Appointments

It is important that you inform the reception staff if you are unable to attend your appointment, as this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. Due to the increasing numbers of patients missing appointments, it has become necessary to introduce a Did Not Attend Policy for our patients. Full details can be found in our Policies.

You can cancel your appointment by:

• Calling us: on 01386 553346 and selecting option 2 – check & cancel.
• Reply to the text reminder: – follow instructions within that text reminder (please contact our reception team to set up this function if you do not already receive appointment reminders).
• Online: Use the NHS app and make sure notifications are turned on.
• If you are able to give more than 24 hours’ notice, please complete an online formon our website. (Using the online form within 24 hours may still result in the issue of a DNA.)
• In Person: Attend the practice in person to cancel.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

Please speak to our reception team to register for this service.

Please remember to update your contact details with us if you change address, telephone number or email address.

What is Triage?

The purpose of ‘triage’ is to ensure that all patients are dealt with fairly by an appropriate member of the clinical team and to ensure that problems are dealt with urgently if necessary. 

Our GPs work alongside a fantastic team of staff who together help to manage patient problems more efficiently.

Other clinicians at the practice include:

Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) have undertaken specialist training and manage many common minor illnesses. They are able to deal with the majority of these problems without reference to a doctor. However, if necessary they will ask a doctor to review a patient. They are able to prescribe the full range of medications.

Examples of what our Advanced Nurse Practitioners deal with include:

• Childhood illnesses
• Cough, sore throat, earache
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhoea and sickness
• Red eye, stye
• Rash, skin infections
• Allergic reactions
• Cystitis, thrush, vaginal problems
• Minor injuries, including lacerations, foreign body removal and burns
• Emergency contraception
• General health advice

Practice Nurses perform a wide range of traditional nursing roles such as dressings, wound management, injections/ immunisations, blood tests, blood pressures, ECGs. Many of our practice nurses have taken further training to obtain expertise in chronic disease management such as Asthma/COPD and Diabetes.

Clinical Pharmacists are highly qualified health professionals who have trained to become specialists in medicines and how they work.

Examples of what our Clinical Pharmacists deal with include:

• Medication queries such as side effects and interactions of medicines
• Medication reviews for long term conditions 
• Monitoring of conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure

MINOR INJURIES UNIT (MIU)

 You should visit your Minor Injuries Unit before contacting your GP if you have: 

• A sprain or strain?
• A broken bone?
• A wound infection?
• A minor burn or scald?
• A minor head injury?
• An insect or animal bite?
• A minor eye injury?
• An injury to the back, shoulder or chest?

Nearest MIU: Evesham Community Hospital, Waterside, Evesham, WR11 1JT

Opening hours: 9am-9pm…7 days a week including Bank holidays (X-ray opening hours: 9-5pm Mon-Fri excluding Bank hols)

Contact NHS 111 to Prebook an appointment OR you can walk in

LOCAL PHARMACY

Your pharmacist can offer medical advice, as well as over-the-counter medicines for minor illnesses, including colds, coughs or sore throats, aches and pains, skin conditions or allergies, as well as many more.

Pharmacists can also refer you to the appropriate help if your symptoms appear to be more serious. Your pharmacist will refer you to your GP, a nurse or other healthcare professional if it is appropriate – so you will not miss out on any level of care by popping in to see them.

You don’t need an appointment to visit your local pharmacist, and many pharmacies are open at weekends and until late on weekdays, so paying a visit is one of the quickest, easiest ways to find professional help for minor health conditions.

You should visit a local pharmacist before seeing a GP if you have:

• An ache or pain?
• A sore throat?
• A cough, cold or flu?
• An ear ache?
• A skin rash?
• Red eye?
• Cystitis?
• Teething troubles?

What Is Pharmacy First?

Certain pharmacies may have joined ‘Pharmacy First’ – an NHS led initiative which aims to ease pressures on GP surgeries by providing trained pharmacists to assess and treat six common conditions, offering prescriptions including antibiotics when required. 

Locally Ogles Pharmacy/Pershore Pharmacy are currently providing this service.

Conditions included are

1. Sinusitis (12y +)
2. Throat infection (5y+)
3. Ear infection (1y+)
4. Infected skin bites (1y+)
5. Impetigo (1y+)
6. Female urinary tract infection (18y-64y)
7. Shingles (18y+)

NHS 111

Not sure which service to use? Try NHS 111.

If you are feeling ill or have sustained a minor injury, but are unsure of which service would be best to help you, then you can contact 111 to be directed to the appropriate service for your particular needs.

You can contact 111 in non-life-threatening situations. You will be asked questions about your symptoms in order to work out exactly what help you need, and then pointed in the right direction.

If you need to go to A&E, NHS 111 will book an arrival time for you. This may mean you spend less time in A&E, and can also help to ensure social distancing for vulnerable patients.

They may be able to arrange for you to speak to an out-of-hours GP if you need one, and can book an appointment for this, too.

You can get help from NHS 111 online or by calling 111. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – so there is always advice there if you need it.