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Our Appointment System
Booking Appointments
For access to GPs we operate a system known as Doctor First.
Call the practice to book a GP contact 024 7541 0100
- GP will call you back
- Discuss your problem with your GP - If a Doctor needs to see you they will arrange this
- The phone system has the facility for your call to be put into a queue. This means you will be able to put the phone down and you will be called back as soon as your place in the queue has been reached.
- We now offer Face to Face appointments
Patient Callback Option
When calling the surgery number patients have the option to use the callback facility. This enables our Care Navigators to call you back when they reach your original queue position.
- If you phone back when you have selected the callback option, you will hear this message when you join the queue “thank you, you have a callback booked, if you would like to join the queue in the position you have retained please press 1, if you would like to cancel the callback please press 2”.
- By pressing number 2, it will cancel the callback and hang up the call.
If you want to keep the booked callback, patients are required to just hang up the telephone.
Practice Nurses and a Midwife appointments are available to book by phoning 024 7541 0100
The Current Situation
Our current list size is over 11,000 and continues to grow. Patients seem to be happy with the quality of care they are receiving, but there have been issues being able to make an appointment. The increasing demand for appointments had resulted in some patients raising concerns that they are not able to consult a GP as quickly as we would like.
We have tried multiple different options over the past few months, but we feel that Doctor First offers scope to improve patient access to their GP.
What is Doctor First and what does it mean for me?
Doctor First is a GP Led telephone triage based appointment system. The aim is for patient’s to call that morning at 8.00am and be directed to the most appropriate clinician to meet their needs. You may not be able to speak to a Doctor of your choice, if they are not in the surgery on the day that you contact us. You will not have to queue outside the surgery to get an appointment. This system will be fairer for all.
New Phone Lines
We recognised that our old phone system needed upgrading. We upgraded our telephone system in December 2022 and have received positive feedback from our patients. The system enables our patients to join a queuing system, without any limit and also offers a call-back feature. Please note that our phone lines can be exceptionally busy on a Monday morning and we appreciate your patience
What will I have to do to see the doctor?
If you need to see or speak to a doctor then you simply ring the surgery on 024 7541 0100. You can request a telephone consultation or a Face to Face consultation for your problem whether it is urgent or routine.
Then What?
You will be asked for brief details about why you are seeking an appointment with the GP. If you prefer not to give any details then the GP will still either see you or call you back. Giving brief details to the receptionists enables them to route your call to the most appropriate staff member. For example, if you have foot pain, you could be seen quicker by one of our qualified First Contact Physiotherapists who can arrange scans and give you appropriate exercises if necessary. The surgery has a wide range of staff with various specialities. More information can be found in our Self-Help & Wellbeing pages
Will I then get to see the doctor?
After discussing your case, either over the telephone or Face to Face you and your GP will decide together if your problem needs a review. We have pre-bookable appointments for patients who need to see the GP again in the near future.
What advantages does a telephone consultation offer?
- Many patients with a health problem won’t need to visit the surgery as it can be dealt with on the phone.
- The system will give the GP more time to see those patients that do need a face-to-face appointment.
- Saving some patients the unnecessary inconvenience of attending the surgery.
- The GP will know why they are seeing you and can allow an appropriate time to deal with your problem. This means that appointments should run to time and you will not be kept waiting in the reception areas.
- It allows you to speak to your GP wherever you are as long as we have an up-to-date mobile number
Frequently asked Questions
Can I choose which doctor calls me?
Yes. Just let reception know if you want to speak to a particular doctor and you will be added to their call back list. If that doctor is unavailable then you can call back on a day they are on duty or, if you prefer another doctor will contact you on the day of your call.
What if I can’t attend for a face-to-face appointment during surgery hours?
Extended hours are on offer across the city every week day evening and at the weekends. The doctor you speak to will be able to offer an appointment during these hours.
If I visit the surgery will I get a quick appointment?
No. The receptionist will take your details and add you to the doctor’s call back list. You will then be contacted by the doctor later that day. Patients who attend the surgery to book an appointment will not be given priority to those telephoning the surgery. We encourage patients where possible to book a GP appointment in advance using our online system. If you have requested a Face to Face appointment you will be given a time to attend the surgery.
Can I book a doctor’s telephone call for a week or a month ahead?
You can book a GP or Nurse telephone appointment two weeks in advance
What if I need to see a nurse?
Nurse appointments are not affected by the new changes so you can book these in the usual way.
What is a Care Navigator?
Our Care Navigators are specially trained to know about the care and services available to our patients, both at the surgery and in the local area. They will ask a series of questions to ensure that you are booked in with the most appropriate clinician or service.
Learn more about the role of our care navigator team
Helpful Tips
- Monday is our busiest day so if you can ring later in the week it will help us manage the workload
- If you require a home visit please contact us before 10.30am. Home visits are carried out between 12pm and 2pm. You will be called by the visiting doctor prior to the visit to ensure it is the most appropriate way of dealing with your problem.
- Make sure you give reception your most convenient telephone number. If the doctor is unable to get hold of you after telephoning you twice, then you will be asked to ring the surgery again.
- Please note that when you call in you may be directed to a non GP member of the team such as our ACP (Advanced Clinical Practitioner)
- If you are calling about your investigation results please choose Option 2 on our telephone system after 10.00am
- For travel or immunisation queries please book a Face to Face appointment with one of the practice nurses not a doctor.
- One clinical problem will require one GP contact