Thank you for reading this leaflet. It will help you prepare for your appointment.

We know that many people have to wait longer for appointments in hospitals and practices right now. To make things better, we have taken steps to reduce waiting times and provide the safest and best care we can. What can you do to help to be seen as quickly as needed and in the safest way possible? This guidance should help.
If you're visiting the practice, please arrive at least 10 minutes before the appointment to check your blood pressure using our self-service machine (at the end of the corridor on the ground floor).

We have a small car park so you may have to park further away. Please allow plenty of time at the surgery. Your visit may be much quicker but emergencies happen. This appointment is about your health and it is important that there is enough time for you to attend.

It is a good idea to write down your symptoms in bullet point form before the appointment. This will help you make the most of your time and remember everything. Think about how long the problem has been there, what if feels like (e.g. short sharp stabbing pain), how it affects you (i.e. work, emotions, function), what you have tried (e.g. medications, other visits, physio, etc.) and what you are worried about?

During the appointment, we will try to be quick and clear. Please be the same. We only have a short period of time to help you.

If you need to change your face-to-face appointment to a telephone appointment, let the reception team know. We will try and accommodate this on the same day. If you don’t need your appointment, please cancel using the NHS app or with reception as soon as possible. Not attending appointments or attending when problems have resolved creates longer wait times for appointments.

Telephone appointments are very convenient when you don't need an examination, if it's a follow-up to a previous consultation or a simple request. Also, our e-Consult form on our website can also be very helpful when certificates or referrals are needed. Answer the questions about your issue and you will receive a prompt reply.

We have increased the number of telephone appointments available to help more people in the day and reduce waiting times.

Some telephone appointments can be scheduled to a specific time slot. There are also telephone appointments without a specific time slot but which are scheduled for that day. This allows us to offer more appointments and not keep people waiting in the surgery due to delays. Delays often happen due to the nature of healthcare.

Face-to-face appointments last for 10 minutes. The appointment slot is 15 minutes long to give the clinician time to review your notes, write into your record, order tests, or make referrals if needed.

Trying to discuss more than one issue isn't fair to yourself, the clinician, or others waiting to see or speak to them. If you have more than one issue, please make an additional appointment. Please plan this in advance.

Doctors are not needed for all health matters. Please seek advice via other sources of information for minor ailments or problems. We should prioritise seeing people as soon as possible with major difficulties such as symptoms of cancer and infections. Seeing people with problems that can be helped through the pharmacist or self-care through advice from the NHS website will often cause delay.

People do better with their health if they can see the same doctor. For ongoing problems, please see your own doctor or the same health care professional such as a nurse or pharmacist.

Thank you for working with us to help you as safely and effectively as we can to provide you with excellent care.

The practice nurse can discuss immunisation and contraception queries and other matters related to their work.

If you wish to speak to a clinician on the telephone, please explain this to the receptionist. You will be asked to provide some details so that the clinician can prioritise their response. Unless it is urgent, you should normally expect to be called back before 5:00pm.

Please ring 01403 274700 to request a telephone consultation.

If you are expecting a call on your mobile, please ensure it is switched on and you have a signal.

You can book appointments in advance.

Ways to book:

1. Contact us online with eConsult
2. Telephone: 01403 274700
3. In person at reception Monday - Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm

Call reception at 8:00am on 01403 274700 to book.

We are not an emergency service. For emergencies, please call 999.

In an EMERGENCY call 999.
Emergencies are situations that cannot be managed at home and may be life threatening