This is a very busy surgery and the telephone can be constantly engaged between 8.00am and 10.30am. If you are not trying to book an appointment please try to avoid ringing between these times if you can. The current telephone system was installed in March 2019 in order to provide improved access to services at the surgery. We have an increased number of staff who answer your calls during the busiest times of the day.

Your comments/suggestions regarding the telephone system are welcomed. Please put these in the suggestion box in the reception/waiting room area.

To make the best of the telephone system please use the menu provided. If you cannot find an appropriate selection, just hold the line and a receptionist will deal with your call. There is a receptionist dedicated to answering calls at the switchboard, aided by others at busy periods. To ensure that you see an appropriate member of staff who can deal with your problem, reception staff will ask you questions regarding your enquiry.

There is not a menu selection for cancellations, please choose the option for appointments and the receptionist will cancel your appointment for you.  Cancelling an appointment that you are unable to attend is very important to avoid wasting the time of the GPs and nurses, as you will appreciate. If you cancel we may be able to offer your appointment to someone else who needs it. On our part we will try not to cancel your appointment unless there is an unforeseen emergency as we know your time is precious too. If you do not cancel an appointment and then do not attend it on a number of occasions we may view this as a break down in relations.  If we do then we may write to you and warn you that if you persist in not attending we may remove you from the practice.

Please note that telephone calls are recorded for training purposes.

We have recently streamlined our telephone menu. Other than appointments and emergencies we ask patients not to call before 10am when we are at our busiest with patients requesting appointments.

You will will hear the following prompts:

• Press 1 for appointments/cancelling appointments or for all other enquiries please call back after 10am.
• Press 2 for home visits, please try and have your home visit requests in before 10am.
• Press 3 for Prescription queries, available between 10am and 3pm. Note: We CANNOT take repeat prescription requests over the phone.
• Press 4 for Secretaries, available between 10am and 4pm.
• Press 5 for Test Results, available between 11.30am and 1.30pm.