Appointments

"On line booking appointments" - Please come into the surgery with Photo ID to open an account.

We operate an appointment system and strive to see you as soon as possible. If you have an appointment and are unable to attend please let us know as soon as possible. The surgery also requires that patients arrive on time, as we cannot guarantee we will be able to see you if you arrive late. To book an appointment please use the following numbers:

• School House Surgery 01273 551031
• Church Surgery  01273 684500

Any urgent cases will be seen on the same day, please tell us if you are in a telephone box and we will return your call. Say immediately if you feel your call is urgent. For urgent conditions you may be put through to speak to the GP.

If your condition is non-urgent you can expect to see a GP within two working days, though you may have to wait longer if you wish to see a particular GP at a particular time or day.

Please let us know if more than one person in your family needs to be seen as this will require more than one appointment.

Telephone Consultations

If you wish to have a telephone consultation with the doctor you will be given a time to ring the surgery. Please try to keep to these times as there may be several people telephoning within a short space of time.

Practice Nurses

In a number of cases it might be worth considering an appointment with a practice nurse rather than a doctor. Practice nurses are qualified to deal with many conditions and you may be seen more quickly. Nursing appointments are also booked via reception at both surgeries. We normally book one week in advance only.

Chaperones & Interpreters

Tell us if you want someone to accompany you during an examination. We can also arrange interpretation and translation services in person or via the telephone for patients who do not speak English or for deaf patients. Please let us know if you need this service when booking your appointment.

Cancellations

The Practice would always appreciate prompt cancellation of your booked appointment so that these appointments can be offered to other patients in need.  Repeated appointments which are missed without cancellation wastes resources. The practice has a policy in place where we will inform patients when they do not attend or do not cancel.  If this happens consistently, patients may be removed from the practice list.

Extended Hours Service

This is a pre –bookable NHS service. You may have recently been offered an appointment at a Medical Practice to see a GP or other healthcare professional in the evenings or weekends.

Evening and weekend appointments are now available to book via our reception staff.  In order to utilise one of these appointments, you will be required to give consent for access to your notes to both read and add to them.

Appointment times will be between 18:30 - 20:30 Monday to Friday, Saturday 08:00 - 14:00 and 9:00 -13:00 Sunday’s.

Same day appointment will be available on weekends only.  NHS 111 who may offer you an appointment at one of the Extended Hours hubs as well.

Cancellation or amendments to extended hours appointments must be made via HERE only:

HERE Cancellation line: 07540 745 730

HERE website: http://www.extendedhoursservice.co.uk/

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the appropriate equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling the branch surgery where you are registered before 10:00.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Specialist & Hospital Care

If a GP or another member of our health care team believes you need hospital treatment or specialist care elsewhere, they will arrange this in conjunction with your wishes.

Our administrative staff are very experienced in arranging out-patient appointments and helping you with any enquiries regarding referrals.