When We Are Closed
Telephone 028 9260 2204 and listen to the message for details of the Out of Hours service.
Please do not ask to see a doctor out of hours unless you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.
Call 999 in an emergency. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.
Home Visits
It is the policy within the practice to request that patients attend the surgery or speak with the doctor before a Home Visit request can be accommodated. Home visits are for those who are housebound, very elderly and the seriously ill. If you require a visit, where possible, please phone before 10.30am on the day the visit is required.
The receptionist will request details of the patient, and the problem, so that the doctor can assess the priority of the call.
We provide emergency cover at all times and calls requested after 10.30am will be dealt with by the duty doctor on call.
Lack of transport would not normally be considered an indication for a home visit.
It is not usually harmful for a child with a fever or common childhood illness to come to the health centre.
The doctor you usually speak to may not always be available but one of the other doctors will take your call. Please keep telephone calls brief to enable others to avail of the service.
Telephone – Ring back service
Patients are requested not to press ‘5’ if prompted during the phone-in as this facility does not work accurately on our telephones.
Repeat Prescriptions
Please see the Prescription ordering procedure.
Non-Repeat Prescriptions
Requests for non repeat prescriptions for minor ailments should be made to the same way however you may need to speak to a Doctor or Practice Pharmacist before a prescription is issued.
Collections By Chemists
Due to the increased volume of prescriptions being requested by pharmacies it has been necessary to introduce a repeat prescribing regime.
Collection times for prescriptions issued by the GP over the phone are after 12.30pm or after 4pm.
Disabled Access
Our health centre has suitable access for disabled patients.
All the patient areas including the waiting room, the consulting rooms and the toilets, have wheelchair access.
If you require one, there is a wheelchair available at reception.
There are designated disabled parking spaces in the car park.
Car Parking
Car parking is available in the large car park opposite the health centre, where a ‘Pay and Display system is in place. Patients should ensure that adequate time and payment is made for the duration of time spent within the health centre. Places for the disabled are available here.
Patients should note that it may be necessary to perform additional tests in connection with their condition and that this may add to the original length of time spent within the health centre. The health centre has a limited number of disabled spaces available.
Change Of Address
Please let us know as soon as possible if your address changes.
You may use the online form below to notify us of your change of details. The form will open in a new window. Fill out the details and press the Send button.
If you don’t wish to use the online form then drop into the practice and pick up a paper form.
GP Training
Medical students and Nursing students attend the practice from time to time. We hope that you will co-operate with us and help the students to learn about general practice.
However, you will be informed of their presence in advance, and if you do not want them to be present at a consultation, your wishes will be respected. This will not affect your treatment in any way.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will contain just your medications and allergies.
Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the ‘Summary Care Record’ – SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.
Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.
As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.
On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.
For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.
Download The Opt- Out Form
