| FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS |
How
will I know whether I need an urgent or routine appointment?
A
simple rule of thumb is that if the problem has been present for
several weeks or more, then it is appropriate to book a routine
appointment. If the problem is of only several days duration, is
painful or getting rapidly worse then you should ask for an urgent
appointment. If in doubt, ask to speak to the triage doctor.
Can
my problem be dealt with over the telephone?
Some
medical conditions can be triaged over the telephone. Examples would
include simple cystitis and conjunctivitis, backache of a couple
of days where stronger pain relief is needed, etc. Having discussed
your problem, if the triage doctor feels that you need to be seen,
s/he will arrange this for you.
Will
I be able to speak to the doctor of my choice?
The
triage doctor is one of the practice doctors on a rotational system.
If the triage doctor feels that they cannot resolve your problem
but one of the other partners can with a simple phone call, then
the triage doctor will book you a telephone consultation for later
that day. The triage doctor will make every effort to allocate the
doctor of your choice depending on appointment availability.
Will
you still do home visits?
Yes.
All home visit requests will be agreed through discussion with the
patient and triage doctor. Home visits are for housebound patients
whose lack of mobility or medical problem prevents them from leaving
the house. The triage doctor will try and allocate a doctor who
knows the patient to do the visit. This may not always be possible
due to the number of visit requests received.
How
long will it take for you to ring me back?
The
receptionist will be able to give you an approximate time that the
triage doctor will return your call. If you go to work or need to
go out to take children to school etc, please advise the reception
ist when you will be available for the doctor to telephone you and
on what number.
Will
you ring me on my mobile?
Yes.
The triage doctor will call you on whatever telephone number that
you give to the reception ist.
What
happens if I miss the call or the phone is engaged?
The
triage doctor will try the number given on 2-3 occasions. If you
are worried that you have missed the call, please telephone the
surgery and the reception ist will be able to give you an update.
If
appointments are released tomorrow, why can't I book it today?
If
we did not hold back a certain amount of appointments, they would
all be fully booked making it difficult for the doctors to see patients
in need of urgent or semi urgent medical attention.
I
want an appointment for a confidential matter and it is difficult
to talk because I am at work!
Please
inform the receptionist so that the triage doctor is aware of the
confidential sensitivity.
Could
I be seen by the nurse prescriber?
Our
very experienced nurse prescriber, Niki Field, can see some minor
injuries and minor illnesses. An example of the types of problems
she can deal with are:
Sore
throat |
Headache
|
Rashes
|
Earache
|
Neck
pain |
Wounds
|
Colds
and ‘flu |
Back
pain |
Head
lice |
Asthma
|
Conjunctivitis
|
Diarrhoea
and vomiting |
Nosebleeds
|
Styes
|
|
And
many more. If in any doubt, please ask the reception ist.
Do
I have to tell the reception ist the reason why I wish to make an
appointment?
Although
we respect patient confidentiality, it can be helpful if you are
able to give the reception ist an idea of what the problem is. This
ensures that you are booked in with the most appropriate person
to deal with your query and that you have an adequate amount of
time to discuss your problem. |
