Appointments
Urgent advice: HIGH DEMAND AT PRESENT (last updated 27/03/24)
Due to high demand for our services and limited capacity, please be advised that we are currently working to around 9-10 working days to respond to non-urgent triage requests.
Every form received by the practice has been seen by a GP on the day they are/were submitted and if your situation is assessed as clinically urgent you will have and will continue to be contacted on the day. All other routine requests are put into a workflow and processed in the order in which they are received - the timescale for these is currently 9-10 working days.
As a practice, our goal is deliver a 3-5 working day service for all GP requests received and we are working extremely hard to resume our normal standards as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
You can help us by:
- Avoiding calling reception to chase up your triage form, unless you are worried that your condition has worsened since submitting your form. This leaves phone lines free for those with more urgent requests.
- Avoiding submitting multiple forms for the same condition - this only increases demand further.
If you have minor health concerns such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble, and aches and pains, then you can visit a pharmacist who can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines. If your symptoms suggest something more serious, pharmacists will tell you if you need to see another healthcare professional. If you are unsure whether you should visit a GP or pharmacist, you can call 111 for advice.
Please use the NHS App instead of calling reception if possible. The NHS App can be used to request repeat prescriptions, book some appointments (such as blood clinic appointments) and view your health record. Accessing these services via the App rather than calling reception frees up the phone lines for other patients.
Non-urgent advice: GP Appointments
We operate a total online triage system. All GP appointment requests should be submitted via a simple online triage form - please CLICK HERE to submit a request. Our online consultation service will let you request treatment, advice, sick notes, GP letters, recent test results and more. You do not need a login to complete a form,
All forms submitted in working hours will be reviewed by a doctor on the day. If your form is assessed by the doctor as urgent, you will be contacted on the same day. We aim to respond to all other requests within 3 working days where demand allows. If you feel more unwell after submitting a form, please call the practice or call 999 in an emergency.
If you do not have access to the internet or you are unable to complete the triage form, please call our reception team on 01772 585451. They will be happy to help you to complete a triage form, or they can complete and submit the form for you.
If you are currently out of the country - please do not submit an urgent request. Please seek urgent care in the country you are in.
How does the system work?
All submitted triage forms are reviewed by a GP on the day they are submitted. If the doctor considers your request to be urgent, they will contact you on the same day either by phone call or text message. If the doctor needs to examine you, they will arrange a time for you to come into the practice (usually on the day). We aim to deal with all non-urgent requests within 3 working days dependent on demand.
Once you have submitted a request, please keep your phone with you as you can expect a call. If you miss the call, the doctor will try again. Please note on the triage form any times that you are unable to take a call.
Why do we operate like this?
Working with this system ensures that all requests for appointments are reviewed based on clinical need - we can ensure that the request is dealt with by the most appropriate person in the most efficient manner. We generally deal with all requests within 3 working days or on the day if the request is clinically assessed as urgent.
If appropriate, you may be directed to one of the other clinicians in our team such as our clinical pharmacist, first contact MSK specialist or mental health practitioner. These clinicians are specialists in their area and may be able to provide a more detailed consultation for your issue than a GP.
We ask that everyone who is able to use the triage form as the first port of call for a GP appointment does so - this frees up the phone lines for those patients who are unable to use digital technology. If you are unable to use the triage form, you can call the practice and the reception team will complete the form for you (in the same way as if you did it yourself online).
Please note, access to the triage forms is only available during practice open hours.
Forms can be completed 8am-6pm Mon to Fri.
Urgent advice: Cancel my appointment
If you are unable to attend a confirmed appointment and you need to cancel please follow the below guidance:
If you have booked your appointment via the NHS App you will be able to cancel it yourself using this helpful link: Appointments and bookings at your GP surgery - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
If you have booked via a self booking link you can follow the same link and cancel.
If our reception team called about your appointment please cancel with them by calling the reception team on 01772 585451.
Option 1 for GP appointments.
Option 2 for Nurse appointments.
It is important that you inform the reception staff so that your slot can be offered to another patient. If you fail to cancel your appointment and do not attend this will be noted on your file as per our DNA policy.
If you do not attend an appointment on time we cannot guarantee you will be seen and your appointment may have to be re-arranged. Please call reception to let them know if you are simply running late and they will advise further.
Non-urgent advice: Home Visit Requests
If you are housebound or too ill to attend the surgery, you can request a home visit by submitting an online triage form (using the link above) or by calling reception on 01772 585451.
Requests must be made before 10:30am.
All requests will receive a telephone call from the doctor in the first instance, and are at the doctor's discretion depending on clinical need. We would not expect a home visit request unless a patient is genuinely housebound and cannot leave the house for any other purpose.
Sick Notes
You do not need a doctors note for a period of absence less than 7 days. You can self-certify for this period - please see http://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave for more details.
For sickness lasting longer than 7 days, you can submit a request for a sick or fit note via our online triage request form.
Non-urgent advice: Need an interpreter?
If you need an interpreter, please inform reception and this can be arranged.
