COVID has forced us all to change, and we at the Practice have responded. We think this system keeps you safe while COVID is still at large, but believe it has real benefits for life beyond COVID.
You won’t be able to directly book a face to face appointment, but the GPs are still seeing patients, as they have from the start of the pandemic.
Telephone appointment
The Receptionist will ask you some basic questions to see if they can solve your problem, and if not, ensure that they put you down for the right member of the clinical team.
If your request relates to a routine matter then you will be provided with the next available appointment with your own named GP for continuity of care. If your problem is clinically urgent for a same day response then one of our duty team clinicians will call you. If your query relates to a matter in which one of our specialists could help with you will be directed towards them. Pharmacists, MSK Physios, Opticians, Dentistry, etc
The GPs can conduct a thorough assessment over the phone, and may ask you to send in photographs, or convert to a video consultation. Some things, however, do require an in person appointment and they may therefore ask you to attend the surgery.
We feel that this provides the greatest continuity for our patients which has been shown to improve the quality of care and satisfaction
Long Term Condition Annual Review appointments
Please contact our Reception team on 01962 853599 to arrange. If you have multiple long term conditions we can accommodate and prefer that you book one single appointment for all. If your condition requires blood tests our Reception team will arrange a Phlebotomy appointment 14 days prior to your review appointment.
Patient Notice
Please note that we do not accept walk ins and that we have suspended Patient Access/ NHSApp appointment booking facilities as all conditions need to be triaged before appointments are now offered due to COVID19.
It is easier and quicker to manage your appointments via our online service. Simply log in and select an option.
This service is currently suspended.
Can another Healthcare Professional help?
Do you need to see the GP?
Sometimes the GP is not the most appropriate Healthcare Professional to deal with your ailment. Please see the information on see a Doctor or Healthcare Professional, which might help you decide whether a GP appointment is truly necessary or whether it might be better for you to see a Pharmacist, Optician, Dentist or other Healthcare Professional. You can even self-refer for some services without seeing your GP. The Doctors have mandated our Patient Navigators (Receptionists) to ask you questions so they can best direct your request. Our aim is to get you to the right clinician, at the right time, first time. In some instances this may not be an appointment with a GP for your best interests
For real life-threatening emergencies such as those below – RING 999
- Chest pain (suspected heart attack)
- Suspected stroke
- Suspected meningitis
- Anaphylactic shock (severe allergy)
- Heavy bleeding or deep lacerations
- Fluctuating levels of consciousness or completely unconscious
- Difficulty breathing or stopped breathing with a change in colour
- New seizure, fit or uncontrollable shaking
For immediately serious conditions such as the following, GO TO Emergency Department (A&E) IMMEDIATELY
- A fever and lethargic (drowsy) child
- A feverish and floppy (unresponsive) infant
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain
- Accidental or intentional overdose of medication
- Trauma (including falls) and possible broken bones or road traffic accident
Appointments Advice
All staff at St Paul’s Surgery work together to ensure that patients have appropriate access to general medical services.
We do not offer a walk-in service.
- Every patient has a Named GP and wherever possible we try to ensure they deal with your medical queries. We are passionate about Continuity of Care.
- Please make one appointment for each member of the family who needs to be seen (we do not accept group bookings)
Please help us
On average, 5-6 days worth of appointments are lost each month because patients fail to attend. If you no longer need your appointment please cancel it. This will help another patient to be seen sooner. You may find it helpful to store our telephone number (01962 853599) in your mobile phone. You should receive an appointment reminder 48 hours before and this too gives the option for you to SMS text back CANCEL as a response.
If you are late for an appointment you may be asked to re-book.
Appointments
Routine
If your condition is NON-URGENT we are usually able to offer routine appointments with a GP or other member of the Primary Health Care Team within a week, though you may have to wait longer if you wish to see a particular GP. Please be aware that not all the doctors work full time.
Details of days and times when individual GPs work.
If you do not need an appointment within a week, you also have the option to book an appointment up to 6 weeks in advance.
Please enquire about extra consultation time if there is more than one problem you want to discuss.
To make a routine appointment please register for our online appointment booking service, or telephone 01962 853599 between 8:00am and 6.30pm.
Please remember that we do not offer a walk in service.
Urgent
We are able to offer emergency appointments on the same day.
If you have an URGENT medical problem, please telephone Reception on 01962 853599 and tell the receptionist.
Before 10:30am, Reception will arrange for our Triage nurse to call you back. The problem will be discussed with you and if the triage nurse feels that there is a clinical need for you to speak to or see a doctor/nurse, this will be arranged for you. After 10.30am the emergency doctor will deal with your request.
We do not offer a Walk-In triage service.
Telephone Surgeries
If you would like some advice from a specific doctor by telephone, please call 01962 853599, before midday. You will be asked to leave a landline telephone number (wherever possible), for the call to be returned when the doctor is free. Please note that calls may be returned at any time from 8:00am. Please ensure that you will be available to take the call.
Requests received after 12 noon will be deferred to the doctor’s next telephone clinic and you may be asked to call back.
Please be aware that not all the doctors work full time. Details of the days and times when individual doctors work.
Additional information
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.