Out of Hours Emergencies
You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation.
Call 111 if:
- you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency
- you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
- you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
- you need health information or reassurance about what to do next
For less urgent health needs, contact your GP or local pharmacist in the usual way.
If a health professional has given you a specific phone number to call when you are concerned about your condition, continue to use that number.
For immediate, life-threatening emergencies, continue to call 999.
Walk-in Centre
The GP-led Walk-in Centre is located within the Whitegate Drive Health Centre at 150 Whitegate Drive. A team of experienced nurses is available every day of the year from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
Making An Appointment
As this is a group practice you may make an appointment to see whichever doctor you wish. We endeavour to keep as close as possible to appointment times subject to the needs of other patients. Please be on time for your appointment otherwise you may not be seen.Patients can now book an appointment to speak to a doctor for advice or to discuss specific problems. Ask the receptionists for an appointment in the telephone clinic and the doctor will ring you back on the allocated day.If you are unable to keep your appointment please telephone and cancel in plenty of time so your appointment can be offered to someone else.
Access For The Disabled
The Medical Centre is equipped with facilities for the disabled. Disabled access is via the front entrance.
All consulting rooms are at ground level.
Weekend and Night Cover
If you require a doctor when the surgery is closed please call NHS Service 111. They will predominantly offer advice and surgery-based consultations, with home visiting only for those medically unfit to travel. This service, which we fully support and work for, is operated by local GPs. Please note all telephone calls to the out-of-hours service are recorded.
In non-emergency situations a visit to the Walk-in Centre may be appropriate. Click on the link to the left for details.
Minor Ailments with our Nurse Practitioner
A Nurse Practitioner led triage service operates in the surgery daily for patients with the following urgent problems:
The conditions the nurse practitioner deals with in their clinics are listed below:
- Bites & Stings
- Burns
- Cold Sores
- Colds/Flu/Nasal Congestion
- Conjunctivitis
- Cough
- Cystitis
- Ear Ache
- Emergency Contraception
- Eye Infections
- Hay Fever
- Head Lice
- Heartburn/Indigestion
- Impetigo
- Mouth Ulcers
- Oral Thrush
- Rash
- Scabies
- Sinusitis
- Sore Throat/Tonsillitis
- Vaginal Thrush
- Urinary Tract Infections
This is a service focusing on assessing the degree of urgency for treatment and supplying the appropriate care.
Triage
Triage is a same day doctor/nurse led service provided by The Medical Centre.
If you have a clinical need and you feel your clinical circumstances are unable to wait until the next routine appointment. You should contact the surgery.
Reception staff will place you on the triage list.
* They will ask you for a brief explanation of your condition
* Take your telephone number
* Inform you that a doctor or nurse will ring you back within the next 2 hours.(If you do not receive a call back within 2 hours you will be asked to contact the surgery again).
Once the Receptionist has taken your details a doctor or nurse will ring you back..
The Doctor or Nurse will give you telephone advice or make you an appointment to come down to the surgery where you will be seen by a Health Professional.
The Patients Responsibility
To use the service for clinically urgent requirements, that is not able to wait until the next routine appointment.
To give the telephone number where you can be contacted.
To ensure the telephone number you give is accessible e.g.
Mobile phones are turned on
Landlines receive incoming calls.
Your call back is confidential to you; Health Professionals will want to speak to the patient. Health Professionals will only speak to a third party if the patient is unable to communicate due to disability.
If you feel your condition is a medical emergency and you are unable to wait for a doctor or nurse to phone you back you should phone 999 for an ambulance.
Children Under 12 Years Old
Child under 12 years of age who need an urgent appointment will be accommodated on the same day.
Home Visits
If you are unable through serious and urgent illness to leave your home, and require a home visit please telephone BEFORE 10.00am. Home visits requested after this time will be done the following day, except for medical emergencies.
Results
Please allow 7-10 working days (excluding weekends) for most results and 21 working days for x-rays. After this time you can telephone 626637 between 11.00am – 3.00pm. If you wish to discuss your result further please make an appointment in the Telephone Clinic. The staff can only discuss the details given to them by the Doctor. For confidentiality reasons results can only be given to the patient who had the test completed and not a representative.
Zero Tolerance
In an attempt to protect staff and patients alike we operate a zero tolerance policy within the practice where rudeness and abusive behaviour are unacceptable. We are also looking to create a calm and pleasant environment for us all to enjoy.
You will be removed from the list should you be responsible for any form of abuse or violence that occurs to GPs, staff or other patients on our premises.
Repeat Prescriptions
Ordering a repeat prescription
Repeat prescription will normally be ready in two working days (48hrs). If there a query with the prescription please be aware this could take 72hrs. Certain urgent prescriptions are issued the same day and are available after 5.00pm i.e. Inhalers.
Ways to Order Repeat Prescriptions
By Phone – A dedicated telephone line (01253626637 option 5) is open weekdays between 10.00am – 1.00pm.
In person – Patients can place their requests in the repeat medication box situated in the surgery waiting room.
Patient Access – Patients may also access our website and order their repeat prescription by using Patient Access. Patients must register their details with the surgery in order to obtain a logon and password to use this service.
Accountable Named GP
All patients including children, have been allocated a named accountable GP.
Accessible Information Standard
What is the Accessible Information Standard?
The Accessible Information Standard is a information standard for implantation by all organisations that provide NHS or adult social skills.
Compliance with information of this type is a mandatory requirement, including for NHS Trust and GP Practices. This is set out in
The Accessible Information Standard aims to ensure that people who have a disability or sensory loss receive information that they can access and understand, for example in large print, braille or via email, and professional communication support if they need it, for example from a British Sign Language interpreter.
The Standard requires organisations that provide NHS or adult social care to:
- ASK: Identity/find out if an individual has any communication/information needs relating to a disability or sensory loss and if so what are they.
- RECORD: Record those needs in a clear, unambiguous and standardised way in electronic and/or paper based record/administrative systems/documents.
- ALERT/FLAG/HIGHLIGHT: Ensure that recorded needs are “highly visible’ whenever the individuals” record is accessed, and prompt for action.
- SHARE: Include information about individuals’ information/communication needs as part of existing data sharing processes (and following existing information governance frameworks).
- ACT: Take steps to ensure that individuals receive information which they can access and understand, and receive communication support if they need it.
Duty of Candour
We share a common purpose with our partners in health and social care – and that is to provide high quality care and ensure the best possible outcomes for the people who use our services. Promoting improvement is at the heart of what we do.
We endeavour to provide a first class service at all times but sometimes things go wrong and our service may fall below our expected levels.
In order to comply with Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulations 2014) we pledge to:
- Have a culture of openness and honesty at all levels
- Inform patients in a timely manner when safety incidents have occurred which may affect them
- Provide a written and truthful account of the incident, explaining any investigations and enquiries made
- Provide a written apology
- Provide support if you are affected directly by an incident.
