Are you open on Bank Holidays?
No, we are closed on Bank Holidays.
However, if you need medical advice or attention during this time you can:
Visit your pharmacy – Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaint. Visit NHS Choices to find a pharmacy open near you.
Call NHS 111 – If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening. NHS 111 Is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
A&E or 999 – for a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and/or severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped.
Do you close at lunchtimes?
No our reception is open over lunchtime.
How Do I Arrange A Home Visit?
As the doctors are very busy we ask for your co-operation in attending surgery whenever possible.
If you are too unwell or too immobile to attend, please telephone 01270 441672 before 10:00 Monday to Friday as this assists in the planning of doctor visits in the early afternoon.
It is helpful if you can give the receptionist an indication of the problem so that the doctor can prioritise the urgency of the request. Always ensure there is a contact telephone number in case the doctor wishes to speak with you prior to the visit.
Patients recently discharged from hospital, who need nursing follow up, will routinely be seen by the district nursing team.
Visits take place after morning surgery usually between 11:30 and 15:00.
How Do I Get My Test Results?
Test results are usually available in the afternoon. Please call us after 10.00am on 01270 441672. Some results may take 7 or more days to come back. Results for adults can only be given to that adult, not spouses, children or parents.
How do I register with the practice?
If you live within the practice boundaries (if you are unsure our team will be happy to help) you can register at the practice.
You can either register by visiting our practice and speaking to one of our reception team who will help you complete a form or by downloading the form beforehand and taking it to our reception team.
More information can be found on our ‘New Patient registration’ page.
How do I update my personal information?
If you have a new address or phone number then please contact our reception team who will be able to update your details on our system.
What Are The NHS Prescription Charges?
Most adults in England have to pay prescription charges.
Some items are always free, including contraceptives and medicines prescribed for hospital inpatients.
The current prescription charge is £9.35 per item.
A prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) could save you money on NHS prescription costs:
- a 3-month PPC costs £30.25
- a 12-month PPC is £108.10
What Happens When You Are Referred By Your GP To See A Specialist?
Why Have I Been Referred?
Your GP will discuss with you and, if appropriate, your carer, about why a referral is being recommended. It is usually because your GP wants a specialist’s help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition. This might involve referring you for tests or investigations that cannot be carried out in a GP surgery. Your GP will also discuss with you what choices there are for where you can be referred.
How will I hear about where and when the appointment is?
GP practices and hospitals use different ways of arranging appointments:
- Your GP practice may give you a reference number and a password you can use to book, change or cancel your appointment online or by phone. In time, more and more GP practices will refer patients in this way.
- You may receive a letter from the hospital confirming your appointment. You need to reply as soon as possible and tell the hospital if you can attend on the date offered.
- Alternatively, sometimes patients receive a letter asking them to phone the hospital to make an appointment with a specialist.
What if I need a Fit Note (previously known as Sick Note)?
If you need to be certified as unfit for work following treatment by a specialist:
- The specialist should issue you with a Fit Note.
- The Fit Note should cover the period they expect you to be unfit to work, or until your next contact with the specialist.
You should not need to see your GP to get a Fit Note following hospital treatment, unless your inability to work is unexpectedly prolonged.
You can find more information about referrals in the What happens when you are referred by your GP to see a specialist Leaflet.
What is CQC?
The CQC (Care Quality Commission) is the organisation making sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve.
Before a care provider can carry out any of the activities that regulated by the CQC, they must register and satisfy them that they will be able to meet a number of legal requirements. Activities regulated includes the treatment, care and support provided by hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, ambulance services, care homes and home-care agencies.
For more information about the CQC, you can visit their website.