10 TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM

10 TIPS TO HELP US TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR APPOINTMENT SYSTEM

  1. Is it urgent?  Urgent appointments are intended for problems that need to be dealt with as a matter of medical urgency.   Please phone early in the day if you genuinely require one of these appointments.  Our reception staff will ask for brief details of your medical problem and will either book you an appointment with the GP or arrange for the GP to call you
  2. Think Ahead.   If you have a long term medical condition or you take regular medication then you will need to be seen periodically for a review, normally in your birthday month or earlier if requested by the GP/Nurse.   Please try to book these appointments well in advance to ensure that there are no delays/problems with your prescriptions.
  3. TURN UP OR CANCEL YOUR APPOINTMENT   Please do not miss an appointment you have booked, if you dont attend, this is wasted time that could have been used by another patient needing to see the GP or Nurse.   If you cant make the appointment please either cancel via our online service, via the nhs app, via our cancellation form online or by ringing the surgery
  4. CAN ANYONE ELSE HELP?  Before you make the appointment please think about whether there are any other services that might be more appropriate or be able to help you sooner.   For example, pharmacists are trained to give advice about minor health problems and answer questions about your medicines and treatment.   The NHS 111 system is also available to help guide you to sources of advice
  5. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?  Many people are reluctant to tell a receptionist about the reason that they want to see a doctor.  However, our receptions staff are more likely to be able to guide you in the right direction if you give them a brief description of your problem.  We will treat your information confidentially and we taken this very seriously
  6. THINK DIGITAL You can access a lot of our services online either through the NHS app or our online services.  You are able to book GP appointments, check your test results once uploaded by the doctor, order repeat prescriptions, request extension to a sicknote & use the econsult service to ask the GP advice.   Online services are available 24hrs per day.  Using digital options reduces the demand on our reception staff during the day allowing them to deal with patients coming into the surgery or those who have no choice but to contact us by telephone.    You will need to register for our online services and our receptionists can give you more information as to how to do this.
  7. CONTINUING CARE If you have an ongoing problem we will try to get you into see the same GP wherever we can, this means that you dont have to keep repeating your story and enable the GP to build up a better picture of what is going on.   If you have been for a consultation and you need a follow up appointment please try to book this before you leave the surgery.
  8. MULTIPLE PROBLEMS  A routine apppointment is for 10 minutes.  During that time the GP needs to read up on your records, get you from the waiting room, deal with your problem (s) and write up your records.   If you have more than one problem then it may not be possible to deal with it in a single appointment and you may be asked to book another one.   When in your appointment and you do have multiple things you need to speak to the GP about please do speak about the most important problem first.
  9. BE PATIENT  Please understand that the receptionists and clinical staff are trying to meet the needs of thousands of patients each of whom are very important.  We want to offer personal, patient centered care however we are often stretched to the limit.   Please try to be understanding if things are not completely to your satisfaction.
  10. COULD YOU SEND AN ECONSULT INSTEAD  Econsult is a way for you to ask the GP about a problem, ask a question around medication, request a sicknote or ask for general advice.    It also allows you to upload pictures.       The GP will then either contact you with a response to your econsult via your requested contact channel.   Econsults will be allocated to the GP's on a daily basis and you will receive a response back by the date stated.   This may be a quicker option for you.