You and Your General Practice

We are open:

Monday 08:00-18:30

Tuesday 08:00-18:30

Wednesday 08:00-18:30

Thursday 08:00-20:30

Friday 08:00-18:30

Saturday 09:00-12:00

Throughout these hours you, or your carer on your behalf can:

• visit the practice
• call us (01772 970150)
• Contact us online, via https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/P81664 (non-urgent requests only) or the NHS App

If you use our online form to contact us, do not submit the same request more than once and don’t call or visit the practice about the same issue unless your condition gets worse.

This helps us respond more quickly.

You can use the online form for both non-urgent clinical and non-clinical requests.

Use it for requests that need a response from us not for general NHS inquiries. For example, if you are waiting for a hospital appointment, you may need to contact the hospital directly, rather than us.

Give enough information for the practice team to understand your request and get it to the right person.

We accept non-urgent online requests. Check our appointments page to see how we handle urgent requests.

If you need urgent help for your physical or mental health when we are closed, and you cannot wait until we open, go online to https://111.nhs.uk/ or call 111. They will tell you what to do next.

If it’s a serious or life-threatening emergnecy, go straight to A&E (Accident and Emergency) or call 999

Whether you make your request by phone, on-line or by visiting us, you may be asked to give us some details so that we can assess what is best for you based on clinical need. Our Care Coordinators will consider your request for an appointment or medical advice and tell you within one working day what happens next.

This could be:

• An appointment that day or a subsequent day
• A phone call that day or subsequent day
• A text message responding to your query
• Advice to go to a pharmacy or another NHS service

We will decide what is best for you based on your clinical need.

We cannot tell you to call back the next day.

You might be offered a face-to-face appointment or a phone call with a GP or other member of staff, like a nurse or pharmacist.

If you have a carer, they can speak for you with your consent.

You can ask to see a preferred healthcare professional, and we will try to meet your request, although you might have to wait longer for that person to be available.

It can be helpful to see the same healthcare professional, particularly if you have a long-term health condition.

If you are under 16, you can ask to see a GP without your parent or guardian. You should be seen and supported by a GP or other clinical staff at the practice.

You can ask for your information to be kept confidential. There are some circumstances where they may need to involve other people to help you. But, in most situations, they should discuss this with you first.

It’s usually best to keep the adults you trust involved in your health and care, so the doctor may encourage you to share information. However, unless they think you or others may be at serious risk of harm, they will  respect your decisions about privacy.

If you do not speak English, you can ask for interpretation services in your preferred language when you make an appointment.

If you need extra help like longer appointments, a quiet space, wheelchair access, or information in a different format, tell us and we will try to help.

You can:

• Call or visit a local practice (you can register with us online via: https://gp-registration.nhs.uk/P81664/gpregistration/landing)
• Use https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp/

If you want to change to a new general practice you can do so at any point. Most people have a few choices nearby.

You can register with us online via: https://gp-registration.nhs.uk/P81664/gpregistration/landing)

The form usually takes about 15 minutes to fill in. If you prefer, you can still register using a paper form.

If you have the NHS App, you can use it to change general practice. You must already be registered with a practice to use the NHS App.

No, you do not need ID, an NHS number or proof of address. It can help us if you do, but it is not needed to register or see a GP.  You can also register with us if you are homeless.

We must write to you within 14 days if we say no and explain why. We can only say no for a good reason, like if you live too far away or our patient list is closed. For example, we cannot say no for reasons such as immigration status, not having a permanent address, or for reasons connected with other characteristics protected under equalities legislation.

If we need to refer you for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases you have the right to choose the hospital or service you’d like to go to. You can get further information on your right to choose https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

You can still register with us. It’s free to use and your immigration status does not affect your right to register with us.

If you are away from home for more than 24 hours (but less than 3 months), you can register as a temporary patient near where you’re staying.

You can also change your nominated pharmacy so you can get your medicine nearby. You can do this by contacting us or or via the NHS App.

NHS GP services are free. Sometimes, if you ask one of our GPs to do private work (like writing a letter for insurance), we will charge a fee.

The Park Medical Practice treats everyone fairly, kindly and respectfully. Likewise, you should also treat our staff with respect. The practice can remove patients from our list if they are violent or abusive to staff.

To learn more about your rights, you can read https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

In most cases, yes.

If we refer you for a physical or mental health treatment or care, you have the right to choose which hospital or service you are referred to. This is explained in section 3 of the NHS Choice Framework.

Sometimes your GP may ask a hospital specialist for advice before deciding whether you need a referral. This is called ‘advice and guidance’ and helps make sure you get the right care. In some cases, it may mean your condition can be managed without needing a hospital appointment.

If specialist care is needed, we can still refer you. If a referral is then made, your right to choose applies as usual.

You can find out more about your right to choose on the NHS website. Contact england.choice@nhs.net if you have questions about your right to choose.

1. Be prepared: Before an appointment, think about writing down your symptoms, what you are worried about and what you want to talk about.
2. Be on time: Being late for an appointment or being unavailable for a timed call-back can affect other patients.
3. Cancel if needed: If you can’t go to your appointment, tell the practice as soon as you can, so that they can offer it to someone else.
4. Use the The NHS App  or website: If you’re confident using smart phones or computers, you can book or cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and see your test results online.
5. Turn on notifications: If you use the NHS App, turn on notifications so the practice can contact you more easily.  Please keep an eye out for messages.
6. Order repeat medicines on time: Make sure you ask for repeat prescriptions on time, so you don’t run out, and only order what you need.
7. Join the Patient Participation Group: You practice will have a group of patients who can offer feedback on the services it delivers. Your practice website should explain how you can join.

You can view your GP health record using the NHS App.

You should be able to see information that was recently added to your GP health record, including:

• details of medications
• test results
• records of appointments
• correspondence, such as outpatient clinic letters or discharge summaries

If you cannot see this information or need to access older information in your record, ask us to make it available online.

There are several ways to share feedback with your practice:

Friends and Family Test

(View online at the NHS England website.)

This allows you to share your experience of the care you received.

Speak to the practice manager

If you have feedback or concerns, you can ask to speak to the practice manager.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, contact your integrated care board (ICB) – the local NHS body that oversees GP practices. You can find your local integrated care board on the NHS England website.

Talk to or join your patient participation group

You can share your feedback with, or join, your practice’s patient participation group.

Make a formal complaint

If your concern is more serious, you can make a formal complaint. Find out more about giving  feedback and making complaints about NHS services on NHS England’s website.

Contact Healthwatch

You can also share your experience with your local Healthwatch. Their job is to make sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care.

Healthwatch is independent and impartial, and any information you share with them is confidential. Find your local Healthwatch on the Healthwatch website.