How To Consult A Doctor
Please note:
When booking your appointment you will be asked to disclose the nature of your problem. This is to ensure your safety, and for both patient and practice convenience.
Your GP is not always the most appropriate clinician to deal with your problem. We have a variety of services available to meet your needs, and where appropriate, reception may offer these to you.
We will try to give you the doctor of your choice but this may not always be possible. If your problem is URGENT the emergency doctor can discuss it with you on the day by telephone, and you may be asked to attend a face to face appointment for an examination.
Online:
E-consult: You can consult the GP using our E-consult service on the front page of our website. You do not need to have an account to use this service, you will answer some questions and the details will be submitted to us automatically, you will then receive a reply by 6 pm the next working day. This could include a phone call from the doctor to discuss your issue, or a response from reception with advice on what to do next.
Using NHS APP or Patient access: GP telephone consultations are now open to book online, (You will need an account for an app or website which works alongside our system, you can contact reception for further details). There are appointments released at 12 noon for the following morning, and released at 8am for the afternoon of the same day. We also release pre bookable appointments which can be booked one week ahead which open for booking at 9am exactly 1 week in advance.
Telephone:
The majority of our appointments are still book on the day. If you would like to book via telephone please call 0191 2741840 from 8 am to make an appointment for that day. You can also pre book up to one week ahead. We would discourage booking any further in advance as this has resulted in a higher number of wasted appointments in the past, however we are willing to make exceptions under certain circumstances.
In person:
You can also book appointments via the reception desk in the surgery, we operate the same appointment system as with bookings made by telephone, therefore is it best to attend at 8am if you would like a same day appointment.
Extended Hours
We are open one Saturday morning per month, and every Tuesday morning between 7-8AM. Our telephones are not switched on during these times, so if you do need to contact us during these periods you would need to do so via the reception desk.
GP Training
The practice is committed to the training of students of medicine and nursing. You may be asked if a student or trainee GP may sit in on your consultation. Gp registrars see patients routinely in our clinics.
Home Visits
If possible please try to telephone 0191 274 1840 before 10:00 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.
Home 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 surgery.
Booking Appointments with our Nursing Team
Please note:
Our nursing team members each have varying areas of specialty in their role. Please be prepared to disclose the reason for your appointment with the receptionist so that we can book your appointment with the most appropriate clinician. If you would like to discuss this in private please let one of our receptionists know.
Online:
Flu Vaccination: These are currently the only type of nursing appointment available to book online. You can do so via NHS App or Patient Access. Please choose the appointment type which correlates to your age (18 -64 years) or (65 years and over). Children's flu appointments cannot be booked online, please contact reception.
Bloods/Annual reviews/cervical screening: We do not offer online booking for these appointments, this is because of the variation between clinician specialty and appointment duration. We are looking to make nursing appointments accessible online in the future.
Telephone: Please call the surgery on 01912741840 after 11am to book any non urgent nursing appointments.
In Person: If you would like to book via our reception desk please also wait until after 11am for any non urgent bookings.
Hospital Referral Appointments
The following website can be used to view the average wait times for hospital treatments:
https://www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk/
Selecting 'North East and Yorkshire' > 'Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust' and then selecting the speciality you have been referred to.
If you are not sure which speciality you have been referred to, please check any letters that you have received from your hospital as this information should be included in these.
PLEASE NOTE- Waiting time information is not applicable for patients on a cancer pathway.