How to Make An Appointment With Your Doctor
Who is my doctor?
When you join our patient list you are registered with the specific surgery, not an individual GP. All the doctors are responsible for your care. There are two full time GPs and three part time doctors based across both our sites. These are:
Dr Martin Watts - Dr Mark Adams
- Dr Hilary Neve
- Dr Mary Embleton
- Dr Dawn Tierney
The doctors work as a team so you will be asked to speak to whichever of them is available when you contact us for advice or treatment.
How do I make an appointment to see my doctor?
This surgery runs a system that makes sure you get the treatment you need without spending time waiting for a surgery appointment if this is not necessary. When you contact us, the receptionist will take your phone number (and any special instructions about when you can be contacted) and the doctor will call you back within an agreed length of time. You can then discuss the matter with the doctor. The doctor will then agree the next steps with you.
This may be:
- An appointment
- You may need some tests first
- The doctor may suggest management or a prescription over the phone.
You can continue to arrange appointments to see a nurse or health care assistant with the receptionist.
Does this mean I can only book appointments on the day I ring?
No. If, after you have spoken to the doctor, you need an appointment this will be arranged. Usually this will be on the same day but if this is not convenient you will be offered one on an alternative day.
Do I have to ring first thing in the morning to get an appointment?
No, please don’t! If everyone rings at 8.30 we cannot answer most of the calls. Unless the surgery is exceptionally busy we can take routine phone call bookings until mid-afternoon. However if you can call before 10.30am this does help us plan the day.
Will I be seen in person if this is needed?
Yes. The system means that by dealing with straightforward things over the phone we have enough surgery appointments to ensure that you can see someone in person if you need to.
What if I have problems getting to the phone?
Please let us know if you have difficulty using the phone and we will make special arrangements. If you cannot take a call at work, you can ask for an early or late call from the doctor. Alternatively we can usually arrange to ring you when you have a break. We understand that you may not want to discuss personal things if you can be overheard, so let the receptionist know when you first ring if this is the case.
I don’t like discussing things with the receptionists.
You don’t have to, but it will help us and help you if you are prepared to give the receptionists some idea of why you are calling. This will help them direct the call to the right person, maybe sort the problem out immediately or help us to prioritise our calls. The receptionists are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as all the staff and GPs and as the handler of your records have full access to your data.
Remember, this system is designed to ensure you see or speak to the right healthcare professional and to prevent you making unnecessary trips to the surgery.