Practice Charter

The members of the practice team are committed to giving you the best possible service. This will be achieved by working together. Please help us to help you

Accessibility

  • We will ensure that our surgery is clean, comfortable and readily accessible. This will include facilities for the disabled.
  • We will offer a range of appointment times to suit the needs of the local population.
  • On weekdays, patients with routine problems will be offered the opportunity to consult a doctor or a nurse in the surgery within 48 hours. Patients with non-urgent problems will be offered an appointment with their usual doctor as soon as possible. Patients with urgent problems will be advised by a doctor as soon as is practicable and seen, as necessary, in the surgery or at home.
  • On the majority of occasions, patients will be seen promptly. Please remember that there may be times when the doctor has to leave to attend an emergency or has to give additional time to a patient in surgery. If this happens, an explanation will be available from the receptionist.
  • Patients will have the facility to consult any other member of the practice team - for example, the practice nurse or health visitor – for advice about any health problems or for advice about health promotion.
  • If the doctor you wish to see is not available, you will have the chance to see another doctor, or you will be offered an alternative appointment with your chosen doctor.
  • You will be seen within 30 minutes of your booked appointment time, unless previous consultations overrun their allotted time of 10 minutes.
  • Waiting time at the reception desk will be kept to a minimum and you will be informed of any expected delays to your booked appointment time.
  • Referrals to other agencies, specialist medical or other services will be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Normally any routine written referral will be sent off within seven working days.
  • You can expect a full explanation of your condition and information and advice on the options available to you.
  • We will return reports for information for non-medical bodies (solicitors, insurance companies, etc.) within four working weeks of receipt, unless greater urgency is stressed. Our medical work takes priority.

When You Visit The Surgery

  • You will be treated as an individual, with dignity, courtesy and respect. Please treat receptionists and staff in a similar way. A patient’s need for privacy will be respected at all times.
  • Wherever possible, we will provide an area set aside for confidential conversations between patients and reception staff.
  • If the primary health care team member you consult would like a medical student to attend a consultation you have the chance to agree or refuse before the consultation begins.

Help Us To Help You

Please read our practice booklet, paying particular attention to the different times for telephoning for visits, repeat prescriptions and appointments. Along with this website it will help you to get the best out of the services we offer.

  • Please do everything you can to keep appointments. If you arrive later than your appointment time this will cause delays and inconvenience to following patients, who may then be seen before you. If the doctor is running late, please bear with us - on another occasion it may be you who needs the extra consultation time.
  • If you are unable to keep your appointment, please make a point of cancelling it.
  • Please understand that it is not the receptionist’s fault if the doctor is delayed.
  • Please remember to tell us if you change your name, address or telephone number.
  • Please do not call out of hours except in cases of real emergency.
  • Whenever possible, please wait for the next surgery.
  • You should ensure that, where you are given medical records such as the ‘Personal Child Health Record’ for children born since April 1992, you keep these safe and make them available to your practitioners whenever they are needed.
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