Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday):
- use our appointment request form, Monday to Friday, we aim to respond during opening times
- Important – please make sure you work through all steps in this process and that you have received a REQUEST SUBMITTED text with “Your Ref ID” at the bottom of the message, as this confirms your request has been sent to us
- phone us on 01228 529171, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in the next 7 days:
- use our appointment request form, Monday to Friday, we aim to respond during opening times
- Important – please make sure you work through all steps in this process and that you have received a REQUEST SUBMITTED text with “Your Ref ID” at the bottom of the message, as this confirms your request has been sent to us
- phone us on 01228 529171, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) to book a screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
Have you considered self care?
Many things get better by themselves, or with simple measures. If you need help with self-managing your problem, we recommend the following:
- Call 111, or visit 111 online – https://111.nhs.uk/ to use the symptom checker to receive advice and guidance on where to get help and support
- Visit the NHS Website
- Contact your local pharmacist – who can offer services to help you to manage minor illness
- Common colds can last 7-10 days, but often longer for smokers.
- Flu symptoms usually go away in 5 days but you still may feel weak for days after
- Ear infections typically last 4 days
- Sore throats typically last 7 days
- Sinusitis typically lasts 18 days
- Cough/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days
Most minor illnesses get better without antibiotics because your body can usually fight these infections on its own. Antibiotics only work for infections which are caused by a bacteria.
If you are troubled with your symptoms with any of the above, please contact your pharmacy first.
Long term condition appointments
If you have a long term or ongoing health condition you will be invited to attend the Practice periodically for review. If you think you are due a review and have not yet been contacted, please contact us via the Online Consultation service. If you have several long term conditions we can synchronise your review appointments so that you make a minimum number of visits to the surgery.
We have a number of different clinical staff working together at the surgery including doctors, nurses, specialist nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and health care assistants. Your care will be overseen by your named accountable GP.
There are a number of self-help options available (including self referral for a range of common conditions e.g physiotherapy, counselling). These are described in more detail in the self help section of this website. If in doubt, visit the Online Consultation service for further information or speak to a member of our Care Navigation Team.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- phone us on 01228 529171, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm
- reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message
Non-urgent advice: Running late for your appointment?
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Interpreter
Chaperones
Home visits
If you are housebound, or are too unwell to come to the surgery, please telephone 01228 529171, where possible before 10.30am to request a home visit. Emergency calls only can be dealt with after this time.
The Care Navigator may ask the reason for the visit to allow the Doctor to judge the urgency of calls, and the Doctor may call you before they visit to discuss the reason for your home visit request.
FAQs
Help us to get you the right care at the right time
GP practices are extremely busy places and are under immense strain.
Patients can contact us 8.00am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday. You will no longer be asked to call back if we are busy, we will respond to your request for support the same day (unless it is after 5.30pm when only urgent requests may be responded to). There is now no need to contact us at 8.00am to ensure you are seen – we will respond to your requests whatever time of day they come in. Mondays are still incredibly busy but remember you can contact us any working day, for a same day response from the clinical triage team.
We want our patients to be seen by the right person at the right time. That is why our GP’s ask our care navigators to get as much information as possible to help them to prioritise their workload. The clinical triage team will decide the right support for the patient, based on the information given to our care navigators over the phone, in person or via the online forms.
Do you have disabled access at your Spencer Street Surgery site?
We have disabled access at the rear of the building.
Unfortunately we cannot fit a ramp to the front steps because the gradient of the ramp required would be such that it would contravene law regarding building regulations and DDA.
We have examined the possibility of fitting a lift to the front of the building, however this would be very difficult due to the steps up into the building and due to the fact that our premises are of listed building status, as well as the cost involved, when we already have access to the rear of the building. Internally again a lift is impossible due to the fact it would require the removal of two consulting rooms to allow a lift to be fitted, meaning we would have to reduce our clinical offering. The rooms are on a split level so again this makes lift access even more difficult. We keep a room available always for patients to be seen downstairs if they so need.
The reception area is very ‘open’ – is there anywhere private conversations can take place?
We have a private room available for discussion should the patient wish to use this. Receptionists are trained in dealing with patients in a confidential manner at the front desk.