We are here to help you, but to do this we sometimes need your assistance. Here we explain the ways in which you can help the surgery provide a better service for all patients.
- Patient health: Patients should respect their health and therefore seek to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimise their health risks.
- Patient conduct: Patients should value the members of the practice team as professional advisers. This includes extending the same courtesy and politeness as they would expect to receive.
- No smoking: We are committed to a policy of promoting good health and preventing disease. There should be no smoking on the premises to ensure a smoke-free environment.
- Repeat prescriptions: Requests for repeat prescriptions take 2 working days and should be made in good time to avoid unnecessary delay in treatment. Requests should be made using the computer-generated right side of your prescription or alternatively a request may be made in writing to the surgery. For safety reasons, requests for repeat medication will not be taken over the telephone however they can be requested via our website.
- Help and advice: Requests for help or advice for non urgent conditions should be made within normal surgery opening hours. The out-of-hours service operated by NHS 111 should only be used in the case of urgent medical conditions and not for routine problems or enquiries.
- Appointment attendance: The patient should do everything possible to keep appointments. The surgery should be notified as soon as possible if you are unable to attend so that the appointment can be given to another patient. Failing to turn up for appointments without notifying the surgery in advance could stop possible urgent cases from receiving earlier medical attention.
- Patient privacy: Whilst privacy is respected by all staff, it would be helpful if patients would indicate the nature of the appointment ie blood tests, vaccinations, smears, etc so that we can advise on the best member of the team to consult.
- Home visits: Home visits should be regarded as a service for the genuinely housebound or seriously ill. They are time consuming and their misuse would disadvantage those in genuine need.
- New patients: If you are a new patient please be ready to tell us details of your past medical history, including illnesses, medication, hospital admissions and other relevant details. Make sure you have registered all members of your household.
- Moving house: If you move house or are planning to in the near future, you should notify the surgery of your new address as soon as possible. Remember that in case of emergency we may need to contact you urgently.
- Effective use of resources: We place importance on the effective use of resources, patients found repeatedly failing to attend appointments without prior notification, abusing the home visits or NHS 111 out-of-hours service, or repeatedly phoning in to request repeat prescriptions will have their registration status reviewed.