How Do I...
Make An Appointment?

Appointments can be made by telephone, online (see below) or by personally calling in at the surgery during opening times. Appointments to see the doctor can be made up to six months in advance.

You may see any of the doctors in the practice but please make an appointment in advance. Urgent problems will always be seen that day wherever possible.

Please bear in mind that the appointment is for one person only. If it is required that the doctor should see more than one person at the time of the consultation, please make sure that the receptionists are advised so that the appropriate arrangements can be made for an extended appointment.

We apologise for delays which can occur in surgeries; these usually occur because a patient has a particularly complex or difficult problem which takes significantly more time to sort out. We would ask for other patients to be understanding of this - sometime in the future it could be you that needs the extra time.

Please be punctual. This helps other patients as well as the practice. If you cannot keep an appointment, please cancel as soon as possible so that that appointment can then be offered to another patient who is in need of it.

Patients can book, cancel and check their own appointments at anytime night or day using our online booking service (see link below). One of the main benefits is that you are able to book, cancel and check your appointments even when the surgery is closed. Patients have found this very beneficial when booking appointments in the comfort of their own home after the surgery has closed. This has greatly reduced the number of patients trying to get through on the telephones at 8.30am when it is most busy.

All you need to do is request an EMIS Access password from reception.

Extended hours

We are aware that some patients find it difficult to attend surgery during our current working hours. In order to improve our service to these patients, we now offer some early morning, evening and weekend surgeries. These extra surgeries are by appointment only. Patients are able to book them in advance. They are intended to help our patients who need to see a GP but find it difficult during the normal working day.

Unfortunately, this service is unable to provide emergency appointments or home visits. These will continue to be provided by BARDOC. The “Extended Opening Hours” are held on some Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (6.30pm – 8.00pm), some Wednesday mornings (7.00am – 8.00am) and some Saturday mornings.

How Do I...
Obtain Advanced Access/Telephone Appointments

To improve access for patients to our doctors we have introduced some new ideas. Each day a doctor will be available for on-the-day telephone appointments. This means that you will have the opportunity to talk to a doctor on the phone instead of having to come down to the surgery. The doctor can give advice, arrange to issue a prescription or make other appropriate arrangements. It may be that you are simply seeking some reassurance.

Obviously, sometimes the symptoms are such that a doctor will need to see you face to face or examine you. If that is the case, the doctor will arrange for you to come down to the surgery. It is well known that 80% of GPs’ diagnoses are made by speaking to the patients rather than by examination.

Many patients are finding this much more convenient as they do not need to take time off work or arrange transport/childminders etc. Just phone 01706 346767 and ask for a telephone appointment session that day. You will be asked for a contact number for the doctor to call you back. The receptionist will give you an approximate time the doctor will call you. It is important you are available to speak to the doctor when he/she calls.

The majority of our appointments are still face-to-face consultations but the introduction of telephone appointments means that there will be more surgery appointments available for you.

Please note, each lunchtime between 12.30 - 1.30pm you will be unable to contact the surgery with routine requests. However, in an emergency please telephone 01706 346767 where a recorded message will give you a number to contact.

Patients That DNA (Do Not Attend)

The surgery has a system whereby they can monitor patients who fail to attend their appointments. If patients book appointments and continually fail to attend them without informing the surgery, letters will be sent to those patients and in some cases this may result in the practice asking them to register elsewhere. If you cannot keep an appointment, please cancel as soon as possible and then this appointment can be offered to another patient who is in need of it.

How Do I...
Obtain A Home Visit?

If you are too ill to come to the surgery, a doctor will visit you at home.

Telephone 01706 346767 before 10.00am if possible and give the receptionist brief details of the illness so that the doctors can plan their rounds according to the degree of urgency.

The consulting rooms have better facilities for examination and treatment than is available in your home and it would normally be to your advantage to attend the surgery.

Mothers often worry about bringing babies and children when they are unwell. It is usually quite safe to do so and frequently it will mean that your child will receive treatment quicker. If you are concerned that your child has an infectious disease, the receptionist can arrange for you to be seen without waiting with other patients.

Your doctor will advise you over the telephone if you are in any doubt.

How Do I...
Obtain Test Results?

You may telephone or call at the surgery for results of any tests carried out.

To avoid busy times, please enquire after 11.00am. In the interest of confidentiality the results will only be given to the patients, or if under 16 years of age the parent/guardian.