Appointments may be made by telephoning or calling into the surgery. Some routine appointments may be made up to three months in advance, whilst others are only available up to 48 hours in advance. If all the routine appointments are taken up and you need to see a doctor quite quickly, say, within a couple of hours, you can ask for a "need to be seen" appointment which will be facilitated the same day.
If, due to work circumstances, you are unable to come to the surgery for a routine appointment between 8.30am and 5.30pm, you can take advantage of our extended appointments after 5.30pm. You can ask the receptionist to arrange this for you. If you simply wish to speak to a doctor or a nurse on the telephone, you can also ask the receptionist to arrange this for you.
Our receptionists are usually the first point of contact and are here to help you. They have a lot of information to hand and in most cases will be able to help with your enquiry, ensuring you see the most appropriate clinician. Nonetheless, it is your right to request to talk only to the doctor. Anything that is discussed with the receptionists or any other member of the team is treated in strict confidence. You have a right to be treated courteously, and our receptionists also have a right to be treated courteously by you. Please respect the privacy of other patients by standing well back from the reception desk until your turn.
If you are confronted by a serious problem, such as severe chest pain or severe bleeding, please telephone 999 immediately and request an ambulance. If you require advice, please call the NHS Direct service on 0845 4647.