Appointments

Appointments

For your convenience all face to face consultations with doctors, nurses and specialist staff are by appointment. A separate appointment must be made for each concern.

For non-urgent issues, please follow the guidelines below and choose the right service. An appointment may not be necessary. This will help us to be more efficient by making an appointment available to you when you need it the most.

From Monday 6th October we have been listening to our patients feedback and we are introducing SystmConnect, a new, easy to use system that will offer the following benefits:

  • User-Friendly Design: The system is designed to be straightforward. You’ll select the most relevant questionnaire based on your symptoms.
  • More Efficient Online Access: You can now submit requests online for appointments, prescriptions, and more, helping us respond more quickly and reducing pressure on our phone lines.
  • Self-Booking Appointments: You’ll be able to book your own appointments through a self-booking link sent to you, selecting the time, date, and clinician that works best for you.
  • More Choice & Flexibility: Your Patient Participation Group (PPG) trialled the new system and found it straightforward to use, appreciating the added choice when booking appointments.
  • Change in Times for Submitting Forms: Forms will be available from 8am to 6pm

How to Access and Use the New System

  • System Overview: The new system, SystmConnect, is developed by TPP, the company behind our patient records software. If you already use SystmOnline or the NHS App, you can log in with those accounts.
  • No Account Needed: You don’t need an account to use the new system, but having an NHS login or SystmOnline account will make filling out forms easier by auto-populating your details. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to manually input your personal information.
  • Accessing Forms: The system will be available through a link on the homepage of our website. We’ll also provide an information guide for you to so you can better understand how our system will work.

Urgent Appointments

You can request an urgent appointment for today (Monday to Friday) during opening times. Please note that all appointment requests are reviewed through a triage process. This means our clinical team will assess each request to determine the urgency and type of care needed.

This helps us to ensure that patients with the most urgent needs are prioritised and that all care is delivered appropriately and efficiently.

Routine Appointments

Please note that all appointment requests are reviewed through a triage process. This means our clinical team will assess each request to determine the urgency and type of care needed.

Pharmacy and Self Care

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can offer clinical advice, over the counter medicines and their use, to effectively and safely manage a range of minor health concerns. They can also help you to decide whether you’ll need to see a doctor. You don’t need an appointment, and you won’t even be asked to make a purchase. Every pharmacy also has a private consultation area for you to talk about your symptoms in private if you prefer.

Locate your local pharmacy

Self-Care

Help and support available from many National and Local Organisations:

Conditions A to Z – NHS

I would also like a section added to self-care (which isn’t on our website at the minute) called Local and National Support resources that I will aim to have put together by 12th September for uploading.

Ways to book

Get help for a health problem same day – SystmOnline

An urgent appointment is a same-day consultation with a healthcare professional for medical issues that need prompt attention. These appointments are reserved for conditions that, if left untreated, could worsen or cause significant discomfort.

We will respond to requests within 1 to 3 working hours.

You can also:

  • Phone us on 01603 425989
  • Come into the surgery to speak to our team

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with and we will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.

How the practice deals with urgent medical problems

  • Same day appointments – if you have a genuine urgent problem, we will see you that day, subject to capacity
  • Your problem will need to be assessed, please give clear details to the receptionist
  • You may be asked to speak to a doctor/nurse
  • If after assessment, your problem is not deemed urgent you will be given an appropriate alternative appointment

Important Considerations

  • Urgent appointments are not for routine or non-urgent issues. Please use routine appointments for ongoing or less pressing health concerns.
  • If all urgent appointments are filled, you may be directed to alternative services such as NHS 111, a local walk-in centre, or an urgent care centre.

Ways to book

You can also:

  • Phone us on 01603 425989
  • Come into the surgery to speak to our team

A routine appointment is a scheduled meeting with a healthcare professional for non-urgent medical issues.

You can request a routine appointment in advance during opening times.

We will respond to requests within 2 to 3 working days

You can also:

  • Phone us on 01603 425989
  • Use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
  • Use our nurse or healthcare assistant appointment request form and we will respond within 4 working hours
  • Visit the surgery and speak to a receptionist

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.

We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.

Important Considerations

Routine appointments are not suitable for urgent medical issues. If you require immediate attention, please contact NHS 111 or visit your nearest urgent care centre.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please inform us as soon as possible so we can offer the slot to another patient.

Named GP

When you register at the practice, you are able to see any GP that you wish, although it can be better for your care to see the same one each time for ongoing medical conditions/issues and we will strive to ensure we book you with the same clinician if appropriate.

We understand that at times an appointment with a certain GP may not always be available but continuity of care is very important so we will do our best to help you with this.

Your appointment

However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:

By phone

Face to face at the surgery

By text or email

On a video call

Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.

If you are 5 minutes late for your face to face appointment, there is a possibility you may not be seen and you will be asked to rearrange.

If you have a phone appointment, the GP will make two attempts to call you at the agreed time and if you do not take the call, you will be asked to rearrange.

Appointments over the phone

The surgery offers appointments over the phone with a doctor.

  • If you have a problem you think could be resolved over the phone, let the receptionist know
  • Please give clear details to the receptionist of your problem to ensure the phone is the most appropriate way to deal with it
  • Some problems cannot be dealt with by phone and you may be asked to attend the practice
  • The doctor/nurse will need to phone you back so give up to date contact details and when you will be available to receive a call.

Phone consultations will usually take place between 8am to midday and 2pm to 5:30pm. Please ensure you are available to speak to during this period.

Enhanced access

You can see a GP, nurse or health care assistant at one of the local hub surgeries, either here at Woodcock Road Surgery or at a local practice. As a PCN we have appointments available, every:

  • Saturdays, 9am to 5pm

Please ask reception for more information or if you would like to book an appointment.

Cancelling or changing an appointment

If you cannot attend your appointment, please let us know 24 hours before so we can cancel it and use it for somebody else. If you are more than 5 minutes late for an appointment, it is possible you may not be seen.

To cancel your appointment:

If you need help when we are closed

If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.

Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency.

This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

If you need help with your appointment

Please tell us:

If you have any other access or communication needs

If there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond

If you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email

If English is not your first language an interpreter can be used for appointments. As this needs to be organised in advance please let us know when booking, indicating your preferred language

Home visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10.30am.

The GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.

Lack of transport is not considered a suitable reason for requesting a home visit.