Make an Appointment

1. REVISION OF THE GP APPOINTMENT SYSTEM

WHY ARE WE MAKING CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM?

The "Advanced Access" system was introduced in February 2004, allowing patients to call the surgery and arrange an appointment with a GP on the same day.
Whilst not perfect, it was felt that the ability to ring and get an appointment on the same day was a great improvement, providing almost immediate access to medical services for our patients and significantly reducing the number of wasted appointments - often booked in advance in good faith, and then simply forgotten about or not cancelled if no longer required.
We have continually kept the GP appointment system under review, ensuring that hopefully, sufficient same day appointments are available for our patients though obviously, it is difficult to predict peaks and troughs in demand.
As a result of comments received from our patients, both in person and via the annual Patient Questionnaire, we have decided to adjust the appointments system further, to provide greater flexibility.

HOW WILL IT CHANGE?

FOR GP APPOINTMENTS, YOU SHOULD STILL CONTACT US ON THE DAY YOU WISH TO BE SEEN, TO MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT ON THAT DAY!
Please call at any time between 8am and 6pm to arrange a same day morning or afternoon appointment.
We politely suggest that you ring early to maximise the chances of getting seen by the doctor of your choice, at the time you want to be seen.
On some days, the demand for certain doctors will far outweigh the number of appointments available, resulting in you seeing a doctor other than the one of your choice.
Do you actually need to physically attend the surgery? If not, and you would simply like to discuss a concern with one of the GPs, then why not enquire with the reception team about booking a telephone consultation? Each GP has a daily allocation of telephone appointments available and will call you back later on in the day.

WHEN WON'T I SEE THE DOCTOR OF MY CHOICE?

DOCTOR'S AVAILABILITY (SUBJECT TO CHANGE & EMERGENCY DUTY ROTA)

Doctor's availability

"BUT I NEED TO BOOK IN ADVANCE!"

What could be better than ringing the surgery on the day you wish to be seen, knowing that you WILL be seen, even if it's not an emergency?
Even with the "Advanced Access" system in place, we do understand that for some patients, forward planning is essential, particularly for people who may not be able to readily take time away from work to attend the surgery.
With this in mind, we have increased the number of pre-bookable appointments available during the course of each GP's surgery, primarily for these patients.
In line with current Department of Health guidelines, we have also extended the number of weeks our appointment book is open, from 2 weeks to 3 weeks.
It is hoped that by increasing the number of pre-bookable appointments, we will be able to make the job of calling to make a same-day appointment less onerous, as queues on the telephone first thing in the morning, should be reduced.
PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR A PRE-BOOKABLE APPOINTMENT UNLESS YOU REALLY NEED ONE! Our system will only work if our patients work with us on this.
If you DO need to pre-book an appointment, for example due to work, transport or child care commitments, or because you wish to book an appointment with the nurse at the same time, please explain this to the receptionist when you call.

WHAT WON'T CHANGE?

As happens now, if you need to see a doctor on the day, you will be seen.
The appointment system for seeing a nurse or a phlebotomist (bloods) stays the same, so you can still book these in advance.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

If you wish to make an appointment to discuss a hospital report, for example, please ring reception on 01287 619 611 to ensure the report is available, prior to arranging to attend the surgery
Try simple self-medication for colds, sore throats etc. Give your immune system time to work naturally. This will help build up resistance to infection for you and your child.
Remember that anti-biotics are NOT a cure-all and do not always help with colds, sore throats etc.
Please let us know as early as possible if you cannot attend your appointment. Literally hours of surgery time are wasted each week by patients failing to attend.
Order your repeat prescriptions in person, at reception or by post. Alternatively, why not order on-line at www.springwoodsurgery.co.uk? Do not make an appointment with a doctor to order a repeat prescription.
Ring reception on 01287 619 611 to get straightforward test results (some results may need to be discussed with a doctor).
Remember that NHS Direct is available for telephone advice, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 08 45 46 47
Contact your Health Visitor for problems with the under 5's, like feeding issues, sleep management, toilet training problems

THESE CHANGES WILL MAKE YOUR SURGERY MORE ACCESSIBLE, BUT ONLY IF YOU WORK WITH US TO ACHIEVE IT!