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HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
TELEPHONE ADVICE?
It
is difficult for the doctor to speak to you during surgery times with other patients
present. If you wish to speak to your doctor please arrange this through the receptionist
who will advise you of the most appropriate time to ring. It may not always be
possible to speak to the doctor of your choice but a duty doctor is available
to give advice.
HOW
DO I...
MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT?
Routine Appointments
We operate a full appointment system and request patients to consult their usual doctor. All appointments are for at least 10 minutes. Some procedures and some special clinic appointments are allocated more time. Appointments may be made by telephoning 020 8468 7081 or calling at the surgery. Routine appointments may be made in advance (maximum one month), which will enable us to offer you a time more suitable to your requirements. Please telephone for routine appointments after 10.00am. It is also possible to book your appointment online. Please ask at reception for a registration form.
Cancellation
If you cannot keep an appointment please inform us as soon as possible so that this time can be given to another patient.
Health Checks
Any patient between 16 and 75 years of age who has not been seen for three years may request an appointment for a health check.
Urgent Appointments
We
operate a triage system by which we arrange appropriate advice, appointments or
emergency treatment for urgent problems. There is a duty doctor who is available
to take calls and see patients. Any patient who telephones requesting to be seen
the same day will have to speak to the duty doctor to discuss their request. You
may be put straight through to the duty doctor but if he/she is engaged, the receptionist
will take your name and number and the doctor will return your call. There may
be a restricted choice of doctor and time for urgent appointments.
To protect
patient confidentiality, we will not leave messages on answer phones. When you
speak to the duty doctor you will be offered advice or an appointment at an appropriate
time.
Patient Choice
Please tell the receptionist
if you wish to see a particular doctor. Otherwise you will be offered the first
available appointment with your usual doctor. We will try to accommodate you but
please understand that sometimes it will be necessary to wait longer for an appointment
with a particular doctor.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
A HOME VISIT?
Home visits are arranged only for patients who are too ill or infirm to attend
the surgery. Please note that home visits are at the doctor’s discretion.
The doctor is unlikely to visit simply for the patient’s convenience, lack
of transport or other social reasons. It is preferable for patients to attend
the surgery where there are the necessary facilities to fully assess an ill patient.
Patients should telephone 020 8468 7081 before 10.00am if a visit
is required that day. Emergency visits only will be arranged after that time for
the same day. Please give the receptionist as much information as possible to
enable the doctor to allocate priority to house calls.
Please do remember
that several patients can be seen at the surgery in the time it takes to do one
visit.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN
TEST RESULTS?
Results of any tests or investigations which your doctor has ordered can
be obtained by the patient by telephoning 020 8467 1211 after 2.00pm.
Please do not ask friends or relatives to ring for your results as we will not
know that you have given permission for confidential information to be given out.
We would stress that it is important for you to check the results of tests you
have had done after an appropriate waiting period as advised.
HOW
DO I...
OBTAIN SICKNESS
CERTIFICATES?
For absence from work lasting seven consecutive
days or less you do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate. Your employer
may ask for a self-certification form, available from your employer, DSS or the
surgery. If you require a doctor’s certificate for the period normally covered
by self-certification you will be charged a fee for a private certificate as recommended
by the British Medical Association.
For any illness lasting longer than
seven days you will probably need to see your doctor if you need a certificate.
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