SystmOnline
We are providing face to face appointments at the practice.
When you ring the surgery to book an appointment, the receptionist will take your details and a doctor will call you back and discuss your concerns.
Where appropriate, the doctor will then book you a time to come into surgery. This is to keep everybody safe and reduce the transmission of Coronavirus.
Online Consultation
Our practice is now using a new online consultation tool called PATCHS.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic the practice has moved to a total daily triage system. To try to meet the needs of patients requiring both urgent and ongoing care we advise patients contact the surgery before 10 am. Patients will receive a response the same day and offered a telephone/video consultation, face to face appointment or text message depending on the problem.
If you are busy or want to save waiting in long queues on the telephone we have introduced a form you can submit electronically to the doctor/nurse or admin team at any time of the day.
Once received the form is passed to the most appropriate member of our team for review and we will then contact you.
Not everyone needs to see a doctor. Please speak with our reception team who will make sure you the get right care as quickly as possible. We off appointments with the following health professionals
Care Navigation
What is Care Navigation?
When you feel ill and you ring your GP practice, you want to see someone as soon as possible to help make you feel better.
Sometimes, the GP (doctor) might not be best person to see. It could be the GP practice pharmacist, the physiotherapist, a mental health worker or a practice nurse. In some cases, your GP practice might not be the best place at all and it could be a community pharmacy or optician that is more appropriate.
For this reason, our receptionists (also known as care navigators) have been trained to help make sure you see the right person depending on your medical problem. They may ask you some very brief questions about your symptoms but will not try to diagnose you or offer medical advice.
You can help by providing some information so they can offer you an appointment as quickly as possible with the right person in your GP practice. This may be with your GP or another member of the practice team.
Any information you share with a care navigator will remain confidential.
Physiotherapists
Diagnose, assess & treat problems with muscles, bones & joints through supported exercising & stretching.
GP practice pharmacists – Provide information & advice about the safe & effective use of medications as well as monitoring progress.
Social Prescribers
How they can help:
- Financial (debt, cost of living, benefits)
- Housing (private renting, council, antisocial behaviour, homeless)
- Work (finding work/issues with work)
- Mental health- anxiety, depression, low motivation, struggling day-to-day
- Isolation
- Carers strain
- Domestic Violence
- Adult Social Care/social services, pendant alarm
- Bereavement
- Lifestyle (exercise/physical health condition/adjusting to conditions)
- Immigration
- Form Filling
- Mental health workers – how they can help
- Low mood/depression
- Anxiety
Healthy Minds is a virtual service offering mental health and wellbeing consultations.
They contact patients who are struggling with low level mental health difficulties.
Healthy Minds practitioners have experience within the mental health sector.
Care Coordinators
Provide support for patients with complex needs & help you learn how to manage your own health.
Cancelling Appointments
Please note each missed appointment is a waste of the clinicians’ time. Always notify the practice if cannot attend your appointment so it can be given to someone else. Please call the surgery and listen for the option to cancel your appointment.
Hospital Appointments
If you have a query about a hospital appointment please contact the hospital department yourself as you are in a better position to resolve the issue immediately. As a practice we do not have a direct line to the hospital departments and if you are experiencing difficulties getting in touch then we would too.
Dental Problems
Unfortunately, we are unable to help if you have a dental problem and so we will ask you to see your dentist. If you are looking for dental care the NHS Choices website can help you find an NHS dentist. For urgent Dental Care please call 111 for the NHS 111 service.
Minor Injuries Unit
For some problems it may be more appropriate for you to be seen by another service. Minor injuries units can see patients with sprains, cuts, bites, stings, muscle or joint injuries, they also have facilities to x-ray. The nearest unit is St. George’s Centre, St. George’s Road, Middleton LS10 4UZ – click here for further information.