Can another Healthcare Professional help?
Do you need to see the GP?
Sometimes the GP is not the most appropriate Healthcare Professional to deal with your ailment. Please see the information on see a Doctor or Healthcare Professional, which might help you decide whether a GP appointment is truly necessary or whether it might be better for you to see a Pharmacist, Optician, Dentist or other Healthcare Professional. You can even self-refer for some services without seeing your GP. You can also refer to our Who should I see guide to navigate your care to the most appropriate person.
For real life-threatening emergencies such as those below – RING 999
- Chest pain (suspected heart attack)
- Suspected stroke
- Suspected meningitis
- Anaphylactic shock (severe allergy)
- Heavy bleeding or deep lacerations
- Fluctuating levels of consciousness or completely unconscious
- Difficulty breathing or stopped breathing with a change in colour
- New seizure, fit or uncontrollable shaking
For immediately serious conditions such as the following, GO TO Emergency Department (A&E) IMMEDIATELY
- A fever and lethargic (drowsy) child
- A feverish and floppy (unresponsive) infant
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain
- Accidental or intentional overdose of medication
- Trauma (including falls) and possible broken bones or road traffic accident
Patients who have a problem outwith the surgery opening hours that can’t wait until the surgery reopens should contact NHS24 by dialling 111.
We operate a telephone triage system for GP & ANP appointments.
Telephone Triage appointments are open Monday to Friday from 8am. Patient Advisors will attend your call initially and if required add you to the Triage list. A Doctor or ANP will then call you back within 2 hours depending on your symptoms. Clinicians can address the majority of cases by phone, but if they feel a face to face appointment is required they will schedule one for you, usually the same day. If you require an appointment in person please call on a day when you are available as these cannot be made in advance.
If you feel you need a home visit please call the practice before 10:30am. These appointments are reserved for patients who are medically housebound and not available as a result of transportation issues.
Our triage system is at it’s busiest between 8am and 9am. If you wish to find out about test results please call after 9am. If you require an appointment with the Practice Nurse or wish to book a blood test please also call after 9am. This will prevent you from being on hold unnecessarily.
If our appointment book is full, the practice will move to urgent appointments only. These will be assigned to our Urgent Care GP until such time as there is no further availability.
Please note that our online booking system for appointments is not currently available.
We have a dynamic, enthusiastic Practice Nursing Team consisting of three Practice Nurses and one Health Care Support Worker, who offer a wide range of clinics to help with promoting good health amongst our Practice population.
Nursing Team Appointments
Chronic Disease Clinics (20 minute appointments)
Regular check-ups and advice from the practice nurses. (Clinics are held Monday to Fridays – Patients currently invited in by letter).
ECG checks (20 minute appointments)
ECG checks can be booked following a consultation with a clinician
Routine Appointments (15 minute appointments)
Routine Appointments are available daily for advice, Blood Testing, Blood Pressure.
Test Results (5 minute telephone appointments pre booked by the Nurse)
When a sample is taken a telephone appointment will be arranged to discuss test results.
Cervical Smears (20 minute appointments)
Cervical smears can be requested if you have already received a letter. (Clinics are held Monday to Fridays)
Health Care Support Worker
Routine Appointments (20 minute appointments)
BP Checks and Bloods.
ECG checks (20 minute appointments)
ECG checks can be booked following a consultation with a clinician (Clinics are held mornings Monday to Fridays).
Upload a Photo
If you are asked to email a photo of a skin lesion this should be uploaded using our Upload a Photo or Document online form
Please help us
If you are not able to attend your appointment please let us know in time so that the time can be used for someone else. If you are late for an appointment you may be asked to re-book.
Here is a list of the different ways you can access the Doctor.
Routine
All consultations are by appointment only
You may consult any Doctor you choose but we recommend that you try to see the same doctor whenever possible, for continuity of your care.
Please be punctual or, if you are unable to keep your appointment, let us know as soon as possible – others can use your slot!
We operate a doctor first triage system.
When you call for a doctors appointment you may be informed that a doctor will call you back normally within an hour to agree an appointment time. Alternatively the doctor may be able to deal with your problem over the phone saving you a journey to the Practice.
Telephone advice
If you wish to speak with a Doctor or Nurse on the phone, please speak to one of our Patient Advisors who will arrange a telephone appointment for you.
You will be asked for your name, phone number and a brief description of the problem.
The doctor will ring you back at a given time. These ‘telephone appointments’ may be on a later day.
If your call is of an urgent medical nature the duty doctor will phone you back the same day.
Please only leave a mobile number if there is no ‘land-line’ available as mobile phones can be unpredictable because of poor reception in some locations within the Practice area.
If you do not receive a call at your arranged appointment time you should ring reception to inform them.
Please note if the doctor finds your number is repeatedly engaged or unanswered after two attempts he/she will not continue calling.
Urgent
Every morning we make extra appointments for problems which patients feel medically can’t wait.
Urgent cases may be seen in the morning or in the afternoon.
If you have a problem you feel will not wait, please tell the Patient Advisor. You may be asked to leave your telephone number for a doctor to phone you back to assess the urgency of your problem.
Note that the surgery number may say “withheld” or start with an “01698” on any caller ID for reasons of confidentiality.
Please phone if you possibly can rather than coming straight to the surgery. We can advise on the best option for you, depending on your own specific circumstances at the time.
Below are some examples of things which probably do not require a “same-day” appointment; and are usually better dealt with at a routine appointment:
- Medical Certificates
- Minor self-limiting illness (e.g. simple coughs and colds – you may consider consulting the local
- pharmacist for help for these)
- Symptoms which have been present for a long time and have not significantly worsened.
- A second opinion
- Prescription requests (any prescription requests should be requested in writing)
Additional information
Can I bring someone to accompany me to the Appointment?
We are generally very happy for patients to bring with them a carer, relative or even a friend. This often helps, particularly when they know you well and it allows them to tell us any observations they would make about you, which can help us in undertaking our assessment. Ultimately this will lead us more quickly to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore help you more.
Also, having someone with you means they can prompt you to ask questions that you may have forgotten, and after the appointment they can help in reminding you what was discussed.
Occasionally we might ask for them to leave but this would be unusual.
If you require interpretation services please contact us in advance of you appointment and we will arrange this.
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.
Video Recording
As a training practice video recordings are sometimes made of consultations. These are made for teaching purposes only. Video recordings are only done with your consent and you do have the right to refuse. However, we would stress that all aspects of general practice, including training, are governed by rules of strict confidentiality. No examinations are filmed.