How Do I...
Make An Appointment?

Patients are requested to ring the surgery on the day that they wish to see the doctor and an appointment will be made for you. Please ring 01707 871980 from 8.00am. Monday mornings can be particularly busy and you are asked to avoid ringing at this time for routine follow-up appointments.

Many of our doctors are part time and full details of their current availability are available from reception.

We will endeavour to provide an appointment for each patient with the doctor of their choice but where this is not possible we will offer you an appointment with an alternate doctor working that day. Early morning and late afternoon/early evening pre-bookable appointments are available for those patients who work full time and are unable to attend surgery during the day.

All appointments are 10 minutes for one patient. Please do not make the doctor run late by asking for another family member to be seen. It is not fair to the others who have booked appointments. If you think you will need a longer time with the doctor, please ask for a long appointment. These are for 20 minutes (subject to availability).

New Appointment Systems for Advance Bookings

Patients now have the ability to book GP appointments in advance via the internet, on the telephone using an automated system or by speaking to a receptionist. We will continue to offer appointments on the day for urgent or new conditions as well as some routine appointments as at present.

To access our on line booking service, you should log on to:
www.highview-medical-centre.appointments-online.co.uk and request a user name and password. This will be sent to you by email. Alternatively you can ask at the surgery to sign up to the system, and a user name and password will be given to you. Once you have this information, you can log on to the system to make appointments, cancel or change an appointment, request repeat medication or send a message to the Practice. Please note that any messages sent to the practice will be dealt with during the next working day and a reply sent to your home page of the appointments on line system. If requesting repeat medication, this will be available for collection at the practice after 2 working days or alternatively you can request that a nominated pharmacy collects it on your behalf. Please let the pharmacy know that you have requested a repeat prescription and when you expect it to be ready to collect.

When you register for the on line system, the email address will be recorded and used to send you general, non confidential information about the practice. This will include dates of flu clinics, any changes to opening hours, a practice newsletter, information about alterations to your appointments, a request that you ring us etc. If you don’t wish to receive non confidential information in this way please let us know.

To use the automated telephone booking system
When you ring the surgery you will be offered a choice of options. By pressing 1 and using the automated booking system you will be able to book, cancel or amend an appointment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This system will operate even when the surgery is closed. Once you have been connected to the automated system there will be a few seconds delay before the system asks you to key in your phone number followed by the star key. You will be then asked to key in your date of birth as a 6 digit number eg. 01/11/65. If any of this information does not match our records you will be put back to the switchboard and will need to speak to a receptionist. It is therefore vital that we hold correct details of your telephone number. Once the system has identified you, you will be offered a choice of options allowing you to book, amend or cancel appointments. If you cannot find an appointment to suit you in this way you have the option of returning to the switchboard and speaking to a receptionist.

We are hoping that as many patients as possible use these new systems so that you have complete flexibility when booking or amending appointments and are not tied to specific surgery hours. Our receptionists are still here to answer the telephone if you want to continue to book appointments in the usual way.

I do hope that you find the new systems easy to use and that they help you access the services you need from us.

Andy Cole Practice Manager

New system for making appointments – some of your questions answered

Q. If I phone out of hours do I have to listen to the whole message before choosing to use the automated system?
A. No – you can press 1 at any time to book, cancel or amend a doctors appointment.

Q. Why do I have problems in getting through first thing in the morning?
A You do not have to wait until 8.00am to book an appointment. You can now book, amend or cancel appointments 24 hours a day by using the automated telephone system or on line at:
www.highview-medical-centre.appointments-online.co.uk

Q. My telephone number wasn’t recognised by the automated system
A. Make sure that you have given us the correct home and mobile phone numbers and that you press the *(star) key after entering the numbers.

Q. My date of birth wasn’t recognised
A. Enter your date of birth as a 6 figure number – ie 011052 (1 October 1952)

Q. I don’t want to use the automated system and I want to speak to a receptionist
A. Press 0 – you do not have to listen to all the options.

Q. I have been offered an appointment with the on call team – what does this mean?
A. The on call team consists of a duty doctor and our Nurse Practitioner. If you have a new condition or wish to see a doctor urgently on the day make an appointment with the on call team – these are the first available appointments and are reserved for patients needing to be seen the same day.

Q. I booked an appointment using the automated system and when I arrived at the surgery the receptionist said I didn’t have an appointment booked.
A. You must press 0 if you want to book the appointment offered.

Q. I want to book appointments for my 3 children – can I use the automated system?
A. Yes but you will need to return to the log in stage after each appointment and enter the identifying details of each child separately. If you wish to book several appointments together and are phoning during opening hours, it may be easier to speak to a receptionist rather than using the automated system.

Q. Can I use the automated system to book a home visit?
A. No you must speak to a receptionist. If you need a home visit in an emergency when the surgery is closed, ring the out of hours number
03000 33 33 33

Q. Can I use the automated system to book a nurses appointments?
A. No – nurses appointments can be booked in advance via the receptionists. Only GP appointments can be booked using the automated systems.

Q. I want to book an urgent appointment for tomorrow, what time are these released?
A. Urgent morning appointments for the on call team are released from 9.00pm the previous evening.

Telephone Appointments

These can be booked with the doctor of choice, subject to availability. The doctor will ring you at a specified time. Telephone appointments are useful for medication queries, general advice and information and follow up. Sometimes a doctor will ask you to make a telephone appointment rather than a face-to-face consultation. Please be aware that whilst the doctor will endeavour to ring you at the time specified, it is not always possible and we ask for your forbearance.

• WHICH DOCTOR? - Patients are able to consult with the doctor they prefer, subject to availability. We do like to get to know our patients, so we encourage you to see the same doctor for the same problem, if possible.

• DELAYS - Sometimes problems take longer to sort out than expected or a doctor may be called out to an emergency. We will try to keep you informed if delays to your appointment time occur. We appreciate your patience and understanding at these times, which are stressful for all concerned.

  
  

• How Do I...
  Obtain Results And Queries?

  01707 871982

  
  

  • Phone between 2.00 and 4.00pm Monday to Friday. (2.30-4.00pm on Wednesdays)
    

How Do I...
Obtain A Home Visit?

01707 871982

Home visits are for the bedridden or housebound. These should be requested BEFORE 10.30am. Please note that lack of transport is not sufficient reason for a doctor to be called out. Children should usually be brought to the surgery. This is in accordance with current national guidelines.

How Do I...
Obtain Certificates For Absence From Work?

You do not need an appointment with the doctor in the first two situations above, unless you require a private certificate, for which there will be a charge.