GP Consulting Times

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Nurse Consulting Times

Appointments

We have an appointment system for both doctor and nurses. You may see any doctor or nurse, however we prefer you to keep to the same one for continuing treatment. 

There is a full appointment system with the following options available to you:

1. Routine appointments with a doctor usually available within a few days
2. Appointments for long-term or on-going conditions can be booked up to eight weeks in advance subject to availability.
3. Same day appointments for conditions that can’t wait.
4. Urgent appointments - these will be dealt with the same day by adding them onto a surgery and patients may have to wait. Please let the receptionist know if the problem is urgent and is a result of:-
   • fever especially in a child
   • sudden or severe increasing pain anywhere
   • sudden or distressing breathlessness
   • altered consciousness (feeling drowsy or confused)
   • severe diarrhoea and vomiting
   • severe abdominal pain
   • unusual headache
5. Bookable telephone consultations

Routine appointments are for 10 minutes.

If you think you will need more than 10 minutes please inform the receptionist.

Please note if you are more than 10 minutes late you may be seen at the end of the surgery, or not at all.

Please remember that one appointment is for one patient even if it is to discuss another patient. One appointment is for one problem. If you have more than one problem please make a double appointment.

Online Services

You can sign up to book appointments online. To register please email photo ID  and address verification to biddlestone.a86010@nhs.net

Text Message Reminders

You may also find it helpful to register for our text messaging service. You will receive reminders for appointments the day before and we may also text you about other health related matters from time to time.

Cancellations

Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend an appointment in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

  Click Here to book/cancel your appointment online

Speaking to your Doctor by telephone

 The doctors will reply to telephone calls normally between and 2.00pm to 3.00pm.

Routine enquiries by telephone

For routine matters, may we suggest that you ring between 3.00pm and 5.00pm when the lines may be quieter.

Home Visits

Please ring before 11.00am. It is helpful if you can give the receptionist some idea of your problem, so the doctor can assess the urgency of the call (this is kept confidential). The doctor may speak to the patient on the phone before visiting.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.