Appointments
Routine appointments
Our Care Navigators are trained to help direct you to an appropriate service without you having to see the GP. For example we can now refer you to the pharmacy first scheme. All patient calls are assessed according to clinical need. You will then be offered a telephone or face to face review. To book a routine appointment please complete a request on PATCHS.
Urgent Appointments
When the surgery is open please call us if you need medical advice on the day, there is always a doctor on call. If your problem requires same day appointment please call at 8am.
We are open Monday to Friday 8.00am till 6.00pm.
The doctor will assess the urgency of the call and whether telephone advice, an appointment or a home visit is required.
Cancelling your appointment
It is important that you inform our Care Navigators if you are unable to attend your appointment, this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to attend, you will be sent a letter informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment. Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.
Consult with a Doctor online
Have you used the symptom checker to see what kind of help you need? Please have a read of the following page before requesting an appointment:
Do You Really Need to See a GP?
If you need a routine appointment please continue to PATCHS below.
GP Enhanced Access
The Enhanced Access Service provides evening and weekend appointments.
They provide a range of services:
- GP appointments
- Blood tests
- Blood pressure
- Cervical screening
- Mental health support
- Physiotherapy
Appointments are available:
Monday – Friday: 6.30pm till 9.30pm
At The Ridge Medical Centre, Cousen Road BD7 3JX
Saturday: 9am – 5pm
Sunday: 10am – 1pm
Picton Medical Centre, Westbourne Green, BD8 8RA
TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT PLEASE CONTACT THE SURGERY
Home Visits
If possible please try to call the surgery before 10:30 if you require a home visit.
GP visit recommended
Home visits are for:
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The terminally ill.
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The truly housebound patient for whom travel to premises by car would cause deterioration in their medical condition.
GP visit is not usual
In most of these cases a visit would not be an appropriate use of your GP’s time or best for you:
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Heart Attack – severe crushing chest pain. The best approach is to call an emergency paramedic ambulance. (999)
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Common symptoms of childhood: fevers, cold, cough, earache, headache, diarrhoea/vomiting and most cases of abdominal pain. These patients are usually well enough to travel to the surgery. It is not harmful to take a child with fever outside.
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Adults with common problems, such as cough, sore throat, influenza, general malaise, back pain and abdominal pain are also readily transportable to the doctor’s surgery. Transport arrangements are the responsibility of the patients or their carers.
You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.
You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby.
Chaperones
We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable – these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.
You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the Care Navigator know) or at any time during the consultation.
