Church Walk Surgery - How to make an appointment to see your doctor or nurse at the surgery

Consultation Times

Doctors are consulted by appointment. Doctors surgeries are throughout the day between the following times:

Monday 7.00am to 7.20pm

Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday & Friday 9.00am to 6.00 pm

PLEASE NOTE

'On the day emergencies' will be seen as soon as possible by the ‘on call’ doctor. As this is an emergency and not a routine appoiintment we cannot guarantee that you will be able to see a doctor of choice and you will usually be seen by the 'on call' doctor for that day.

TELEPHONE LINES ARE OPEN MON - FRI FROM 8.00AM UNTIL 6.30PM. IF YOU CALL OUTSIDE THESE HOURS YOU WILL BE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS OF HOW TO SPEAK TO THE OUT OF HOURS SERVICE

Appointments

For non-urgent appointments, please telephone or call into the surgery. Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot keep an appointment so that we may offer it to another patient who may need seeing.

WE USE TEXT MESSAGING TO REMIND PATIENTS OF THEIR APPOINTMENT DATE AND TIME. SINCE INTRODUCING THIS, IT HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT AND HAS CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF WASTED APPOINTMENTS.

WE REQUIRE A CURRENT & UP TO DATE MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF ALL OUR PATIENTS. WE WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PLEASE INFORM THE SURGERY OF THIS AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE CONTACTED THIS WAY, PLEASE INFORM THE SURGERY

Thank you

Home Visits

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

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.

Been Off Work?

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

Sickness Certificates 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)

Training Practice

We are a GP Training Practice and have a GP Registrar with us for periods of 4 to 12 months. Our GP Trainers are Dr Mark Dickson and Dr Thankam Dickson.

The Registrar is a qualified doctor and can prescribe and refer for hospital appointments. The Registrar has surgeries on most days.

Medical students and Nursing students also attend the practice from time to time. We hope that you will co-operate with us and help the students to learn about general practice. However, you will be informed of their presence in advance, and if you do not want them to be present at a consultation, your wishes will be respected. This will not affect your treatment in any way.

MISSED APPOINTMENTS

Number of patients that did not attend appointments

Month

2010

2011

2012

January

261

317

267

February

269

315

289

March

294

333

296

April

255

270

309

May

232

293

307

June

347

255

300

July

258

237

268

August

289

261

243

September

327

227

262

October

329

419

316

November

371

303

315

December

383

293

273

If you are unable to attend for your appointment, please contact the surgery as soon as possible so that your appointment may be offered to someone who may be ill and need to be seen urgently

Thank you

Noticeboard

The Surgery will be closed for Staff Training Thursday 23rd May 2013 between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

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The Surgery will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday 27th May 2013.

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PLEASE LET THE SURGERY KNOW YOUR CURRENT UP TO DATE TELEPHONE NUMBER

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APPOINTMENTS
For non-urgent appointments, please telephone or call into the surgery. Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot keep an appointment so that we may offer it to another patient who may need seeing.

EMERGENCY FACILITY
If you require to be seen urgently, please tell the receptionist the nature of your request to assess the urgency. This facility is for emergency cases only and we ask you to not use this service for routine problems.

HOME VISITS
These should be reserved for patients who are genuinely too ill to attend surgery. Please telephone before 10.00am and be prepared to answer a few questions to help the doctors plan their calls and to give the doctors an idea of urgency. Please remember the doctor can see at least four patients in surgery in the time taken to do one visit.

Further Information

Patient Participation Group

Survey Report

Month	2010	2011	2012
January	261	317	267
February	269	315	289
March	294	333	296
April	255	270	309
May	232	293	307
June	347	255	300
July	258	237	268
August	289	261	243
September	327	227	262
October	329	419	316
November	371	303	315
December	383	293	273