How you can help us
Initially think about whether self-medication, seeking advice from a pharmacist or speaking to NHS Direct may be faster and more appropriate.
Rather than asking us for an appointment with a Doctor, tell us what you need or what is wrong. During one week we received over 1100 patient contacts requesting appointments. Only 350 patients needed to see a Doctor.
The aim of the Admin and Reception staff is to help you meet your health needs by either:
- Making an appointment with the appropriate Doctor, Nurse or Health Care Assistant
- Arranging for someone to contact you at a later time
- Passing on information or questions on your behalf
- Sorting out administrative problems such as prescriptions, health forms etc
It is important that you trust these staff and listen to the information that they give you. Seeing a Doctor may not be the most appropriate or quickest way for us to help you.
When you telephone for an appointment, you will be asked to give brief details about why you need to see the Doctor or the nurse. This information is used to assess who is best to see you and the information is passed onto the doctor or nurse. Of course, you do not have to tell us but it will help us to help you. All of our staff are bound by the same strict rules of confidentiality that the Doctors are.
If you feel that a doctor needs to visit you because you are too unwell to visit the surgery, please contact us before 10:30 so that your visit may be allocated to the most appropriate doctor. Please note that visits are generally made between 12:30 and 3:00pm. If you feel that a visit is required sooner in the day, please let the member of staff know.
Nurses
Our nurses are highly trained and carry out a wide range of procedures, offer support and advice and treat patients for many acute and chronic conditions. Nurses are often easier to see and can make you an appointment see the Doctors if clinically needed.
Nurses are skilled and trained in all of the following:
- Telephone Contacts
- Minor Ailments
- Cervical Cytology (Smears)
- HRT & Pill Repeats
- Vaccinations
- Dressings
- Travel and vaccination advice
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- Heart Disease
- Family Planning
- Weight Advice
Health Care Assistants:
- Blood pressure
- ECG
- Taking blood
- Routine Weight Checks
- Dressings
- Spirometry
Telephone Contact
Many problems can be sorted out over the telephone either by the Admin Staff or Nurses ie:
- Prescription queries (not requests)
- Request for Sick notes
- Test results - these do not routinely require an appointment with the Doctor. Receptionists can give you these over the telephone after the GP has reviewed them. One week after the blood was taken telephone us after 11:30am
