Appointments

All consultations are by appointment. We offer appointments from 07:00 up to 20:00 on certain days at some of our sites.

At least half of our appointments can be booked up to one month in advance; all others become available on the morning when the surgeries open. 

Appointments are for one person only and we may not be able to discuss all your problems at one consultation; a further appointment may be required and we would recommend that if possible you stay with the same doctor for that particular problem. 

If you cannot attend for an appointment please let us know. Most of us, including nurses, provide telephone consultations.

When requesting an urgent appointment please remember:

• A problem that has been present for a number of days is unlikely to be urgent.
• You will be asked by the receptionist to give some indication of the problem.
• You will probably have to wait as pushing you in will mean other patients with appointments will have to wait longer.
• If your child is sent home from school it does not necessarily mean that they need to see the doctor urgently

Advice And Information By Telephone

Our doctors are happy to speak to you on the telephone at the end of morning surgery. Please phone the surgery before 10:00 if you require a telephone appointment.  A doctor will then call you back at the earliest convenient time following their morning surgery.

Appointments For The Nurse

We operate a booked appointment system for all Clinics. When booking your appointment please let reception know what your appointment is for so that they can advise you when would be the best time for you to come and the length of appointment you require.

Emergencies

During Surgery hours an emergency is a medical problem that needs attention within 30 minutes. After hours it is a medical problem that cannot wait until the surgery opens.

Reception Staff

We have a Team of Receptionists who are your first point of contact. When telephoning for medical attention the Receptionist may ask you for a few details.  All Reception Staff are fully trained and ask for these details in order that we can help you in the most appropriate way.  Our Receptionists are very busy at certain times of the day and we ask that you be patient. The Receptionists ease the flow of patients for the Doctors, Nurses and Health Professionals and keep the Practices running smoothly.  They are here to help you.

Sometimes they may need to ask for further details.  They are not being nosey and are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the Doctors and Nurses.  All medical information, which is held on your behalf, is governed by the Data Protection Act and Staff are vigilant in ensuring that only essential information is made known to other Practice Staff.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10:30 if you require a home visit.

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. It would be unusual for this to include any young person.

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.

GP Training

The Medical Group is committed to ongoing education and is involved in teaching and training doctors, nurses and administration staff and we regularly have doctors who work with us at our practices as part of their training in general practice.

You may be asked if you would like an appointment with he/she if your usual GP is not available.

Transport

Ambulances

Transport is available for anyone who has a medical need for it, escorts may only be taken if there is a genuine medical need. Our reception staff will book your first journey to hospital, returns and repeats are organised by the hospital.

Please ring to book an ambulance between 13:30 and 15:30 only at least 48 hours before the appointment date.

Transport

Please ring the Surgery where you are registered for more information. There is a volunteer car scheme, which operates in the following areas:

• Brandon
• Meadowfield
• Ushaw Moor
• New Brancepeth
• Bearpark
• Esh Winning
• Langley Park

This can provide transport to the surgeries but not the same day; 48 hours notice is preferably required. Please ask reception staff for details.  For Tow Law and Langley Park there is a GP access bus run by the county council which can accommodate wheelchairs, this is also available to our Langley Park patients.