Appointments
At the Limes we reviewed our appointment system with a view to improving:
- Appropriate appointment booking
- Patient safety
- Access to the surgery on the telephones
- Advance bookings
We implemented our new appointment system on 30 April 2007. All our consultations are by appointment at the surgery. Appointments can be made by telephoning the surgery on 01992 573838 between the above opening hours.
In order to ensure that you are seen by the appropriate member of the team the receptionist will ask you for information that is essential for the booking system to work efficiently and successfully.
The receptionist will ask you:
- "How can I help!"
- "Can you give me a rough idea of the problem!
- They will then know whether this is a new or on-going problem.
- They may also ask "what's happened!"
The receptionist WILL NOT be making any clinical assessment - this information is to enable them to direct you to an appropriate appointment or call from our duty team.
It is essential that you co-operate with the receptionists and understand that it may be more appropriate for a nurse, a healthcare assistant or a nurse practitioner to see/speak with you. It is NOT always essential to be seen by a doctor.
GP and nursing appointments are bookable up to 6 weeks in advance for non-urgent routine appointments.
We understand that sometimes you may not be able to make an appointment that you have booked or you may need to re-schedule. If you cannot keep your appointment please try to inform us as soon as possible so it may be offered to another patient. The cancellation line is a voicemail box on 01992 566502.
Definition of Advanced Nurse Practitioner
An experienced qualifed nurse who has studied at a degree/masters level who can assess, diagnose and treat a wide variety of medical problems. She can also refer directly to secondary care as required. The Advanced Nurse Practitioners are also prescribers.