Appointments

To make a routine appointment, call 01249 812141 and press option 1, call at reception or book online via the above link.

For urgent care please call 01249 812141 and press option 1.  Our Duty Doctor triage system ensures that all patients who need urgent care can speak to, and/or a Doctor on the same day. 

We see over 1,000 patients a week so please make sure you let us know as soon as you can that you wish to be seen.

View clinicians' working pattern to see when our clinicians are in the surgery.

Extended Opening Hours

We offer appointments during extended opening hours on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 18:30-20:00 as well as occasional Saturday mornings from 09:00-10:30.

These appointments are pre-bookable only.

Please note our telephone reception is not available during extended opening hours; the Out-of-Hours service deal with all telephone calls and visit requests made during these times.

Telephoning the Surgery

We receive hundreds of calls every day so you may have trouble getting through at certain times, particularly during the morning. The best time to ring for non-urgent matters, e.g. blood results is mid-afternoon. If the phone is engaged please keep trying. Once you get through and choose an option, you will be answered as soon as someone is available to speak to you.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason, please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to offer the slot to another patient. To cancel an appointment, call 01249 812141 and press option 2; cancel online via the link at the top of the page or visit reception. Telephone and web cancellations can be made 24/7.

Home Visits

If you are too ill to attend surgery and need a Doctor to visit you at home, please let us know as soon as you can. No visit requests are accepted without prior discussion with a Doctor.

Please see the guidelines below before requesting a home visit.

GP visit recommended for:

• the terminally ill; or
• the truly housebound patient for whom travel to the surgery would cause deterioration in their medical condition.

GP visit may be useful for:

• other patients whose illness has been discussed with the Doctor and is considered serious enough to warrant a visit

GP visit is not usual for:

• heart attacks – severe crushing chest pain - you need to immediately dial 999 and ask for an ambulance;

or

• children with common symptoms of childhood such as fever, cough, cold, earache, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting and most cases of abdominal pain. (These patients are usually well enough to travel to the surgery. It is not harmful to take a child with fever outside);

or

• adults with common problems such as cough, sore throat, influenza, general malaise, back pain and abdominal pain as these are all problems that would not normally prevent someone from being transported to the surgery. (Transport arrangements are the responsibility of the patients or their carers).

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a Doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your Doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - 'Fit Note'

The 'Fit Note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)