Appointments

We are excited to say we are now using GP Triage, an online system that allows you to directly book an urgent or routine appointment with a clinician of your choosing without the need to phone the practice. What are the benefits of using this system?

• BOOK AN APPOINTMENT SLOT WITH GP TRIAGE

• ·         Book both routine and urgent appointments
• ·         Choose location that suits you e.g. Lichfield, Whittington or Boneyhay
• ·         Can choose from a range of available appointment times
• ·         Can see the clinician of your choice
• ·         Can have a face to face or telephone appointment

You will be asked a series of questions about your symptoms—this helps ensure you get the most appropriate care. Once completed, you will be able to choose from a range of available appointment times and your clinician of choice.

IF YOU CHOOSE A TELEPHONE SLOT VIA GP TRIAGE PLEASE EXPECT THE CALL TO TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 9AM TO 1PM FOR THE MORNING AND 1PM TO 6PM FOR THE AFTERNOON, WE DONT STICK TO SPECIFIC SLOT TIME FOR TELEPHONE CALLS.

If you contact us during core hours (08:00–18:30), your request will be reviewed the same day and actioned based on the information you provide. This may include booking an appointment, offering advice, signposting to another service, or requesting further details.

For urgent not emergency help, call the Practice. If the Practice is closed, visit NHS 111 online or call 111.

In an emergency, call 999.

Did you know you can now get NHS-funded treatment for some common health conditions without needing a GP appointment? The NHS Pharmacy First service allows you to visit your local pharmacy for quicker and easier access to healthcare.

What is the NHS Pharmacy First Service?

This is a new and improved service where qualified pharmacists can assess and treat seven specific conditions:

• Sinusitis
• Sore throat
• Acute otitis media (ear infection)
• Infected insect bite
• Impetigo (a skin infection)
• Shingles
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (women only)

How does it work?

Simply visit your local participating pharmacy and speak to a pharmacist. They will ask you about your symptoms and may perform a brief examination. If you have one of the seven qualifying conditions, the pharmacist can provide:

• Expert advice on managing your condition
• NHS-funded medication, if appropriate (including some prescription-only medicines)

Benefits of NHS Pharmacy First:

• Save time:                          Avoid waiting for a GP appointment and get treated sooner.
• Convenience:                     Visit your local pharmacy during their opening hours.
• Expert care:                       Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals.
• Reduce pressure on GPs:  Helps free up appointments for patients with more complex needs.

Is NHS Pharmacy First right for me?

NHS Pharmacy First is suitable for people experiencing symptoms of the seven listed conditions. If you are unsure, or your condition is more complex, a pharmacist can advise you on whether a GP appointment is necessary.

What about other minor ailments?

While NHS Pharmacy First focuses on these specific conditions, your local pharmacist can still offer expert advice and over-the-counter medication for a wider range of minor ailments.

Find out more:

For more information on NHS Pharmacy First and to find participating pharmacies near you, visit the NHS website: NHS Pharmacy First service: https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-first/

There are a few appointments you can book up to 4 weeks ahead. These are for medication reviews and non-urgent medical issues. You can book these appointments every day at 8, 2, 4, and 7 days in advance. For example, new appointments are available at 8:00 AM today and more will be available at 8:00 AM tomorrow.

You can book these appointments online using the link at the top of this page, calling anytime or visiting reception in person. New appointments are released daily.

For phone appointments, we offer time windows instead of exact times. A healthcare professional will call you during your chosen window:

• Mornings: Between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM
• Afternoons: Between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM

We suggest finding a quiet place for your phone appointment to have a good conversation.

Extended Hours:

We provide pre-bookable appointments on Monday evenings from 18:30 to 20:00.

Lichfield and Burntwood Primary Care Network’s (PCN’S) and its member GP Practices use GP Connect to make appointments at the Out of Hours Hub.

GP Connect is a service that enables authorised Out of Hours Doctors and Advanced Clinical Practitioners to quickly and efficiently and in real time, view your full GP medical records from your own GP Practice at your Out of Hours appointment. This includes medications, referrals and other key clinical information to make a better and more informed decision about your treatment.

Patients are requested, where possible, to telephone before 10:00 if a home visit is required that day.

We would request that, apart from the genuinely housebound, all other patients attend the surgery rather than request a home visit because of the extra time home visiting takes. On average four to five patients can be seen in surgery in the time it takes to do a single house call. In addition, the care that can be offered due to the lack of adequate lighting, examination facilities and equipment means that you may not receive as good a service as the doctor may be able to offer if you came to the surgery.

Please note that the doctor may telephone you rather than visit you if this is medically appropriate. Ultimately it is the doctors right to decide whether or not a visit is appropriate for a particular set of circumstances.

Please be on time for your appointment. If you're late, you might not be seen. If you're not seen, you can't reschedule until the next working day. You will only be seen if it's a medical emergency that needs immediate care.

If you need an interpreter when you see your doctor, please tell the receptionist.

To be fair to other Langton patients and help us run our clinics on time, we politely ask patients to discuss one issue only in an appointment.  You should not expect multiple problems to be assessed in one appointment unless those problems are all urgent or related to the presenting acute condition. Longer appointments, based on clinical need, are available on request and these will be triaged by clinicians before we book them.

We appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Please note 111 also offer advice if you’re feeling unwell.

They can give you advice on:

• Where to get help for your symptoms
• How to find general health advice and information
• Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
• How to get a repeat prescription