Urgent appointments
If you have an urgent problem, every effort will be made for you to be seen on the same day. You will however be expected to wait and we will try our utmost to fit you in between booked appointments.
All genuine emergencies will be seen immediately without an appointment and urgent cases will be seen on the same day.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in the next 7-14 days:
- phone us on 01773 608760, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm
- visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm
- use your NHS account to book a screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
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.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- using the GP online system – [Insert name of practice system tool]
- phone us on 01234 567 890, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm
- reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message
Missed Appointments (Did Not Attend) Policy
You’ve missed an appointment if:
- You don’t turn up for it and don’t cancel it in advance, or
- You arrive so late that we can’t fit you in.
What Happens If You Miss Appointments?
Here’s what we’ll do if you miss appointments without letting us know:
Each time you miss an appointment, the appointment will be recorded as a DNA on your record
First Time: We’ll send you a reminder about the importance of attending or cancelling your appointment, with a link to our DNA policy
Second Time (within 12 months): We’ll contact you by text or letter explaining the impact of missed appointments and ask you about any issues stopping you from attending, to avoid further missed appointments.
Three Times (within 12 months): We may:
- Contact you again to talk about any issues stopping you from attending and offer extra support if applicable
- Send you a formal warning if it keeps happening without a good reason.
In very serious cases where missed appointments happen again and again, we will review whether we can continue to offer you care at the practice, and you may need to register elsewhere.
To see our full policy for missed appointments click here: DNA (Did Not Attend) Appointments Policy
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
Home visits
If you are too ill to attend the surgery, you may request a home visit from the Doctor.
Please telephone the surgery before 10.00 am and be prepared to give brief details to Reception as this will help to assist the Doctor to assess the situation.
Please remember home visits take three times as long as a surgery consultation.
Please try to attend the surgery whenever possible, you may be seen by a colleague in the acute visiting service if a doctor isn’t available.
Doctors and Referrals
We operate the choose and book system for referrals/ appointments to secondary care.
You can request to be seen at a hospital of your choice, providing the hospital you choose provides the service you are being referred for, and you are able to make the appointment before you leave the surgery.
How to Get The Best Out of Your Appointment
Here are a few of our top tips on how to get the most out of your appointment:
1 – Get straight to the point – you only have 3 mins roughly to describe your problem
2 – Make a note of any questions you may have
3 – Don’t be embarrassed
4 – Take notes
5 – Be accurate when giving timings