We operate an appointment system and all doctor’s appointment times vary to meet our patients needs. Appointments are available morning and afternoon Monday to Friday. You can make an appointment up to two weeks ahead. We aim to offer you an appointment with a doctor within 48 hours, but that may not be with the doctor of your choice. If you have an urgent problem that cannot wait until the next available appointment you may be asked to come and wait at the end of the surgery and be seen as an extra patient. we encourage our patients to seek help from their community pharmacist or to look at nhs choices for many health problems. GPs and practice nurses are in short supply and the demands of caring for frail elderly and people with complex health problems are increasing - therefore we invite people to 'self care' when they can.
Telephone Appointments
The practice encourages telephone appointments. This helps the doctors to prioritise services for what has become - throughout the UK - an unmanageable demand, and ensure that urgent needs are met. We also want to ensure appropriate tests can be done before you attend. Our patients find telephone discussions helpful; you will of course be seen if necessary. Many patients also prefer to follow up by phone to save time waiting for an appointment or attending the surgery. You can also book a telephone consultation if you are not sure if you need to be seen or how urgent your problem is, or if you feel your query could be addressed without a face to face appointment. If you need to be seen, the Triaging doctor will arrange this.
Please let us know if you cannot attend for an appointment so that we can offer someone else the chance to see the doctor.
Why a telephone consultation?
Much of what you may want from your doctor doesn’t require you to be at the surgery - a phone call can save time all round.
Advantages to you are:
- quick access to appropriate medical advice from a doctor
- flexibility - no need to take time off work or other commitments until it is necessary.
- tests can be arranged if needed prior to your being seen so that the results are available.
- a nurse or pharmacist appointment can be arranged if more appropriate.
- medication reviews can usually be done over the phone, at least initially.
- we can often redirect you to more appropriate services e.g. NHS Eye Care services, sexual health, mental health support / psychological therapies, carer support.
- reliable trustworthy information can be provided e.g. websites, phone numbers or support groups.
GPs are in very short supply and are spread very thinly, so appropriate use of our time ensures that serious illness is less likely to be missed.
- phone consultations ensure that face to face meetings are more efficient and effective.
- the doctor can ensure that those with urgent problems are given priority.
Nurse appointments
Our practice nurses are usually available to deal with the following:
- Rashes and earache
- Cystitis and urinary problems
- Heart, diabetic. asthma and epilepsy reviews
- Immunisation and travel vaccinations
- Ear syringing
- Oral contraception, smear tests, emergency contraception, coil checks
- Lifestyle advice healthy eating, alcohol intake, exercise, stopping smoking
- Chronic illness checks
This allows Doctors to deal with more complicated issues this means that you can get seen sooner and shorten the waiting time for those needing to see the GP.
How the system works
When you ring the surgery, the receptionist will ask you for brief information about your problem. This information is passed to the doctor and assists in prioritising phone calls.
You can have a call in the morning or the afternoon on the day you would like to be seen.
Please ensure we have an up to date address, phone number and email address for you.
We have pre-booked and same day consultations. Doctors arrange their own follow-up phone calls when required.
Please keep your phone to hand! We cannot keep calling people repeatedly!
Be aware that the doctor will go through the phone calls in order of medical priority, so you will be told ‘morning’ or ‘afternoon’ rather than a specific time.
If there is a better time (e.g. coffee break) or less convenient (e.g. school run) please tell the receptionist.
Think about what you want to say / might need – this helps you & the doctor use the time well.
Important: Some helpful advice for all our patients
- If your issue is not urgent, please book to speak to the doctor who knows your case. This includes sick note requests, medication reviews and chronic condition reviews (especially mental health). Continuity of care is better for patients and doctors, it saves time for everyone, means you do not have to repeat your story to someone new, and reduces the risk of inappropriate treatment or tests - thus greatly improving patient safety and satisfaction.
- We urge you to register for on line access - this will enable you to see your notes if you wish, and to order your prescriptions directly from the practice.
Telephone contact with the Doctor or Nurse
The reception staff are not allowed to interrupt the Doctors or Nurses during appointments but will take a message for you. Please ensure we have your up to date contact numbers.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you can not make your appointment let us know as soon as you can so another patient can book the appointment time. You can cancel or change your appointment:
Extended Hours - GP Alliance Hubs
If you require an appointment to see a GP or Nurse outside of our Surgery opening hours then we can now book an appointment for you to be seen during the evening/weekend at the following locations:
- Longford Primary Care Centre, (Dr Princewill & Partners), Longford Road, CV6 6DR
- Moseley Avenue Surgery, 109 Moseley Avenue, CV6 1HS
- Quinton Park Medical Centre, Cheylesmore, CV3 5PZ
- Stoke Aldermoor Medical Centre, The Barley Lea, CV3 1EG
- The Broad Street Surgery, 200 Broad Street, CV6 5BG
- Tile Hill Surgery, Station Avenue, CV4 9HS
- Wood End Health Centre, Deedmore Road, CV2 1XA
- Rugby Health and Wellbeing Centre, Drover Close, CV21 3HX
If you would like to book an appointment at any one of these locations (depending on availability) please contact the surgery reception on 024 7630 2082 for more information.
If you need help when we are closed
- Use NHS 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or call 111. 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
- Out of hours information
- If it’s a life-threatening emergency call 999.
Try the NHS App
You can now use the NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and your GP account on your smartphone or tablet.
You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.
If you already use online access you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well.
For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp
Home Visits
We ask our patients to visit the surgery if at all possible, as our doctors can see several patients at the practice in the time it takes to make a single home visit. Home visits are only offered to patients who are housebound/ frail and elderly who are more vulnerable. We ask you to call before 10.00am to arrange this so that we can assess the need for a visit the same day. However, this is at the doctor’s discretion and they may wish to assess your situation over the telephone and advise you appropriately. It is always better for the doctor assess you in the surgery, where your full medical records and diagnostic equipment are available, which leads to a better service to yourself.
Babies and children can usually be brought to the surgery even when ill and will always be fitted in quickly if necessary.
Home visits are not emergency services and it should not be a regular occurrence that a visit is requested the same day.
To request a home visit, please:
- Call the surgery on 024 7630 2082 before 10.30am.
- Be prepared to tell the receptionist about your condition so we can prioritise the most urgent cases and arrange the most appropriate course of action.
- Ensure the surgery has up to date details of your address and telephone number.
Online Booking appointments
We have available online booking slots which patients can book if they register online, to register online you must come and see reception with 2 forms of ID. They will be able to print off the information you require, to get you set up online and start booking.