Appointments

Urgent appointments

To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday):

• phone us on 01485 572 769, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm

If you need to see a doctor on the day, please make an appointment using the above methods as soon as possible after 8.30am. 

The receptionist will then ask you to tell them briefly the nature of your problem. Your name will be placed on the triage list.

We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

The day duty doctor will review all requests and you will be contacted by a member of the practice team to advise the action taken. 

This may be to offer you an appointment to see a doctor or a practice nurse, a telephone consultation with a doctor, or you could be signposted to an alternative NHS service e.g. a pharmacist.

Routine appointments

To request a routine appointment in the next 7 days:

• use our appointment request form
• phone us on 01485 572 769, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) to book a screening test or vaccination

We work as a team at the Practice offering the first available appointment with the most appropriate clinical professional, this may not always be a Doctor.

Making an appointment with another clinical professional such as a Health Care Assistant, or Nurse does not mean you are unable to see or are being prevented from seeing a Doctor. If the problem or request you are presenting with needs GP investigation or input, this will be available.

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.

We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

Your appointment

However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:

• by phone
• face to face at the surgery
• on a video call
• by text or email

Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.

Cancelling or changing an appointment

Please ensure that you cancel any appointment that you cannot make as soon as you are aware you will be unable to make it.

The sooner you are able to cancel, the more likely it is we can offer the appointment to someone else who can use it.

To cancel your appointment:

• use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
• using the GP online system – SystmOnline
• phone us on 01485 572 769, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message

We regularly monitor the number of wasted appointments (called a “DNA” which means “did not attend”).

We reserve the right to remove patients from the list who continually fail to attend pre-booked appointments without cancelling in good time beforehand, or without any other reason.

If you need help when we are closed

If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.

Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

If you need help with your appointment

Please tell us:

• if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
• if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
• if you need an interpreter
• if you have any other access or communication needs

Home visits

Home visits are reserved for patients who are genuinely housebound and who do not leave the house for any reason. Including those in residential and nursing homes.

We will visit only if the patient’s clinical condition prevents them from travelling to the surgery and they are deemed to have a medical condition that necessitates an urgent medical opinion.

To request a home visit, please contact the practice in the morning, as soon after 8.30am as possible.

Visits usually take place 12pm – 2pm. Visiting one patient at home usually results in four appointments being missed at the surgery. The clinician may decline to visit the patient and offer an urgent appointment at the surgery if he/she feels that is more appropriate.