We apologise if you are having problems reaching us by telephone. We are currently experiencing a very high volume of calls due to enquiries regarding the covid-19 virus.

We are doing our best to answer your calls as soon as possible.

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If you’re a patient at our practice you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.

If you already use SystmOnline you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well.

For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp

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Can you help us to help you?

Our local population is growing fast and there is a huge demand for appointments, both with the doctors and the nurses. We have been looking at ways to improve appointment availability and have found many appointments are wasted each week because the patient is not booked in with an appropriate clinician. For example:

• Not all doctors undertake joint injections
• Not all doctors undertake minor surgery
• Not all doctors undertake coil fitting
• Some doctors have more specialised knowledge in particular areas
• Not all nurses undertake travel vaccinations
• Not all nurses undertake cervical screening
• Some nurses have more specialised knowledge in particular areas

If you are booked with a doctor or nurse who is unable to deal with the problem for which you are attending, it is not only a wasted appointment for the doctor or nurse, but also a wasted visit for you as you may be asked to re book.

There are some procedures which cannot be undertaken if there is not a second nurse or a doctor on the premises, for example immunisations.

It helps us to know the reason for routine appointments where equipment needs to be prepared, for example, a particular injection may need to be collected in advance from a central storage area or may even be out of stock and need to be ordered.

We are aware some patients object to being asked the reason for their appointment, our receptionists have received comments such as ‘What has it got to do with you?’ ‘Why do you want to know are you a doctor?’

Please be assured, if your visit is for a medical problem which you do not wish to discuss with the receptionist, we quite understand and are more than happy for you to tell us you would rather not give the reason.

Please

Wherever possible provide the receptionist with a little information regarding the reason for your appointment

Help us to help you.