Appointments

Urgent cases are seen on the day.  If your condition is non-urgent, you can expect to see a GP within two working days, though you may have to wait longer if you want to see a particular GP. Please note most of our GPs work part-time so there will be days you will not always be able to see your doctor of choice. 

We have a mixture of open access and advance booking.

You should be able to choose a morning or afternoon appointment whichever day of the week you ring Seascale

If you wish to see a particular GP it may be advisable to make an advance booking. Half of the appointments in each GP session can be booked ahead. If this allocation is already taken on the day(s) you wish to come you may need to phone in on the day. Appointments can be made from 8.00am for appointments starting at 9.00am.

Advance booked appointments should be made where:

• additional time and preparation are required, e.g. for minor operations and screening such as coil fitting, postnatal checks etc.
• a patient needs to arrange release from work or school or to fit in with transport arrangements
• a patient finds it difficult to book on the day or wishes to see a particular GP.

Let us know if more than one person in the family needs to be seen. We can give you a longer appointment if necessary.

Tell us if you want someone to accompany you during an examination or a private room to discuss any matters. Remember that the results of tests can only be given to the patient.

Follow-up appointments for chronic disease clinics and treatment room nursing can also be made in advance. As these appointments can be made several months ahead please note they may need to be changed due to unforeseen changes to the clinic.

For ongoing matters please try to see your usual doctor. Urgent conditions will have to be seen by an available doctor when you call to make the appointment.

A list of each GP's normal work pattern can be obtained from reception and is often advertised in the ‘WellWellWell’ newsletter as a reminder.

Appointments with doctors are scheduled for 15 minutes. If you know in advance you will not require the full 15 minutes, please advise reception when making the call.

All our health providers endeavour to keep to the schedule but occasionally some delay may occur when a patient requires additional time or emergencies crop up. Please try to be tolerant of these delays: you may be the patient requiring additional time in the future. 

You can help us by:

• Being on time for your appointment
• Letting us know if you need to cancel or will be late
• Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10am
• Ringing for a repeat prescription during the times stated in dispensary

Please ensure you advise reception when you arrive for your appointment otherwise you will not be called by the doctor or nurse as their computer screen will say you have not arrived.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit.

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.

Telephone Consultation

To speak to a doctor by telephone, e.g. to obtain test results, please ring reception as normal and they will arrange a time with you for the doctor to call you back.

Many other consultations can also be carried out over the phone and we encourage patients to use this facility. It could be advantageous for patients living in isolated areas where a visit to the practice is difficult. If more consultations are done over the phone each doctor will be able to increase the number of patients they deal with in each session.

Car Parking

At our main surgery on Gosforth Road we have car parking which patients are welcome to use this when visiting the practice, this includes two spaces allocated to Orange/Blue badge holders.

Please be considerate of others when using the car park, there is occasionally an accident and all drivers do not always own up to damage.

If you are responsible for damage to a parked vehicle or witness an accident, please advise reception. May we remind users that all owners park their vehicles at their own risk.

Seascale

There is parking for patients with restricted mobility immediately outside the entrance to the health centre. There is a ramp for wheelchair users at the entrance and all consultation and treatment rooms are on the ground floor and easily accessible. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor.

Bootle

All rooms at Bootle are on the ground floor.