Making the Most of your Practice

There are many services available to help you to stay healthy. Some of these services can be accessed directly (see below), and for others you need to be registered with a GP Practice (surgery).

  • When you wish to consult a GP about your medical condition, you will need to contact the surgery with which you are registered to arrange to be seen. If you go along to the surgery and do not have an appointment, you may not be seen. The Practice may ask you to come back at another time, or may suggest that you are seen by another health care professional or other service.
  • When you see your GP about a medical condition, she or he may arrange for further tests to be carried out. If so, they will explain the arrangements for these tests and how you will get the results. These tests may be carried out within the Practice or elsewhere.
  • If your GP thinks that you need to be seen by a specialist doctor or other health care professional, she or he will refer you. You cannot make an appointment to see an NHS specialist without being referred by your GP.
  • If you need a medicine the GP will give you a prescription which you will need to take to a pharmacy, which will supply the medicine for you.
  • If you have a preference for either a male or a female GP please check with the Practice before you register, as some practices may have only male or only female doctors.
  • An interpreting service is available and the Practice can arrange for an interpreter who may work either face-to-face or by telephone.
  • If you need to use the interpreting service please ensure you ask the receptionist to arrange this when making an appointment.
  • If someone else is contacting the Practice on your behalf, please remind them to ask the receptionist to book an interpreter.
Practices can be busy places and staff try hard to accommodate their patients – in return you are asked to behave in a polite and considerate manner. And there are some things that you can do that help the Practice to keep surgeries running smoothly, so that people are seen at the right time.

When you have an appointment please attend at the time stated, and if you are not able to attend please let the Practice know in advance, so the appointment can be used by someone else who needs it.

If you do not attend appointments, the Practice may de-register you. This means that you would stop being a patient of that Practice and would no longer be seen by them.

If more than one member of your family needs to see the doctor or other health care professional, please book one appointment per patient.

If you have to discuss a complex medical issue please let the receptionist know so a suitable length of appointment can be arranged if possible same day otherwise see clinician for most urgent condition and make another appointment for another issue.

Please notify the Practice if you change your address and / or telephone or mobile phone number.

What other help is available?

  • If you have a cough or cold or if your child has a minor ailment your pharmacist may be able to help you.
  • If you have an eye problem, you should go to an optometrist.
  • If you have a dental problem, you should go to a dentist.
  • If you have a foot problem, you can access our podiatry services.
  • If you need to see a specialist your GP will refer you.
  • If you become unwell when your surgery is closed, please dial 111 for emergency cover.

For a list of Minor Injury units near you please access this link Minor Injury Units near you.