Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- phone us on 0118 988 3134 between 8:30am and 6pm
Please inform the receptionist if you feel you need to be seen today.
Receptionists will be able to help you better and direct you to the most appropriate healthcare professional if you can tell them in general terms the nature of your problem.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- use the GP online system: Patient Access
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Patient Access to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
- phone us on 0118 988 3134 between 8:30am and 6pm
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
Receptionists will be able to help you better and direct you to the most appropriate healthcare professional if you can tell them in general terms the nature of your problem.
A full appointments system is used for all our surgeries including our branch surgeries and evening surgeries. Once you have registered you may see any of the doctors, but we encourage you to see the same doctor concerning a particular problem whenever possible. Urgent cases will always be seen on the same day by a member of our acute illness team. See our surgery schedules page.
We can offer doctor and nurse appointments at least four weeks in advance.
Get medical advice from a nurse
To ask a non-urgent medical question:
- fill out an ask a nurse a question form
We will respond within 2 working days during opening times.
Medication reviews
Patients on repeat medication will be asked to either see a doctor or our pharmacist at least once a year to review these regular medications and you will be notified when this is necessary.
Appointment reminders
If we have your mobile phone number, you will get a text reminding you of the date, time and location of your appointment the day before your appointment. If you do not want to receive these texts, please let us know.
Please note: you must remember to let us know if you change your contact details, phone numbers, home or mobile. Please also remember if your appointment is at a branch surgery.
Enhanced access
We offer some early morning/evening appointments and are also open on alternate Saturdays from 8am to midday for pre-booked appointments only.
Your appointment
We provide a choice of different ways of consulting with a clinician. However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Please note: your appointment may be videoed for training purposes. Consent will always be sought prior to this.
Please ensure you arrive in plenty of time for your appointment, if you are late you may be asked to rebook your appointment.
We prefer it if you can book yourself in using the touch screen in the waiting room (at the Swallowfield Surgery only) as this frees up receptionists to answer the phone more quickly.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you need to cancel your appointment please do so as soon as possible to enable the time to be given to somebody else.
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Patient Access
- phone us on 0118 988 3134 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
If you require a chaperone or interpreter for your appointment please inform reception when you book.
For those with impaired hearing, we have hearing loops available at all three surgeries. There is also an email address which is available for those with speech or hearing difficulties. Please ask reception for more details of both these services.
Home visits
Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception 0118 988 3134 before 10:30am. If your usual doctor is not available, the acute illness doctor will visit.
Please only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to the receptionist to enable the doctor to schedule house calls. If you are ringing on behalf of someone else, please make sure that you have the relevant contact details (address, phone number, etc.) for the person who is ill. We will not normally visit patients outside of our boundary area. If you need a home visit and are temporarily away from your normal registered address, please contact a local GP practice who can see you as a temporary resident.
You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.