MAKING A ROUTINE APPOINTMENT

Routine appointments are booked in advance by either: Telephoning the practice, calling into the practice or on-line booking using our website.  The receptionist will endeavour to give you a convenient appointment with the doctor, but if this is not possible she will suggest an alternative time or another doctor who is available.

At Broomfield Park there is a receptionist on duty to take your call from 8.00am until the practice closes at 6.00pm. Please try to book routine appointments a few days in advance.

We occasionally send out text reminders to patients relating to pre-booked appointments.  There is no facility to reply to these reminders.

For routine appointments we allow 10 minutes per patient.  If you feel that your problem is complex or you wish to discuss several problems please see 'Double Appointments' on the page opposite.

When a doctor is away, their duties will be covered by another partner or locum. (All the doctors and practice nurses have access to your medical records but maintain full confidentiality.)

Please ensure that you arrive on time for your appointment as the doctor may be unable to see you if you arrive late.  Do always report to reception on arrival or use our automated patient check-in service.

We have an electronic system for calling patients through for their appointments. Please therefore watch and listen to the monitors in the waiting area. If you have difficulty in hearing or seeing our 'call-in' monitors then please let reception know.

GP APPOINTMENT AVAILABILITY

Generally appointments are available with a GP between the following times:

• 8.00 and 11.20am each weekday morning
• 2.00 and 5.50pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
• 2.00 and 7.40pm* Monday (Tuesday where a Bank Holiday falls on a Monday)

A limited number of evening and Saturday morning appointments are also available. The Saturday morning appointments take place at the University of Warwick Health Centre.

*Late evening and Saturday appointments are available to those patients who have difficulty in getting to the practice during the normal working day.

DOUBLE APPOINTMENTS

If you feel that you need more time with the doctor/nurse to discuss several problems then please ask the receptionist to book you a double appointment.

Should more than one of your family need to see a doctor at the same time, please make this clear when booking your appointment.  This will ensure that you have a separate appointment for each member of the family thus allowing sufficient time for the doctor to assess each person's medical needs.

URGENT/EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS

For an EMERGENCY appointment on the same day, please try to contact the practice at 08.00 am when the surgery opens.

MISSED APPOINTMENTS

It is extremely important that patients attend booked appointments.  If you do need to cancel your appointment then please give as much notice as possible so that the appointment can be re-booked to another patient.

The computer holds a record of missed appointments where notification has not been received of non-attendance.  The doctors may remove patients from the list who continually miss booked appointments

WAITING TIMES

All our clinicians endeavour to run to appointment times.  However depending upon the complexity of the illness and any emergency that can arise they can run late.  If you have been waiting longer than 20 minutes beyond your appointment time please see reception.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit.

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.

TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS

The doctor/nurse is able to give you advice on the telephone to save you attending the practice. Telephone appointments have proved popular and time efficient for both parties.

When booking a telephone appointment please give details to the receptionist before 10.30am. The doctor/nurse will generally telephone you after morning surgery (this depends on whether they are doing a morning or afternoon surgery on that day).

WAITING AREA

The practice provides seating of various heights to accommodate the requirements of patients.  Should you find a seat to be too high then please find an alternative low seat within the waiting area. There are two toilets available for patient use. One of which is suitable for the disabled and also has baby changing facilities.

DISABLED ACCESS

Disabled access is via the main entrance.  All consulting rooms and treatment areas are on the ground floor. If you are hard of hearing, please tell us as we have the 'hearing loop' system.

INFECTION CONTROL

Books and magazines have been removed from the waiting area as they can present a risk of spreading infection. The check-in screen in the waiting area is cleaned several times each working day to reduce the risk of spreading infection. If you are concerned about infection please wash your hands after using the touch screen.

CAR PARKING

We have limted car parking at our premises.  Please DO NOT park in the residents car park beyond the main gates.  Your Doctor encourages you to walk to the practice.  Alternatively there is ample parking in the side roads near to the practice.  Please park safely and with courtesy to others.