Appointments

Patients wishing to book appointments at our practice may do so in the following ways. Please remember to obtain the name of the member of staff dealing with you at our practice.

If you are calling on behalf of a patient aged 13 or over, you must have their consent. The patient also needs to be with you during the call, as the doctor may need to ask them clinical questions before making a diagnosis or offering treatment.

Emergency presentations are assessed by the Doctor and appropriately addressed, based upon your clinical need.

If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the receptionist and she will arrange this for you.

If you need a home visit, please call us before 10:00am so we can arrange it for the same day.

Home visits are reserved for patients who are genuinely housebound. Whenever possible, we ask other patients to attend the surgery. This is because:

• A doctor can see 4–5 patients in surgery in the time it takes for one home visit.
• The surgery offers better facilities, lighting, and equipment, so we can give you the best possible care.

In some cases, the doctor may call you instead of visiting if this is the most appropriate option. The decision to visit rests with the doctor, based on your medical needs.

If you cannot attend your appointment, please let reception know as soon as possible so we can offer it to another patient.

If you do not inform us and miss your appointment, you will receive a letter noting the missed appointment. Patients who miss appointments repeatedly may be removed from the practice list.

You can cancel your appointment by:

• Calling reception
• Completing our appointment cancellation notification request form — this can only be used if your appointment is booked more than 24 hours in advance (excluding weekends and public holidays)
• Sending us a text message

We offer a free text messaging service that sends you confirmation and reminders for your appointments.

To sign up, please complete a consent form at reception or online.

Remember to let us know if your contact details change, including your address, phone number, or email address so we can keep you informed.