Appointments

We operate an appointment system to allow you to be seen at a set time. Booked appointments are usually ten minutes long. This is enough time for one major or two minor problems. If you have a number of problems to discuss, please either make a double appointment or spread them out over a number of consultations. This will help your doctor run their surgery on time and minimize waiting times for other patients.

Please ring between 8.30 and 11.00am for appointments.

Patients who have an urgent problem will always be seen on the same day. We offer all patients an appointment within 24 hours of phoning usually on the same day, although if you phone in the afternoon you may be offered an appointment the next day.

If you ring early on the day and can attend in the morning it helps us keep slots available for patients who need emergency treatment in the afternoons.

Please ring in the morning if you require a home visit on the same day. It helps us a lot if you can avoid making an appointment on Monday or Friday (our busiest days) if your problem can wait for one of the days in the middle of the week.

Similarly, please use your common sense around bank holidays; the days before and after a bank holiday weekend are also unusually busy with patients needing urgent problems sorted out; it will help us if you can avoid these.
 
Please feel free to book your appointment with whichever doctor or nurse you would like help with a particular problem. If you wish to see a specific doctor you may have to wait a few days as not all doctors are in every day.

The receptionists will always try and meet your wishes. If you are prepared to give them some idea of your problem, it will help them help you. To provide choice each doctor consults at slightly different times.
 
If you have difficulty with communication then please ask for a double appointment. Try to do this as this helps doctors to run on time.

Please call the surgery to book an appointment on 0208 427 2470 
 

Before you leave your appointment make sure you know the following:

What might be wrong? You could ask the following questions:
• Can I check that I’ve understood what you said? What you’re saying is...
• Can you explain it again? I still don’t understand.
• Can I have a copy of any letters written about me?

What about any further tests, such as blood tests,
scans and so on?
• What are the tests for?
• How and when will I get the results?
• Who do I contact if I don’t get the results?

About what treatment if any, is best for you
• Are there other ways to treat my condition?
• What do you recommend?
• Are there any side effects or risks?
• How long will I need treatment for?
• How will I know if the treatment is working?
• How effective is this treatment?
• What will happen if I don’t have any treatment?
• Is there anything I should stop or avoid doing?
• Is there anything else I can do to help myself?

What happens next and who
to contact
• What happens next? Do I come back and see you?
• Who do I contact if things get worse?
• Do you have any written information?
• Where can I go for more information, a support group or more help?

Telephone Advice

We have a lot of experience with telephone consultations. For a lot of problems it may be straightforward to help you over the phone and save you a visit to the surgery.

Please ring in the morning if you would like a telephone consultation on the same day.

The doctors and nurses do not usually interrupt consultations to deal with non-urgent problems so reception staff may take a contact number so that you can be phoned back later in the day

Test Results

If possible please ring between 2-4pm for results as the telephones are less busy this will enable us to run more efficiently. Please remember reception staff are unable to discuss results with you as they are not medically qualified. Please book an appointment or telephone consultation with your GP.

HOME VISITS

Whenever possible we ask you to come to the surgery for appointments. At the surgery we have full access to your records and to treatment facilities.  You can usually be seen sooner if you can come to the surgery. We can see 3 or 4 patients in the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit.
 
If you are really too unwell to come in please try to phone before 11am. If you are unsure whether you need a visit, reception can arrange for you to get advice from one of the doctors. If the doctor feels your problem would be appropriately dealt with in the surgery then you will be offered an appointment and the visit request declined.
 
The doctors squeeze visits in between morning and afternoon surgeries but also have to fit in other clinics and meetings during this time so the timing of a visit cannot be guaranteed.

Requests for emergency visits later during the day will be passed on to the doctor on call who will talk to you to help decide the best way to manage the problem.

Do not request home visits or medical advice by e-mail. Please phone the surgery instead.