minutes before the appointment time will be recorded as failure to attend (DNA).

Repeated failure to attend booked appointments is a significant waste of NHS resources.

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Life Threatening - Go to A&E

If you or someone you know has a life-threatening condition, such as loss of consciousness, chest pain, breathing difficulties etc, you should call 999

In an EMERGENCY call 999.
Emergencies are situations that cannot be managed at home and may be life threatening

Please note the following test/checks require either a 20 or 30 minute appointment slots:

  • Smear Test
  • Asthma Check
  • Diabetes Check
  • Doppler Test
  • Immunisations
  • ECG Test
  • IUD Check
  • Travel Health

Appointments FAQs

Why does the receptionist ask me what the problem is?

One of the important roles that receptionists play is to navigate patients to the most appropriate service within our Practice.

Some patients may need to see a Doctor, a Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistants who would be able to provide the appropriate care.

I need to cancel my appointment, what should I do?

We request that patients contact the Practice with at least 2 hours' notice if they wish to cancel their appointment.

Please call 01243 527264 or follow the link in our Appointment Reminder Text

Why have I received a letter because I did not attend my appointment (DNA)?

If patients miss their appointment on 3 separate occasions and did not inform the Practice in advance that they could not attend, patients will receive a letter from the Practice.

If a patient doesn't attend their 4th appointment they will be removed from the Practice register and will be required to register with another provider.

We have approximately 150 missed appointments every month. This is the equivalent of 2 weeks of appointments for a full-time Doctor and is a terrible waste of valuable NHS funds.

I would like to see a Doctor of my choice, am I allowed to request this?

Of course; patients are entitled to request to see a Doctor of their choice.

However, on occasions they may have to wait a bit longer because the availability of appointments has been narrowed to one Clinician. You still have the option to book with another Doctor or request telephone advice, if you wish.

Why can't I see my GP of choice today?

At times we are unable to offer patients an appointment with their preferred GP because the majority of our GPs work part-time.

We can't guarantee their appointment slots will coordinate with patient availability. To request your preferred GP please book an appointment in advance; we offer up to 3 weeks' of appointments in advance.

My mother doesn't speak very good English; can she have an interpreter please?

For patients who require assistance with language translation during a consultation, we can organise for you a professional advocacy service.

This is provided by The Big Word so that a Health Advocate may assist with translation during appointment(s).

This service is only available for pre-booked appointments. The advocacy service must be organised 5 working days in advance of your pre-booked appointment; please contact our reception staff who will organise this on your behalf.

I am calling on behalf of my brother, could I speak with the Doctor about his problems please?

We are bound by strict rules of confidentiality and therefore cannot discuss any confidential information with a relative, friend or concerned member of the public.

However, we are happy to note any concerns that you have regarding the third party.

Registering for Online Services

You can now choose to sign up for SystmOnline to use the internet to book GP appointments, request prescriptions for regular medications and look at your medical record online. This may help you to manage your medical conditions and you can even access it abroad should you require medical treatment on holiday.

Anyone over the age of 16 can apply and proxy applications can be made by relatives looking after patients who do not have mental capacity.

You will be given login details and you will need to think of a password which is unique to you. This will ensure that only you are able to access your record – unless you choose to share your details with a family member or carer.

If you would like to sign up for Online Patient Services, you will be able to:

  • Make an appointment
  • Order your repeat prescriptions
  • Cancel an appointment
  • Change your contact details
  • Review your medications and known allergies

We will need to check your photo ID and proof of address as part of the application process as you will be able to see detailed confidential information from your medical record. The practice must ensure that access is only being granted to yourself or your authorised proxy.

Application for Online Services

When applying for online services please ensure photo ID and proof of address is presented at the practice within 2 weeks of application.