Appointments
Doctor's Routinely Scheduled Appointments
These are pre-bookable appointments and can be arranged with reception in person or over the telephone on 0845 1222 686 or 0114 239 6687. If you have registered for the service you can also book online via EMIS ACCESS.
These appointments can be used to discuss all aspects of health care and plan treatment for simple and complicated medical problems. You may wish to consider trying one of the other types of appointment here for discussing matters with the doctors or nurses.
Sometimes a telephone appointment may allow us to deal with the problem quickly and easily.
PLEASE ensure that you attend your booked appointment or let us know in good time if you cannot. In just one week in 2010, 83 people did not attend their booked appointments, amounting to over 15 hours of clinic time when you or a relative could have been seen.
Doctor's Same Day Appointments
If you are unwell and feel that you cannot wait for a routine appointment, or that a three minute appointment is not going to be enough, please tell us. In such circumstances we will always aim to see you as soon as possible. As part of establishing what might be needed we may also arrange for a doctor to call you to make an assessment and agree a plan with you.
You will be asked to come to the surgery either at the beginning or end of surgery, although you will not be able to see the doctor of your choice and you may have to wait a little longer.
The Three Minute Surgery - QUICK, SIMPLE SINGLE PROBLEMS, THAT YOU THINK WON'T TAKE LONG
This is a clinic unique to Gleadless Medical Centre. It runs every Monday to Friday and starts at 10:30am. We don't finish the clinic until everyone has been seen but we stop giving numbers out at 12 midday. To get an appointment please ask reception from 08:30-12pm and pick up a number (a bit like a fresh food counter at your local supermarket!). Also, from May of 2009 we have been offering these "TMS appointment numbers" over the telephone.
This clinic gives you access to a doctor either ON THE SAME DAY (or within 24 hours if you call after that day's surgery is over). It is for a single medical problem that you feel can be dealt with in 3 minutes. You will first see a health care assistant who will record your symptoms and then you will see a doctor to make a diagnosis and plan any treatment.
Examples of problems that can effectively be treated in TMS include infections, prescription enquiries, simple aches or pains. It is generally not suitable for conditions or symptoms that have been going on for more than a few weeks. This option is not for you if you have more than one medical problem to discuss and not for mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
If the doctor feels that TMS is not right for you then they will redirect you according to your needs.
Many matters can be simply managed by speaking with a doctor or a nurse over the telephone. Our receptionist may direct you to one of these appointments or feel free to ask for one yourself when calling.
Examples of things that can be dealt with over the phone include simple paperwork matters, medication reviews for patients on 1 or 2 repeat medications, advice about other health care services.
Making a diagnosis over the telephone isn't always possible and so you may be directed to one of the other appointment options if a face to face assessment is needed.
If you are not sure that you need to see a doctor, or you just need some advice over the telephone, we are able to offer a telephone surgery appointment each day from 8.30am to 10.15 am.
The receptionist will ask for your details, along with your telephone number and the doctor will ring you back at an estimated time that will be given to you.
In addition to the morning telephone surgery, if you are wanting to speak to a particular doctor or nurse, you will be able to have your name entered on to the next suitable telephone surgery list.
If you are Unable to Keep An Appointment
On average 55 patients do not attend for their appointment each week, wasting approximately 5 hours of doctor/nurse consulting time, so if you cannot attend for your appointment, please let the surgery know with as much notice as possible so that it can be offered to someone else.
You can cancel your appointment by either of the following methods:
PHONE: 08451 222 686 or 0114 239 6687
FAX: 264 2277
(giving your name, address, and date of birth stating the time and date of your appointment and if possible a number in case we need to call you back)
Arriving Late for an Appointment
At the discretion of the doctor that you are seeing you may be given the option to wait to the end of surgery or be asked to make a further appointment. If you are more than 15 minutes late then you are likely to be asked to reschedule with us.
Cancellation Of Appointments By the Practice
On occasions, and usually due to unexpected illness, it is necessary for us to cancel an appointment at short notice.
In the event of this happening we do make every effort to contact you personally, in the event of not being able to we do have a policy, in the interest of confidentiality, not to leave messages with anyone else or on an answer machine.
This could result in you turning up at the medical centre and not being able to see the doctor that you booked with.
For this reason we do ask that you please provide us with a day time telephone contact number and a mobile number if you have one.
Continuity Of Care
You can make an appointment with any available doctor, but it is best for all if you can see your usual doctor if possible, and follow through a continuing illness with the same doctor.
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| For Appointments Home visits Telephone enquiries Please call: 08451 222 686 or 0114 239 6687 |