How to make an appointment

Please call our main switchboard number on 01908 318989 to book an appointment at either our main practice or our branch surgery.

If you have a Urgent Medical problem please give the details of the problem to the Receptionist .

MINOR ILLNESS NURSE will see patients OVER 1 YEAR OF AGE with the following problems:

• Coughs, colds, fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, sinusitis, tonsillitis, earache, hayfever
• asthma exacerbations, COPD.
• Minor injuries, back pain, sprains.
• Thrush, vaginal discharge, emergency contraception, mastitis, heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Urine infection, balanitis (sore penis).
• Eczema, skin rash, impetigo/skin infection, sunburn, insect bites and stings, boils, nappy rash, in-growing toenail, head lice, acne.
• Diarrhoea/vomiting, constipation, haemorrhoids, thread worms.
• Eye Conditions  including conjunctivitis, stye.

FOR ALL OTHER PROBLEMS AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE BOOKED FOR YOU WITH A DOCTOR

If your condition is non-urgent, you can either book a Routine appointment or a Routine Telephone appointment normally  within five working days, though you may have to wait longer if you want to see a particular GP or there is a GP on leave . You also have the option to book up to 2 weeks in advance if this is more convenient for you.

Nurses based in our practice treat patients for a wide range of common conditions. You can expect to see a nurse within two working days. You can book up to a month ahead for clinics – please see the ‘services and clinics’ section.

Routine appointments

If you need to book a routine follow-up appointment with a particular GP you can make an appointment up to two weeks in advance.  Many routine appointments are for patients who have a long-term or chronic condition that needs monitoring on a regular basis.

It is important to continue your regular check-ups, even if you are feeling well. Routine appointments are available during normal surgery hours with the practice nurse and/or doctor.

Routine Advice Calls

You can speak to a doctor for advice. Please ring after 9am and a doctor will return the call at the end of surgery.

HELPING DOCTORS WITH APPOINTMENTS

Please only discuss one medical problem in an appointment. If you have multiple issues please ask the Receptionist for a double appointment.

This will help the Doctors to run their clinics on time and save delays for other patients.

When should I see a nurse?

Nurses based at our practice treat patients for a wide range of common conditions (e.g. minor injuries/illnesses, removing stitches, travel vaccinations, immunisations and so on). You can expect to see a nurse within two working days.

Our practice nurses are also specially trained to run routine clinics for certain conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. (Each of our nurses specialises in a different area, so you need to book ahead with the most appropriate person). Our reception staff will be able to advise whether a nurse appointment is appropriate.

Why see a nurse instead of a doctor?

Our nurses have been specially trained to undertake healthcare monitoring for patients with long-term conditions. If patients see our nurses for routine healthcare needs or for straightforward medical help it means that our doctors have more time to see patients with more complex healthcare needs.

It also means that our GPs have more time to undertake procedures, such as minor surgery, that used to be done only in hospital. The reception staff can generally advise whether an early appointment with the nurse will be satisfactory for your particular health problem. However, you do not have to inform the reception staff if you prefer to wait for an appointment with a GP.  

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 12:00 noon if you require a home visit.

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.