Appointments

Urgent appointments

We do not pre-book any morning appointments with the doctors, morning appointments are bookable on the day of request.

You can request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday).

  • phone us on 01206 382015 from 8am
  • visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist
  • use your Patient Access account, from 8am you will be able to see all appointments that are available for that day

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.

We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

There is no advantage to waiting outside the surgery for an appointment in the morning. Bookings for appointments are started as soon as the phones become live at 8am and this is also the time that the receptionists book appointments for those patients that choose to come in person.

Routine appointments

You can request a routine appointment up to 2 weeks in advance.

  • phone us on 01206 382015
  • visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist
  • use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Patient Access to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.

We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

Get medical advice from a nurse

To ask a non-urgent medical question and get a response within 3 working days during opening times:

Your appointment

However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:

  • by phone
  • face to face at the surgery
  • on a video call
  • by text or email

Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.

As we are a teaching and training practice you may be offered an appointment with a GP registrar. All of the GP registrars are qualified doctor’s under-going specialist GP training. Otherwise, whenever possible, your appointment will be with your own doctor for continuity of care.

All routine GP appointments are scheduled for 10 minutes and it is best to concentrate on one health problem during each consultation. This ensures the clinician has adequate time to safely and effectively address your health concerns. If you want to consult your GP about a family member too, if you have the appropriate consent, please ensure you book a separate appointment rather than trying to cover it during your own consultation.

Cancelling or changing an appointment

To cancel your appointment:

If you need help when we are closed

If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.

Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

If you need help with your appointment

Please tell us:

  • if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
  • if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
  • if you need an interpreter
  • if you have any other access or communication needs

Extended access service

If you would like an evening or Saturday appointment, please request this when you contact your practice. Details of your appointment, including the location of your appointment (if booked during enhanced access hours) will be given by reception at the time of booking.

As part of this service, appointments will be available between:

  • 6:30pm to 8pm, Monday to Friday
  • 9am to 5pm, Saturdays

Home visits

Information:

Patients are only eligible for home visits if they are housebound.

If you require a home visit, please telephone before 11am unless it is an emergency and please give some indication of the reason, this will help the clinician priorities your clinical needs.

You will be assessed on the phone by a clinician prior to a home visit being confirmed. Therefore please ensure the phone line is kept free whilst you are waiting for a call back. Sometimes a visit is not indicated and problems can be dealt with over the phone.

A doctor or nurse will 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.

An individual will not be eligible for a home visit if they are able to leave their home on their own or with minimal assistance to visit public or social/recreational services or can go shopping or go to the hairdressers etc.

If you are unable to get to the surgery because you have a serious illness, you can call the surgery to request a home visit. However, please note, home visits are for medical reasons, not social or personal. To assist in determining if you will be considered housebound you will be expected to meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Has a physical or psychological condition with documented evidence which states that it would be detrimental to the patient’s condition or recovery to travel OR
  • Requires assistance from more than one person to get in and of a vehicle OR
  • Needs medical/clinical support during the journey OR
  • Is wheelchair bound and has no carer available to assist them
  • Is bedbound

You will not be eligible for a home visit for any of the following reasons:

  • If you can get to your GP/ Hospital or community clinics
  • If family members or carers take you out or you visit them
  • If you drive or use taxi services
  • If you are able to get in a vehicle independently or use public transport services e.g. bus, train

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.

View our home visiting policy (PDF) for more information.

Related information

Sick notes

Test results

Health A to Z