Woodlands Surgery

HOW DO I...
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

Routine Appointments

The surgery does not offer a walk-in service. All consultations are by appointment only, which can be made at the reception desk, by telephone, or online via emis access.

Although you are officially registered with the practice you may request to see the doctor of your choice. However, we would ask you to try and see your “usual” doctor whenever possible, and follow through an illness with the same doctor.

If you arrive late for your appointment it causes consultations to run late for other patients, therefore late attendees may be asked to re-book.

It is your responsibility to cancel unwanted appointments to enable them to be re-used for people who need them.

Click here to book appointments with your GP & order your repeat prescriptions online

Urgent Appointments

If you have a problem which you feel is medically urgent needing attention on the same day, and cannot await a routine consultation, please explain this to the receptionist. Please try to telephone as soon as possible after 8.30am if you need an urgent appointment. We must emphasise that these arrangements are for acute illnesses and must not be used as a convenience. For immediate medical emergencies such as chest pains, please call 999, or for fractures, sprains etc please attend your local A & E Department.

Automated Patient Check-In System

The surgery has a touch-screen check-in system for patients to use. This will help to free up the reception staff time for answering the telephone and dealing with queries, etc so it would be very helpful if you could use this system, if at all possible. One of the reception staff would be very happy to assist you with this the first time you use the system, though it is very quick and easy to use, and is available in a number of different languages.

Cancelling Appointments

If you cannot attend any booked appointments please let us know as soon as possible as they can then be reallocated to another patient. This can be done via EMIS access.

Our practice has a strict policy regarding non-attendance of surgery appointments. The doctors and nurses are very busy. If you fail to attend an appointment this is a waste of valuable time as this appointment could have been used for a patient who was in genuine need. Late arrival for an appointment may mean not being seen and being asked to book another appointment.

Click here to book appointments with your GP & order your repeat prescriptions online

Temporary Patients

If you have a friend staying, or a child at home from boarding school or university for less than three months, you will be given a temporary resident form to complete. Please remember to tell the receptionist when making the appointment that they are not permanent residents.

Overseas Visitors

Patients visiting from countries with which the UK has a reciprocal medical health agreement will only be entitled to receive free treatment that is deemed by the GP to be immediate and necessary. If the patient requires treatment that is not immediate and necessary they will be offered treatment on a private and paying basis.

Free NHS treatment is normally only available to UK residents - anyone living in the country for less than six months is unlikely to be eligible. Any person claiming to be resident in the country for six months or more will be asked to provide some form of proof e.g. passport, wage slip, work permit or housing contract.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT?

We do ask that whenever possible you come to the surgery to be seen by the doctor. The doctors will visit patients at home if they are too ill to attend. Please telephone the surgery before 10.30am with requests for a home visit, if at all possible. Only ask for visits if absolutely necessary, as the doctor can see four patients in the surgery in the same time taken to visit one at home. The doctor also has better conditions and facilities for sorting out your problems at the surgery. Lack of transport alone is not a valid reason for requesting a visit.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TEST RESULTS?

You may ring the surgery for the results of tests but please remember the following points:-

1 Results will only be given to the specific patient to whom they apply. In the interest of confidentiality please be prepared to identify yourself.

2 Please telephone after 10.30am when the receptionist will have more time to deal with your enquiry.

3 Please do not expect the reception staff to have any medical knowledge. They are instructed only to tell you if your test is normal. If any test is abnormal or you require further discussion or interpretation then please refer to your doctor.

Alternatively, you could email us on woodlands.info@nhs.net

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TELEPHONE ADVICE?

If you need advice or feel that you need to discuss your symptoms with a doctor or practice nurse please ask the receptionist. The doctor or nurse will call you back if they are not available.