Appointments

We prefer patients to make appointments wherever possible. Patients with appointments will naturally be given priority over casual callers. In cases of emergency or urgent medical care, patients will be seen immediately without an appointment. Should you require more time with your Doctor please inform the receptionist to make a long appointment. In the case of an acute illness, particularly a child, please let the receptionist know.

During normal practice hours at least one staff member, who is trained to take telephone calls and make appointments, assess the urgency of requests for appointments and assist with medical emergencies and CPR, must be present in addition to the GP(s)

NOTE: Appointments made for a periodic review (e.g. blood pressure check) or medical recall (e.g. abnormal pathology result) are denoted in Best Practice recalls and reminders due as such so follow up procedures can be instigated if the patient does not attend.

Cancellations and no-shows are monitored and marked accordingly in the appointments book/diary and these patients are followed up as appropriate. Attempts to contact the patients that fail to attend appointments are documented in the patient file.

Long consultations are available on request, please see Reception Staff to arrange this.

Appointments for home visits can be made by either the patient or doctor. Any request for home visits outside these scheduled times are referred to the doctor.