APPOINTMENTS

If you need to speak to a clinician about a medical matter, routine or urgent, you will need to go online or call that day to make an appointment. You will be able to choose a telephone or a face to face appointment. If you think you may need to be examined please select a face to face appointment.

Once the appointments have all been booked for that day our reception team will either direct you to call the next day or ask you for more information to help them signpost you either within the practice or to an external service. For example, you may be referred to a practice based pharmacist, a physio, a social prescribing link worker or a community pharmacy. This is something the doctors have asked them to do as GPs are not always the right people for you to speak to for your particular condition and we also hope it will mean your matter can be dealt with more quickly. Please co-operate with our reception team in answering their questions to ensure you are signposted correctly.

How are practices working now?

When people need seeing face to face this should happen as quickly and safely as possible and it is important that people are assessed first to decide who needs:

• to be seen in person by one of the team

• a phone consultation

• a video consultation

• help from a community pharmacy or another health service

We also want to avoid asking people to travel to practices, where they may come into contact with unwell or infectious people, when this is not essential.

How can I contact my GP?

You can still telephone your GP Practice but, if your Practice offers it and you are able to, the best thing to do is to use an online service on the practice website. You will then be contacted with the best appointment for you.

If you need help with minor injuries at any time or urgent care when your GP Practice or pharmacy is closed visit 111.nhs.uk or dial 111. 111 can also book out of hours appointments.

You can access NHS 111, contact your practice and get your Covid Pass using the NHS App. Search NHS App in your app store.

Why do receptionists ask personal questions?

GP Reception staff are skilled professionals and ask questions to make sure you see the right person at the right time and treat all information confidentially. If you don’t want to speak on the phone, you can use the online service on the practice website, if your Practice offers this.

I wanted to see my GP, so why am I seeing someone else?

Many GP practices now include a range of professionals like physician’s associates, nurses, practice pharmacists and paramedics who can help you. This means you can often be seen more quickly and if you then need to be seen by your GP they will organise this for you.

Where else can I get help?

Always dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency. Visit www.nhs.uk for advice on common symptoms and a list of local services or speak to your community pharmacist first for advice on minor illnesses nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-pharmacy.

Appointments

The surgery building is open from 8.00am – 6.30pm weekdays. The healthcare professionals are available for consultation during their surgery/clinic hours and these vary from time to time. You may see any healthcare professional you choose, subject to availability. We offer pre-bookable appointments early mornings between 7.30-8am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 

We operate same-day appointments for the doctors, with a limited number of pre-bookable appointments up to 2 weeks in advance. Patients can book on-line or telephone reception on 020 8669 3232 from 8.00am, and we will endeavour to give you an appointment for that day with the doctor of your choice. An SMS appointments reminder will be sent to you so it is important that we have your mobile number.

If you ask for a call-back telephone consultation with a specific doctor, we will make 2 attempts to contact you. Call-backs will usually take place at lunchtime. We have a limited number of early and Saturday morning appointments which are pre-booked only.

“Hub” Additional Routine Appointments (Extended Hours)

Additional routine GP and Nurse appointments at weekends and early evenings are available, accessed through our Reception, as a locally provided service at many Sutton sites (including ourselves). Although you will not necessarily be seen by one of our own practice members, your computer records will be available.

Local GP and nurse appointments also now also available 8am-8pm every weekend for your convenience at many sites (including ourselves) within Sutton. To make an appointment please call 0333 3326 570. This number is only operational Saturdays and Sundays between 8am-8pm. Further information is also available from our reception team during normal opening hours.

If you need to cancel an appointment with the Hub (Extended Hours) service, please call 0333 3326 570 if outside normal surgery hours (normal hours being Mon-Fri 8.00 am to 6.30 pm).

Nurses appointments include wound care & dressings, zoladex implants, contraception advice includng pill checks, B12 & DEPO injections, smears, ear washouts and health promotion. NHS healthchecks are also available with a Health Care Assistant.

Chaperones

You are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure e.g. a family member, friend or member of our staff. Similarly, your health professional may require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations.

Our  practice manager has a copy of the full chaperone policy if you wish to see it.

Telephone Advice

If you would like to discuss a problem or a test result with a doctor on the telephone please call 020 8669 3232.  A message will be passed to the doctor who will call you back.  For urgent advice please call between 3.30 -4pm.

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

We offer home visits for housebound patients. If a home visit is required, please call the Surgery before 10:30am. The GP will call the patient/carer first, and then will arrange for either a GP, or the Acute Home Visiting Service (paramedics) to visit.

We can only visit you at your registered address.

You can 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.

Sick Notes

• If employees are off work for 7 days or less, they do not need to give their employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a healthcare professional.

• When they return to work, their employer can ask them to confirm they’ve been off sick. This is called ‘self-certification’. The employer and employee will agree on how the employee should do this. They might need to fill in a form or send details of their sick leave by email.

• You do not require a fit to work certificate on return to work.
• You do not require a Sick Note from your doctor for your child if they have missed school or suffer illness during an exam – we have a standard letter if your school requests this as it is not part of NHS services.

Self Certification Form

Please see the GOV.UK website for more information: https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

IMMUNISING YOUR CHILD

It's important that your baby has their immunisations at the right age – the first ones are offered at 8 weeks old. They'll be offered further doses of these immunisations when they're 12 weeks and 16 weeks old.

WHY ARE BABIES VACCINATED SO EARLY?

IF SOME DISEASES HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM THIS COUNTRY, WHY DO WE NEED TO IMMUNISE AGAINST THEM?

In the UK, these diseases are kept at bay by high immunisation rates. Around the world, over 2 million deaths are avoided each year by immunisation.

As more people travel abroad and come to visit this country, there's a risk that they'll bring these diseases into the UK. The diseases may spread to people who haven’t been immunised, so your baby is at greater risk if they haven't been immunised.

Immunisation doesn’t just protect your child, it also helps to protect your family and the whole community, especially those children who, for medical reasons, can’t be immunised.

DOES MY BABY HAVE TO BE IMMUNISED?

In the UK, parents can decide whether or not to have their children immunised. Vaccination is recommended because it gives your baby protection against serious diseases, most of which can kill.

Around the world, many children are now routinely protected with vaccines. Because of this, some of the world’s most serious diseases may soon disappear.

ARE THERE ANY REASONS WHY MY BABY SHOULDN'T BE IMMUNISED?

There are very few reasons why babies can't be immunised. The vaccines shouldn't be given to babies who have had:

• a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
• a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to neomycin, streptomycin or polymyxin B (antibiotics that may be added to vaccines in very tiny amounts)

In general, children who are immunosuppressed shouldn't receive live vaccines such as MMR and BCG. Children who are immunosuppressed include those:

• whose immune system is suppressed because they're undergoing treatment for a serious condition - such as a transplant or cancer
• who have any condition which affects the immune system - such as severe primary immunodeficiency

If this applies to your child, you must tell your GP, practice nurse or health visitor before the immunisation. They'll need to get specialist advice on using live vaccines - such as MMR and BCG. There are no other reasons why vaccines should definitely not be given.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NHS INFORM

IF YOUR CHILD IS DUE THEIR IMMUNISATIONS, PLEASE CALL THE SURGERY TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT.

WHY IMMUNISE?

The development of effective vaccines has led to a huge decrease in childhood deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states: 'The 2 public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world's health are clean water and vaccines.'

SOURCE: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/

BENEFITS FOR YOU

As children develop they're exposed to many risks, one of these risks being infections. Most of these will cause mild illnesses. However, despite great medical advances, infection can still cause severe illness, disability and, at times, death.

Before vaccines were available, many children in the UK died from diseases such as whooping cough, measles and polio. Despite successful immunisation programmes, the diseases that vaccines protect against do still exist.

The benefit of immunisation is that your child has the best possible protection against dangerous diseases. This can give you peace of mind.

BENEFITS FOR ALL

When your child is immunised they're helping to protect the health of the whole community.

When enough people are immunised against an infection, it's more difficult for it to be spread to those who are not immunised. This is called 'herd immunity' or 'population protection'.

This is important because children with some severe medical conditions and allergies can't have certain vaccines.

Non-NHS Services

Some services are not covered by the NHS. The practice has a policy of charging for such services which include medical examinations, completion of forms for private insurance, PIP appeals, housing letters, proof of address and private certificates. Details of fees please ask reception. Completed documents will be left in reception for collection unless a stamped addressed envelope has been provided.

TAXI/HGV/Insurance Medicals etc.

These are not covered by the NHS and are therefore chargeable. Please make an appointment at reception.

Don’t forget to bring a recent Opticians report with you (including Visual Acuities) if required (e.g. HGV License medical).