Appointments

Please click here for information about about getting the most out of your appointment with your doctor or nurse.

If you have a pressing medical problem that cannot wait until the next routine appointment, please contact reception before 10:00am. We will ensure that you will be seen, or have a telephone consultation, that morning with a member of the duty team. The team consists of a nurse and a doctor and you will see who is most appropriate for your needs. This will be determined by the duty team. 

These appointments are ten minutes in length which is shorter than the length of a standard routine appointment. This unfortunately limits the number of issues that can be dealt with during that time. If you require a number of issues dealt with, you should make a routine appointment with the doctor of your choice.

Anyone requesting an urgent afternoon appointment will be triaged by the duty doctor in the first instance.

You may consult with any of the doctors or nurses available. Appointments can be made by phone or in person at reception, or via a secure website. If you wish to use this website, you need to register with reception in the first instance.

You will be offered the earliest appointment available or at a time suitable for you when there are available appointments. If you wish to consult with one particular doctor or nurse you may have to wait slightly longer for an appointment.

All patients, irrespective of who they are or the last time they had a consultation, are offered a choice between face-to-face consultations and telephone consultations.

Routine consultations are by appointment only. They are at 15 minute intervals for doctors and 20 minute intervals for practice nurses. If you have more than 3 items to discuss or if you feel that it is a complex issue, please ask the receptionist for longer appointment time. You may specify the appointment length up to a maximum of 30 minutes for any one appointment. You may have to wait for an extended appointment.

Please make separate appointments for each person who needs a consultation.

Prebookable Telephone Consultations are available for patients who want to consult with a doctor or practice nurse at a pre-agreed time, but feel that they don’t need to come for a face-to-face consultation or to be examined. Please provide the receptionist with a contact telephone number and the doctor or nurse will phone you at the agreed time.

Same day telephone advice is available from all of the clinical staff at the health centre.  The receptionist may have to ask you for some details about the reason for your call to ensure that you are directed to the most appropriate person. 

Standard GP Availability - By Appointment Only

**Dr Baughan and Dr Randfield alternate from week to week between morning and afternoon surgery on a Friday

In addition to surgeries advertised, the doctors have other duties to undertake, for example, specialist clinics and home visits. The times of surgeries may vary due to other commitments and to address patient needs and the times advertised should be used as a guide only.

The practice nurses run clinics for the treatment and review of patients with respiratory problems, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, kidney and heart disease by appointment only. Please contact reception for details of appointment times.

Routine appointments are also available for blood pressure checks, blood tests, weight management, health checks, smoking cessation, allergies, smears and coil checks. Reception can advise on who is best to deal with your request.

Questions to Ask

Before you leave your appointment make sure you know the following:

What might be wrong? You could ask the following questions:

Can I check that I’ve understood what you said? What you’re saying is…
Can you explain it again? I still don’t understand.
Can I have a copy of any letters written about me?

What about any further tests, such as blood tests, scans and so on?

What are the tests for?
Who do I contact if I don’t get the results?
How and when will I get the results?

About what treatment, if any, is best for you

Are there other ways to treat my condition?
What do you recommend?
Are there any side effects or risks?
How long will I need treatment for?
How will I know if the treatment is working?
How effective is this treatment?
What will happen if I don’t have any treatment?
Is there anything I should stop or avoid doing?
Is there anything else I can do to help myself?

What happens next and who to contact

What happens next? Do I come back and see you?
Who do I contact if things get worse?
Do you have any written information?
Where can I go for more information, a support group or more help?

Top tips

Before your appointment

Write down your two or three most important questions.
List or bring all your medicines and pills – including vitamins and supplements.
Write down details of your symptoms, including when they started and what makes them better or worse.
Ask your hospital or surgery for an interpreter or communication support if needed.
Ask a friend or family member to come with you, if you like.

During your appointment

Don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t understand. For example, ‘Can you say that again? I still don’t understand.’
If you don’t understand any words, ask for them to be written down and explained.
Write things down, or ask a family member or friend to take notes.

Before you leave your appointment

Check that:

• you’ve covered everything on your list
• you understand, for example ‘Can I just check I understood what you said?’
• you know what should happen next – and when. Write it down.

Ask: 

• who to contact if you have any more problems or questions
• about support groups and where to go for reliableinformation, and
• for copies of letters written about you – you are entitled to see these.

After your appointment, don’t forget

Write down what you discussed and what happens next. Keep your notes. 

• Book any tests that you can and put the dates in your diary.

Ask:

• ‘what’s happening if I’m not sent my appointment details,’ and
• ‘can I have the results of any tests?’ If you don’t get the results when you expect – ask for them. Ask what the results mean.