Currently all appointments with a GP are initially via telephone consultation. If you need to be seen by the GP then this will be organised following your telephone consultation. There will be a limited number of telephone consultation slots bookable each morning for those people who have difficulty getting through on the telephone. We apologise if you have to wait in a telephone queue for the receptionist to answer and thank you for your patience. 

Please note: To book an appointment online you will need to register for this service if you have not already registered. Please complete the following form to register for online services. Online booking is for GP appointments only.

Register for online services

Appointments

Appointments for a telephone call from the doctor, nurse or pharmacist can only be made with the receptionist, either by calling in person to the surgery or telephoning  028 9042 1880.

When telephoning for an appointment the 'emergency' option should only be used for serious or life-threatening problems such as chest pain, collapse or breathing difficulties.

Further information about our appointment system can be accessed on the above 'Information' tab.

Please help us to ensure surgeries run smoothly by:

• Arriving on time and informing us you have arrived- either by using the self checking computer in reception or informing the receptionist.
• Cancelling your appointment- please telephone if you cannot keep your appointment. Even with short notice, we can usually allocate your appointment to someone else.
• One patient- one appointment- Separate appointments need to be made if other members of your family need to see the doctor.

Please note that appointments - are booked for 10 minutes and we will try to see you at the appointed time. However, some patients' problems take longer than others, so please be patient if there is a delay. If you feel you will need a longer appointment than usual, please let the receptionist know and we will try to make provision for this.

Home Visits

Home visits are solely for those patients who are too ill or infirm to attend the surgery.

If you require a home visit please telephone 028 9042 1880 
before 10.30am if possible. This will allow the doctors to plan their visits and avoid unnecessary delays. 

Please be prepared to give details of your, or the patient's condition, to the receptionist so that the doctors can prioritise their visits and help you in the most appropriate way.

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 surgery.

Telephone Consultations- Tel: 028 9042 1880

In many instances it may be possible for the doctor to deal with your problem over the telephone; e.g. to discuss test results, review medication. extend sickness certificates etc.

If you would like to book a telephone consultation please speak to the receptionist who will be able to arrange this for you, usually within 1 or 2 days although if you want to speak to a particular doctor you may have to wait longer.

The doctors usually return call after morning surgery but may telephone at any time during the day so please ensure you leave a contact number where you will be available throughout the day.

Urgent calls

If you feel you need to speak to a doctor urgently please advise the receptionist who will pass the call to the duty doctor.

Please telephone 02890 421880 between 2.30pm and 5.30pm to enquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice.

It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if your are advised to do so.

Emergencies during surgery hours - telephone 028 9042 1880

Between 8.30am and 6.00pm , urgent requests will be given prompt attention by the receptionists and the doctor will be informed. It will be necessary for the receptionist to ask some details regarding the condition of the patient so that the doctor can assess the urgency of the call.

When the surgery is closed - telephone 028 9042 1880  

A recorded message will tell you how to contact the doctor on call.  There is always a doctor on call for EMERGENCIES but please remember that this service should be reserved for genuine EMERGENCIES ONLY.

Appointments Information

The practice runs an appointment system for both morning and afternoon surgeries. Appointments may be made on line, (if you have registered for this service)in person or by telephone. Please make appointments as soon as possible and avoid leaving it until the last minute unless it is genuinely urgent in which case please explain to the receptionist, giving as much information as possible. Please note that all information is treated in confidence.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please cancel online or let us know as soon as possible so that the appointment may be offered to someone else. When you arrive please check in at reception, either by self checking in at the computer  or advising the receptionist so that your details may be confirmed. Please remember that appointments are booked for 10 minutes only. We have tried to design the system to balance the needs for continuity, patient choice and speedy access.

When making an appointment you have several options;-

You may book with a doctor of your choice usually up to 1 month in advance. Sometimes at holiday periods we need to restrict the numbers of booked appointments to allocate more urgent and semi-urgent appointments. If you wish to see a specific doctor you may have to wait a little longer for an available slot. For ongoing care it is usually better to see the same doctor if possible.

If you need to be seen (for medical reasons, not just for a repeat prescription or sick line etc.) within 2 working days you will be able to get an appointment with a doctor but it may not be with your first choice of doctor. We will always try to facilitate your choice of doctor where this is possible but cannot guarantee that this would be within 2 working days. 

If you need to be seen on the same day for an urgent medical reason you will be offered an emergency slot on the same day.

Please remember that it is not necessary to make an appointment to see the doctor if you just want advice or have a question to ask.  Alternatives include leaving a message with the receptionist, speaking to a doctor on the telephone, (if you leave your contact details we will return your call when a doctor is free but please give as much information as possible to our receptionist), or you may wish to speak to our practice nurse, especially if it concerns a chronic condition like diabetes, cardiac disease astham or travel vaccinations etc.