Getting in touch with us
We are aware there are significant problems getting through to us on the phone. We are sorry this is the case and would like to explain a little about why that is.
Most GP surgeries across the country are in a similar position. We understand how frustrating it can be for it to take longer than normal.
We would like to reassure you we are working hard to resolve the situation.
There are three things that are challenging us:
- There has been an unprecedented post-lockdown increase in demand. Part of this is because many of our patients have been managing health issues themselves rather than contacting their doctor over the last year and some hospital procedures and appointments have been necessarily delayed. As confidence in general is returning, patients are now quite rightly contacting us.
- We have been heavily involved in delivering the country’s largest ever vaccination campaign.
- We have had to change the way we work to keep things safe for our patients and our staff.
What can you do to help?
Choose well – can the pharmacy help your symptoms? Call 111 if you are unsure which sort of treatment you need. You can also go online 111.nhs.uk
- Download the NHS app. You can use this to order repeat prescriptions, search for conditions and treatments and find trusted NHS information on hundreds of conditions
- Use our online consultation system, if you are able to.
- Cancel appointments you no longer need.
It is useful to remember our teams are on the front line and see both the best and the worst of us all. They work incredibly hard to help patients navigate the system, but may not be able to offer you exactly what you want, at all times.
Please be patient and courteous, they want to find the best solution as much as you do.
We are grateful for your understanding.
GP Partners and Practice Manager
Appointments
You may make an appointment to see your Doctor by telephoning Reception on 01322 224550 or by using our online services.
To sign up for our online services you will need to download the NHS App.
You may choose to see any of the Doctors in the Practice, although it is normally better to see one Doctor consistently.
The Appointment time given to you is the time you should make yourself available to see the GP, it is not necessarily the time the GP will see you as this is dependent on the length of the previous consultations. We would please also ask that if patients need to discuss more than one issue in a ten minute appointment, that they please ask the receptionist to give them a longer appointment as the GP cannot deal with multiple issues safely in a single appointment.
Please note: if you fail to attend 3 consecutive appointments you will no longer be able to book appointments online.
Appointment Types
PLEASE NOTE: The surgery is NOT a walk-in-centre. We have an appointments only system.
Emergency appointments
These appointments are only for those problems that need to be dealt with on the same day.
24 hour appointments: Routine appointments bookable from 14:30pm [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday] and 08:30am on Wednesday the day before.
48 hour appointments
Routine 10 minute appointments with a doctor bookable two working days in advance. Can be booked from 8.30 am onwards. If a double appointment is required the patient should request a longer time when booking.
Routine appointments
These may be 10-20 minute appointments bookable a week in advance.
Home visits
Are only for people whose medical illness renders them unable to attend the surgery. Home visits must be requested by 11am.
Nursing appointments
We have 2 practice nurses, all of whom have differing specialisations. Please ask reception to help you with your choice of nurse as some procedures may require a particular nurse and some procedures may take 30 minutes. These appointments can be booked up to four weeks in advance.
Cancelling an Appointment
If you cannot keep an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that the time can be given to someone else.
The cancellation can be made on the phone without speaking to a receptionist by choosing option 1 and then option 1 again.
Multiple non-attendance of Appointments
If patients repeatedly fail to attend their appointments then they will be removed from the practice list and will need to register at a different GP surgery.
