APPOINTMENTS

How to make an appointment

Please either call the Health Centre on 01458 834100.

Appointments are available from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday. 

Appointments for the nurses can be booked six weeks in advance. We offer a variety of nurse appointments that have differing durations. We ask that when contacting the receptionist you make it clear the appointment type you require and when.

Online Appointment Booking

Save time and avoid busy phone lines. To access online appointment booking, just bring along some photo & address ID and ask our receptionists on how to 'register for Patient Online Access'.

Once registered you can start to use the system, easy to follow screens and prompts ensure it is simple for you to view, book or cancel appointments on-line whatever time of the day or night.

Due to Coronavirus and the extra need to triage appointment requests, this service has been temporarily suspended (though you can still request prescriptions online).

Evening and weekend appointments at GP surgeries (Improved Access)

Local groups of practices in Somerset are working together to deliver improved access to routine appointments in the evenings and at weekends, bookable via our reception team.

Weekend appointments are available Saturday mornings and evening appointments are available until 19:30, but these may be held at a neighbouring GP surgery. You will be advised of this at the time of booking.

Health staff working evenings and weekends will have access to your medical records and will be able to provide the same high standard of care as patients would expect during normal opening hours.

Due to Coronavirus, evening and weekend appointments have been temporarily suspended.

How to obtain telephone advice

Many problems can be solved and advice given by speaking to the doctor or nurse on the telephone. You can book a telephone consultation with a doctor or nurse of your choice. The receptionist will gladly assist you.

We are not able to give you an exact time of when the doctor will return your call, so please give contact details and the nature of the advice you are seeking or nature of the enquiry; it might be appropriate to speak to a nurse or the duty doctor if urgent. The receptionists are governed by codes of confidentiality; they can assist with accessing professional help, if you help them, by giving as much information as you feel comfortable.

Remember local pharmacists are trained to give advice and treat many minor conditions such as coughs, colds and sore throats.

Home visits

Home visits are strictly for people too ill to get to the surgery or for housebound patients.

If you require a home visit please telephone reception before 10am if possible. To enable the doctor to assess the urgency of the visit, please give the receptionist as much information as possible. A doctor may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Surgery.

We ask that home visits are only requested for those who cannot get to the surgery because of illness.  If the problem is one of lack of transport please arrange for a friend, relative or taxi to bring you to the Health Centre. 

Failure to attend a booked appointment

Up to 15% of patients who book an appointment then fail to turn up. This wastes doctors' time and leads to longer waiting times for other patients. Please tell us if you cannot make an appointment so the time can be used for someone else.

If you persistently fail to turn up for appointments we may remove you from our practice list.

Video/recorded consultations

We are an approved training practice and we may occasionally request your consent to video the consultation to be used in general practice training. Please be assured you can decline to participate at any time with no prejudice to your care.

Visits after stay in hospital as an Inpatient

Please note that we do not routinely visit patients after discharge from hospital.  If you have a problem and need a GP, then please arrange to come to the Health Centre if you possibly can.  We will, of course, visit you upon request if you are truly housebound. Please can you ensure that you bring with you any hospital letters or correspondence given to you, as this will help the doctor.