Whenever possible we ask you to come to the surgery for appointments. At the surgery we have full access to your records and to treatment facilities. You can usually be seen sooner if you can come to the surgery. We can see three or four patients in the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit.
If you are too ill to come to the surgery you may need to request a home visits, but please remember these are intended for the housebound, bed-bound, terminally ill patients or those whose condition will significantly deteriorate with travel.
If you are really too unwell to come in please try to phone before 11am. If you are unsure whether you need a visit, reception can arrange for you to get advice from one of the doctors. If the doctor feels your problem would be appropriately dealt with in the surgery then you will be offered an appointment and the visit request declined.
The doctors squeeze visits in between morning and afternoon surgeries but also have to fit in other clinics and meetings during this time so the timing of a visit cannot be guaranteed.
Requests for emergency visits later during the day will be passed on to the doctor on call who will talk to you to help decide the best way to manage the problem.
Do not request home visits or medical advice by e-mail. Please phone the surgery instead.
