Appointments

Making an Appointment

Please telephone or call at the surgery you are registered with to arrange a suitable time. We try to ensure that non-urgent appointments are within two working days of request although appointments with a doctor of your choice may take longer. We are sure you will agree that priority must be given to urgent appointments. Please give the receptionist as much information as possible so that she may assess the urgency of your appointment.

Routine Appointments

These are by appointment only.

Emergency Appointments / Triage List

We run doctor triage session every morning to improve our service to you. When you contact the surgery and ask to see a doctor that day you will be asked if your problem is urgent for today. Our receptionist will ask for your full name, contact telephone number and details of your condition.

All this information is then passed to our triage doctor who will phone you back to assess your needs. Please be available to receive a telephone call from the doctor on the telephone number you have provided. If you use an answer phone at home please switch this off.

You must phone the surgery back if you have not been contacted by 11.30am.

If you cannot wait for assessment because your condition will not permit this, then you should go to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Accident and Emergency Department.

• Urgent cases are seen on the day.
• Tell us if you are in a telephone box. We will ring you back. Say immediately if your call is an emergency.

Home Visits

Our doctors typically see five patients in the practice in the time it takes to do a single home visit. For this reason, we ask our patients to come to the practice if at all possible. However, we can visit you at home if your condition means you cannot attend.

Please ring before 10.00am to arrange a visit and let us know if your condition is urgent. The doctor may telephone you to ascertain if a visit is a priority or medically indicated.

To Assist Everyone Let Us Help You By:

• Telling us if you want someone to accompany you during an examination
• Asking for a private room, if appropriate, to discuss any confidential matters

You Can Help Us By:

• Being on time for your appointment
• Letting us know if you need to cancel
• Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10.00am
• Requesting emergency prescriptions only between 2.00pm - 4.00pm
• Ringing for the results of tests after 2.00pm
• Remembering that the results of tests can only be given to the patient concerned.

Failure To Attend Appointments

If a patient fails to attend a pre-booked appointment on two occasions in a six month period, a warning letter will be sent to that patient, advising them that a further occurrence could risk removal from the practice.

If the patient fails to attend another appointment he/she will be removed from the practice list.

The practice manager will write to the patient and explain the reasons for removal including details of how to register with another practice.

**HELP US TO HELP YOU - KEEP IT OR CANCEL IT!**