Appointments

Consultations are by appointment only, and are routinely for 10 minutes. We also offer telephone consultations with the doctor and telephone nurse advice clinics.

If your problem is urgent and you need seen on the day, we offer a nurse triage service.

A small number of appointments are available for those patients who cannot routinely attend appointments between 08:30 & 18:00.

Chaperones 

Consultations with a doctor or nurse may involve intimate examination. We are happy to provide a chaperone to be present during the examination whether you are male or female and whether you are the same or opposite sex to the doctor or nurse. If you require a chaperone during the examination please advise the receptionist in advance if possible. 

Interpreters 

The practice will try to book interpreters as required but cannot guarantee availability. Please advise reception in advance if you need this service.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have access to the best equipment and facilities, we appreciate this is not always possible. If you  need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:00.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. A 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.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.  If you have recently had a baby or are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years, you should also be visited at home by a health visitor.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. If your employer asks you for a sick-line, you should complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer, the job centre or on the HMRC website. Please note, the surgery does not supply these forms.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay). If you expect you will be off work for more than a week, please make a routine appointment with the GP to receive your medical certificate.

If you need it extended thereafter, you don't need a routine appointment. Please book for a sick-line extension, which are usually done Monday to Friday from 11.30am. 

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Training Practice 

The practice is involved in training doctors for careers in General Practice.  Every year we will have a doctor attached to the practice who is experienced in hospital medicine but needs to train for a year with GPs to be a fully qualified GP.  Our current registrar’s are Kirsteen MacSween and Katie Cameron. We also have junior doctors in training at level of GPST1 and FY2. For training purposes from time to time appointments are recorded with patient permission. 

Medical Students 

Periodically medical students attend the practice for practical teaching and experience as part of their education and training programme. We hope that no patient will feel awkward or embarrassed by the presence of a medical student. However if you would prefer to see doctor without the student being present please inform the receptionist who will advise the doctor.