Appointments

We strive to meet your expectations by providing on-line, telephone, sameday, 48 hour and long range appointments up to 90 days ahead.

We also offer some early morning and late evening appointments.

Practice Nurses

In a number of cases it might be worth considering an appointment with a practice nurse rather than a doctor. Practice nurses are qualified to deal with many conditions and you may be seen more quickly. Our nurses are best placed to answer travel vaccine queries, most minor illness and minor injuries and will take phone call consultations.

Telephone Advice

We have telephone appointments with the doctors, (the receptionist will arrange a time for the doctor to phone you back), and it is usually possible to speak to a nurse for advice.

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 the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do 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. Your 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. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also 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.

There are also other services available to help ill people remain in their own home. Sometimes it is more appropriate to use one of these services rather than see a doctor although a doctor would arrange this for you. 

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

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).

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

Because we are a training practice, we sometimes have Cambridge University Medical Students sitting in with the doctors. The receptionist will let you know if this is so.

If you do not wish the students to attend your consultation, please say.

Opening Times

We also offer some early morning and late evening phone and standard appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays

When We Are Closed

Outside of normal practice hours,  NHS 111. This service operates at nights, weekends and on public holidays.

We recommend this GP led service rather than the hospital for all problems except life-threatening emergencies and serious accidents.

Out-of-hours services are generally busy so please think carefully before asking to see a doctor and only do so if you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.

In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.