Appointments

We run a ten minute appointment system, please phone or call in at the surgery to book one. If your problem is urgent you will always have access to a doctor or nurse the same day. Routine appointments can be booked up to 6 weeks in advance. Please try to plan your care if you can. The surgery has wheelchair access.

Please note If you have more than one problem you will need to book more than one appointment. Telephone lines are open between the hours of 08:00 to 18:30 Monday to Friday.  Children under 15 should be accompanied by an adult.

Practice nurses

In a number of cases it might be worth considering an appointment with a practice nurse rather than a doctor. Practice nurses are qualified to deal with many ailments and you may be seen more quickly.

Telephone Advice

If you wish to speak to a doctor or nurse please telephone between 12:00 - 13:00 Monday to Friday only.  If the doctor or nurse is available you will be put straight through, if not a message will be taken you will be called back.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 11:00 if you require a home visit. Please be ready to give brief details of your illness and whether or not it's urgent.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your 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.

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)