Appointments
Before booking an appointment with one of our clinicians, it may be worth looking at our health page to check if a surgery appointment is needed for the service you require.
We are using more technology to make contacting us easier, you can use online consultation to let us know about your health requirements.
Your request is checked by our clinical team, including GPs and you will receive a reply within 48 hours, including the offer of an appointment on the day if you need one. It’s quick, secure and gets you the care and advice you need, when you need it.
How to Book an Appointment
You can book an appointment in the following ways:
- Via SystmConnect
- Calling the surgery on 01752 206002
When calling the surgery to request an appointment the receptionist you speak to will ask you for details as to the nature of your problem so that the most appropriate appointment with the most appropriate medical professional can be offered.
Our receptionists are available at the reception desk or by telephone Monday – Friday between 08:00 – 18:00.
Urgent Appointments
If you require an urgent same day appointment you will be asked to complete a SystmConnect Online Request Form, your request will be triaged and if you need an appointment, we will arrange one with you.
Routine Appointments
We provide a number of pre-bookable routine appointments for the doctor of your choice. Appointments are pre-bookable up to 4 weeks in advance and we offer a mix of face to face and telephone consultations. Please note the clinician will only attempt to call twice.
Where possible we encourage patients to try and arrange to see your usual doctor. Staying with the same doctor will improve continuity of care. In certain circumstances, for example in an emergency, it might be necessary to see whichever doctor is on duty.
Extended Access Appointments
We offer a limited number of early morning and evening appointments, alongside a Saturday morning clinic every 5 weeks.
Cancelling an Appointment
If you cannot attend your appointment for any reason, please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to another patient.
Please fill out this online form to cancel your appointment.
Home Visits
Home visits are undertaken for housebound patients at the GPs discretion. If you require a home visit we would appreciate if you could phone the surgery before 10.00 on the morning of the visit request. Many visits are now possible through the use of a smart phone and a video consultation. The use of this has increased during the recent pandemic and will continue to be so.
When you phone, the receptionist will ask you if it is possible for you to attend surgery and be fitted in to an urgent appointment. This is an attempt to ensure that you are seen as soon as possible, and to make sure that the doctor is available for any emergencies in the surgery.
In the time that it takes to do a home visit a doctor is often able to see three or four patients in the surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions for Telephone Appointments
How can you book a telephone appointment?
You can phone the practice to book a telephone appointment, you are able to pre-book a routine telephone appointment up to 4 weeks in advance subject to availability.
Who will the appointment be with?
At the time you book your appointment, you will be informed if the appointment is with a doctor, an advanced nurse practitioner, or other healthcare professional.
When will you receive your phone call?
You will not be given an exact time for your appointment. Instead, you will be informed if it will be morning or afternoon.
As it is very difficult to assess how long appointments will last and whether interruptions or emergencies will crop up, appointments may be delayed. We, therefore, do not give you an exact time as we can’t promise the exact time will be achieved. Patients who have online access are able to see the time of the telephone appointment, however, this is purely indicative of whether the call will take place in the morning or afternoon.
Why do I need to give a reason for my appointment?
This helps the receptionist book an appointment with the most appropriate clinician. Providing a reason also helps the advanced clinician or doctor to prioritise appointments if needed. Occasionally, a patient may ask for an appointment for something that needs far more urgent attention and the patient may be advised to go to A&E instead.
How will I know the call is from the doctor?
Unfortunately, you won’t. All our calls come from a withheld number.
What does the surgery advise if you have a telephone appointment booked?
We advise you to keep your phone charged and with you at all times. As we can’t say when exactly the doctor will call, it is important you can answer the call when it comes. We also advise you the call will come from a withheld number. The clinician will make a maximum of 2 attempts to call you.
If you are expecting a telephone call from a clinician, please ensure you are available and free to take a call during the morning or afternoon specified on booking.
What happens if you miss the call?
The clinician will make a maximum of 2 attempts to call you, if we are unable to make contact with you on the second attempt, you will need to contact reception to arrange a new appointment on an alternative day.
You have missed your telephone appointment but have not had any missed calls showing on your phone?
Firstly it is important to check we have the correct telephone number on record.
If this is the case, we believe you may not have any missed calls showing if your phone temporarily had no signal at the time of the calls. We have no other way of explaining this problem. The clinician will always record phone call attempts in the record.