Appointments

How to make the most from your appointment

Information

  • For same day emergency appointments, your doctor will ring you first to assess the urgency of the problem.
  • If you think you may need to be seen the same day please telephone before 10am if possible.
  • If you cannot attend an appointment then please inform us as soon as possible so we can give it to a fellow patient.
  • If you would like a Chaperone to come to your consultation then inform your Doctor/Nurse, who will be more than happy to arrange this for you.
  • We do not take bookings for routine doctor appointments more than 6 weeks in advance. This allows us to monitor the demand for appointments and make adjustments to surgeries if required.
  • For medicals, long term condition clinics, minor operations and family planning procedures you can book further in advance.
  • If you are late for your appointment, you will not be seen and will have to rebook.

Telephone Advice

If you would like to have a one-on-one consultation in the comfort of your own home on the phone, please tell the receptionist who will arrange for your doctor or nurse to return your call. Be aware that this may be at the end of their surgery or clinic.

Practice Nurses

If you like to see a health professional quickly, we would recommend you book an appointment with one of our friendly and competent practice nurses.
The great thing is that you can book up to 3 months ahead.

Support a Registrar

Our practice is an approved training practice linked with The University of Bristol. Our registrars/trainees are fully qualified and have hospital experience.

Registrars are attached to the practice for four to twelve months and usually become general practitioners after completing training.

When booking an appointment you will be asked if you are happy to consult the registrar. We hope you are able to see them and support their training.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible.

If you do need a home visit, you can help us by phoning before 10:00am.

Before visiting your doctor may wish to speak to you, a relative, or your carer. This is to assess the urgency of the visit and to give you some idea as to when the visit will happen.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if this is more appropriate. Your doctor can arrange this.

You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Been Off Work?

Sickness Certificates

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, on the HMRC website and under Reception and Enquiries.

Evidence that you are sick

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)

South Cotswold – Additional Appointments Scheme

The GPs Surgeries of the South Cotswolds are working together to improve access to primary care services for our patients. To do this we are offering extra GP clinics between 6.30 and 8pm on weekdays and GP and Nurse clinics on Saturday mornings at a specified location. Patients registered with any of the South Cotswold Practices listed below may be offered one of these appointments. The clinics will be held at each practice different days of the week.

We are excited to be able to offer these extra appointments and to be working together to achieve this, to fulfil the current NHS vision of 8am -8pm access to primary care. We hope the Saturday morning clinics will help those who work or who depend on those to work to access our services more easily.

For more information please visit the South Cotswold GP Surgeries website: southcotsgpsurgeries.org.uk