How do I update my personal information?
If you have a new address or phone number then please contact our reception team who will be able to update your details on our system.
Category: FAQs
Are you open on Bank Holidays?
No, we are closed on Bank Holidays. However, if you need medical advice or attention during this time you can:
Visit your pharmacy – Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaint. Visit NHS Choices to find a pharmacy open near you.
Call NHS 111 – If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening. NHS 111 Is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
A&E or 999 – for a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and/or severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped.
Do you close at lunchtimes?
No our reception is open over lunchtime.
What is CQC?
The CQC (Care Quality Commission) is the organisation making sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve.
Before a care provider can carry out any of the activities that regulated by the CQC, they must register and satisfy them that they will be able to meet a number of legal requirements. Activities regulated includes the treatment, care and support provided by hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, ambulance services, care homes and home-care agencies.
For more information about the CQC, you can visit their website.
How do I register with the practice?
If you live within the practice boundaries (if you are unsure our team will be happy to help) you can register at the practice.
You can either register by visiting our practice and speaking to one of our reception team who will help you complete a form or by downloading the form beforehand and taking it to our reception team.
More information can be found on our ‘New Patient Registration’ page.
Why does the receptionist need to ask what’s wrong with me?
The reception staff are members of the practice team and it has been agreed they should ask patients ‘why they need to be seen’. Reception staff are trained to ask certain questions in order to ensure that you receive the most appropriate medical care from the most appropriate health professional at the most appropriate time.
The receptionists are asked to collect brief information from patients to help:
– doctors prioritise house visits and phone calls
– ensure patients receive the appropriate level of care
– direct patients to see the nurse or other health professionals rather than a doctor where appropriate.
Reception staff, like all members of the team, are bound by confidentiality rules:
– Any information given by you is treated strictly confidentially.
– The practice would take any breach of confidentiality very seriously and deal with it accordingly.
– You can ask to speak to the receptionist in private, away from the reception desk.
– However, if you feel your issue is very private and do not wish to say what this is, then this will be respected.
What are the NHS Prescription Charges?
Most adults in England have to pay prescription charges.
Some items are always free, including contraceptives and medicines prescribed for hospital inpatients.
The current prescription charge is £9.35 per item.
A prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) could save you money on NHS prescription costs:
- a 3-month PPC costs £30.25
- a 12-month PPC is £108.10
How do I get my test results?
Please ring after 14:00pm for test results.
Your results cannot be given to another person due to confidentiality reasons, unless you have already requested this and it is recorded in your notes – 01270 275050.
Please allow 4 working days for the results to return, with specialised tests taking longer. X-ray and scan results are usually received by the practice 10 days after the test was performed. It is your responsibility to telephone for results, as we process large numbers of tests each day and are unable to telephone individual results. However if we receive an urgent abnormal result we will try to contact you so make sure we have a up to date contact number. We offer SMS messaging of results – speak to your doctor/nurse about this. We can also turn on result viewing on the online records system on a person by person basis – this is particularly helpful for patients who are under different hospitals or who have chronic diseases. Speak to reception about this.
What do I do if I am pregnant?
If you find out you are pregnant, you will need to register with the midwife. You can do this by telephoning 01270 273127.
You will not need to physically see a midwife until you are approximately 16 weeks pregnant, but the midwife will keep in touch with you in the interim.
What do I do if I think I have an STD?
If you suspect you have an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) or if you have had it confirmed by your GP, you can call 0300 323 1300 to make an appointment at a local clinic.
The clinics and their opening times can be found here.