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.
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.
Your appointment at the Practice
At the moment the reception staff are unable to make routine appointments with GPs.
All appointment requests must be triaged first. This can be done either through eConsult or if you do not have internet access by speaking to the triage nurse in the first instance. The reception staff will have to ask you some information regarding your symptoms in order to put information to the nurse. All information provided will be treated with the highest confidentiality. Once you have been triaged the medical professional will decide who the most appropriate clinician to help your needs will be and what type of appointment is the most appropriate.
Although you may be registered with a particular doctor you are free to consult with any of the doctors in the practice. Nursing appointments are available from 8:30am – 5:30pm.
In the interests of maintaining continuity of care, it is a good idea to try and see the same doctor if possible for an on-going complaint.
In urgent cases you will be seen the same day. The Triage Nurse will phone you back, if your matter can be dealt with over the phone, the Nurse will do so, if not, she will assess your situation and make you an appropriate appointment. The Duty Doctor is available for genuine emergencies only.
Please arrive in good time for your appointment. One appointment per patient per condition.There are many appointments wasted every day because patients do not attend, and do not contact us to cancel their appointment. We would ask you to help us by letting us know in good time if you are unable to attend an appointment.
Emergencies
During surgery hours urgent medical requests will be given prompt attention by the receptionist and will always be dealt with straight away.
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 more than 5 minutes late for an appointment you will be asked to re-book.
You can cancel appointments by telephone (01461 202244), by text, if you are registered for the Text Reminder Service, or via the Vision Online Portal.
It is easier and quicker to book appointments and request repeat prescriptions via our online service. Simply log in and select an option.
You can also order online via our Repeat Prescription request form, by accessing the button shown below.
We operate a 72 working hour repeat prescription service by answerphone. If you telephone 01461 202244 and request option 1 at any time you will be able to place an order for any medication that your Doctor allows you to get as a repeat prescription.
The repeat prescription post box is also back in use. You will find this situated on the wall directly in front of the doors as you enter the building. Again please allow 72 working hours for any requests to be processed.
Prescriptions should be ordered at least 72 working hours in advance of collection.
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.
Consultations 16 to 75
If a patient aged between 16 and 75 years has not had a practice consultation within a period of three years, we are happy, on request, to provide a consultation.
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. You have the right to request a chaperone at any point of your consultation not just when a physical examination is being performed. 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.
