APPOINTMENTS

Routine Appointments

Doctors and Nurses see patients by appointment throughout the day. Appointments can be made by telephone on 08451 222 686 or in person at the reception desk.

To ensure that we make the appointment for the right person you will be
asked to give your date of birth, which is used by us as a identifier verification. If you prefer not to give your date of birth out loud in front of others, please have it written on a piece of paper ready to give to the receptionist when she asks for it.

Please remember that an appointment is for one person only.

Urgent Extra Appointments

If you really do need to see a doctor on a day that that all other appointments have been exhausted, 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

For those patients wishing to see a doctor and who know that their problem will take no more than three minutes of the doctor’s time, we do offer the three minute surgery each morning from 10.30 am to 12 noon. This is run by one of the
doctors and two of the health care assistants. To be seen in the TMS you need to come in to the surgery to add your name to the list. We cannot accept telephone calls to book for this service..

Telephone Surgery

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 10.00 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
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.

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.