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TELEPHONE
CALLS
All telephone calls to our surgeries
and the emergency out-of-hours service are recorded for training purposes. It
is always difficult dealing with a high volume of calls and there may be occasions
where you have difficulty getting through to the surgery by telephone. We apologise
if this does happen but please keep trying as we do have a number of incoming
phone lines.
HOW
DO I...
MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT ?
Our reception staff are here to help you make your appointments to see the doctor
or nurse. Contrary to common belief, they are not trained to be deliberately obstructive,
nor are they trained in the art of keeping you away from the doctor. They genuinely
want to help and offer the appointment time you should have. They also have to
work within the limits of the appointments that are available. You are not expected
to discuss your medical case with them in order to make an appointment. All we
would ask is that wherever possible you contact the surgery on the day you need
to be seen by a GP, albeit a limited number of appointments are available to pre-book.
The doctors at the surgery have a long tradition of ensuring that, where possible,
patients will always tend to see their “usual” doctor. If you require
to be seen on a day when your doctor is unavailable you will be able to see an
alternative doctor on that occasion.
Appointments for medication reviews should be made with your usual doctor. This
should be arranged when you commence your last month’s medication. You will
be notified via your repeat slip when your medication review is due.
We aim to meet the medical needs of all our patients. For this, we do need
your help. We would ask you to value appointments. Please use them appropriately,
and do turn up on time.
Not bothering to turn up or failing to cancel an appointment is extremely inconsiderate
and prevents other patients from being able to make appointments. We cannot afford
to let this happen and so people who fail to attend more than once are warned
and may be asked to register with a different surgery.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
A HOME VISIT ?
Doctors will visit patients in
their own homes when this is required. In order to meet the needs of all our patients,
it is important that doctors are not called unnecessarily to visit patients at
home. Home visits should be reserved for patients who are physically too unwell
or lack the mobility to attend surgery. The majority of patients, including children,
with acute illness can be brought safely to surgery where they can be examined
without significant delay and in an appropriate medical setting.
This also applies to the out-of-hours GPs on-call service where patients should
attend the treatment centre wherever possible. Lack of transport should not generally
be used as the reason for a visit request.
For home visits during surgery hours, please ring the surgery to request this
as early as possible on the day of the visit (preferably before 10.30am, though
we do appreciate if someone is taken ill later in the day, the visit request will
be later).
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
TEST RESULTS ?
Your doctor or practice
nurse may ask you to make an appointment to discuss the results of tests eg blood
tests, X-rays etc. Alternatively, you may be asked to arrange a specific telephone
appointment with either the nurse or doctor when results may also be given. Sometimes
the doctor or nurse will want to follow-up a blood test and you may receive a
letter asking you to make an appointment with the doctor so that results can be
discussed more fully and any other tests arranged accordingly.
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