Can another health professional help?
Sometimes a GP may not be the most appropriate healthcare professional to deal with your ailment. Other professionals such as pharmacists, opticians and dentists may be better placed to help. Please click on the links below for further information.
Signposting
Approximately 20% of doctor’s appointments could be dealt with by another healthcare professional.
- Optician: All eye conditions should be seen by an optician first. They have the correct equipment for eye examinations. You can see an optician for dry, red, sore, watery, sticky, or itchy eyes, cysts, styes, or conjunctivitis.
- Pharmacy: Coughs and colds, conjunctivitis (in children over 1year), sore throats & earache (less than 3 days), verrucas, constipation, piles, hayfever, mouth ulcers, cold sores, nappy rash, small patches of impetigo, abrasions, bruises, insect bites & sunburn, emergency contraception, thrush, head lice & pain relief.
- Dentist: Any problem relating to your mouth or teeth.
- Practice Nurse: Cervical Screening (smear test), travel advice & vaccination, chronic disease management of cardiac conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure & stroke.
- Health Care Assistant: Phlebotomy & blood pressure testing.
- Podiatry: You can self-refer, please ask reception for a form.
- Smoking: NHS Smoking Helpline T: 0300 123 1044.
- Reception: For queries about hospital outpatient appointments please contact Royal Infirmary 0131 536 1000, Western General Hospital 0131 537 1000.
- Minor Injuries: Call 111 in the first instance. Open 8 am – 9 pm (last patient book at 8.30 pm). Adults and children over 1 years old. Western General Hospital – cuts, burns, sprains, simple fractures, wound infections.
- Sexual Health: Chalmers Sexual Health Centre 01315361070. Sexually transmitted diseases STIs, contraception, emergency contraception, condoms, IUD (coils).
- Travel Clinic Self-referral: Travellers are welcome to phone the travel clinic on 01315372823 (WGH) to make an appointment.
Further information is also available online at www.nhsinform.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment :
- phone us on during opening hours
- visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist, during opening hours
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
The process of booking Practice Nurse/Phlebotomist appointments remains unchanged. These appointments can still be booked in advance to a day or time that suits you.
Telephone Triage Appointments – (Routine/General Appointments)
Each morning we will operate a telephone appointment system. Telephone lines are open from 8.00am. We have a set number of telephone appointments each morning. We also have a set number of telephone triage appointments that become available every day after 2.00pm.
Our reception team have been instructed to “Signpost” patient requests to the most appropriate Healthcare Provider. All our staff have received extensive training and are directing your request according to a comprehensive list of appointment types and other Healthcare Providers as agreed by the Doctors.
This is not to try and deny you an appointment and is, in fact, so that we can determine who the most appropriate Healthcare Provider to deal with your problem might be – i.e. have you previously been seen by a specific doctor? Is this a new problem? Would you be able to access another Healthcare Provider quicker? Is your call actually an emergency and needs dealt with immediately?
Your name will be added to the telephone list of the mutually determined Doctor who will return your call. Your problem will either be dealt with over the telephone, or a review appointment, at a time convenient to you, will be arranged for later that day.
We cannot give you a specific time when the Doctor will return your call. However, we can assure you that your call will be dealt with as promptly as possible in a safe, proficient, and comprehensive manner.
Anyone with an urgent medical problem will be highlighted to the Duty Doctor in order that their problem can be dealt with without delay.
Please do not enter the practice unless you’ve been advised to. This will ensure we can continue to provide essential care safely.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
Cancel your appointment:
- phone us on during opening hours
- If you are late for an appointment you may be asked to re-book
Routine vaccinations
Vaccinations help protect you and your family from many infectious diseases. You’ll be offered different routine vaccinations at different times, depending on your age and circumstances. For most routine vaccinations, your local health board will invite you by sending you a letter when you become eligible.You do not need to contact them to arrange your vaccinations.
You may be invited to a new location to receive your immunisations instead of your GP practice.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
Appointments by phone can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, or by face-to-face
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
If you need help when we are closed
The 111 service provides urgent care information and support if you think you need A&E but its not life-threatening, and advice when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Home visits
If you are housebound and need an appointment, we will do a home visit. We will phone you first to understand what you need.
To request a home visit, it’s helpful if you phone the practice before 10.30am if possible.
Additional information about your appointment with us
Can I bring someone to accompany me to the Appointment?
We are generally very happy for patients to bring with them a carer, relative or even a friend. This often helps, particularly when they know you well and it allows them to tell us any observations they would make about you, which can help us in undertaking our assessment. Ultimately this will lead us more quickly to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore help you more.
Also, having someone with you means they can prompt you to ask questions that you may have forgotten, and after the appointment they can help in reminding you what was discussed.
Occasionally we might ask for them to leave but this would be unusual.
If you require interpretation services please contact us in advance of you appointment and we will arrange this.
Chaperone Policy
We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable – these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.
You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Interpreter
If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the receptionist and this will be arranged.
Intimate Examinations
During your care, a doctor may need to examine you in order to provide you with the best care. Occasionally this may involve an examination of intimate areas. We understand that this can be stressful and embarrassing. If this sort of examination is necessary:
- We will explain to you why the examination is necessary and give you the opportunity to ask questions.
- We will explain what the examination will involve, including whether you can expect it to be painful or uncomfortable.
- We will obtain your permission before carrying out this examination You will be offered a chaperone.
- At all times we will respect your privacy during the examination and while dressing and undressing.
Your doctor and the nursing staff will be happy to discuss any concerns you have about this.
Private Medical Examinations
Medical examinations for special purposes such as pre-employment, fitness to travel, elderly drivers, fitness to undertake sports etc, will require longer than a routine appointment.
These examinations do not form part of NHS Services, you will be charged for any such examination. Please check the fee chargeable when you require to arrange any such examination.