Woodbrook Medical Centre

HOW DO I...
SEE A DOCTOR?

The aim of the doctors and staff at Woodbrook Medical Centre is to provide our patients with an effective and efficient service. To help us achieve this aim, we would appreciate it if you would note the following:

• As most of our incoming telephone calls are received between 8.00 and 9.00am please only ring between these times if you need to see a doctor that day. This  will help us to deal more quickly with calls between these times and means that  those patients who do ring to make an appointment do not have so long to wait before their call is answered.
  
• The surgery operates a same-day appointment system - simply telephone between 8.00 and 10.30am to arrange to see a doctor that same day.
  
• A limited number of pre-bookable appointments are available if required. Please telephone after 10.30am.
  
• You can make pre-bookable appointments online using the Emis Access system. (You will need to have an access code and PIN number to enable you to do this and these are only available by visiting the surgery. If you require more information please contact the practice.)
  
  Appointments are scheduled to last for 10 minutes. Under normal circumstances this allows adequate time for the doctor to assess your problem and to make an appropriate decision about how to treat it.

During a surgery a doctors may encounter a problem that takes longer than anticipated and subsequent appointments may run late. Should this situation arise we would ask for your patience and understanding - the doctor will see you as soon as possible.

If you make an appointment that you find you cannot keep, please let us know as soon as possible as it may be that this time can be allotted to another patient.

APPOINTMENT SATURATION

If all appointments are taken when you ring, several options are available to you:

• If you feel the reason for seeing the doctor is urgent, please make this clear to the reception staff who will refer the request to the doctor who will decide whether you need to be seen that day. This may mean that the doctor will telephone you to discuss your problem in more detail.
  
• If you feel the reason for seeing the doctor is not urgent you may pre-book an appointment if a convenient time is available.
  
• You may ring again the following day to make a same-day appointment.
  
• If you feel that the problem is one that could be dealt with over the telephone please advise the reception staff who will arrange for the doctor to ring you back.

We have a highly trained and experienced specialist nurse who assists the doctors in the mornings to help with minor ailments, and you may be asked to see her instead of a doctor. Please note, however, that the nurse will refer you to a doctor immediately if this is considered necessary.

NURSING SERVICES

The specialist nurses are qualified to see patients with the following problems:

WHEN THE MEDICAL CENTRE IS CLOSED

When the surgery is closed a doctor is always available for urgent medical advice by telephoning the surgery on 01509 239166. Your call will be diverted automatically to the out-of-hours answering service who will deal with your problem.

Alternatively, you can attend the Walk-In Centre at Pinfold Gate, Loughborough.

CHAPERONES

A chaperone is a friend, relative or member of staff who will accompany a patient, at their invitation, during an intimate examination.

The request for a chaperone should be made at the time of booking an appointment. If a chaperone is needed during a consultation, without prior arrangement, patients will be asked to make another appointment.

HOW DO I...
REGISTER WITH THE PRACTICE?

You may apply to become a patient at Woodbrook Medical Centre by completing a simple application form, available from reception. All applications are reviewed at our weekly practice meeting, and applicants will be advised of the outcome within seven days of the meeting. Please note that until your application has been confirmed it will not be possible to provide you with an appointment with the doctor, unless you have a medical problem that is considered to be urgent. If in any doubt please speak to our reception staff.

Once accepted, your registration will be with the practice. However, you are welcome to ask to see any of the doctors when you require an appointment. Please note that, for reasons of continuity of care, it is considered important that you do see the same doctor to discuss the same problem wherever possible.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT OR EMERGENCY RESPONSE?
- Telephone 01509 239166

Please try to come to the surgery if possible. On average, seeing you at home takes four times as long as seeing you in the surgery and the doctors are without their usual equipment and nursing/staff support.

If you are housebound, immobile or too ill to attend the Medical Centre and require a home visit, please telephone before 10.30am so that the doctors can plan their visits effectively.

A brief description of the problem will assist in determining the urgency of your request. If the request is urgent or if there is any doubt, the receptionist will put your call through to the duty doctor or, if not available, the duty doctor will call you later.

The doctor may offer telephone advice if they consider a visit is not necessary.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN RESULTS OF TESTS?

All test results are reviewed by the doctor as soon as they are received. If the result is normal then no further action is taken, unless the doctor has indicated otherwise to you when requesting the test. If the result is abnormal, the doctor will contact you to discuss any required action.

If you have an enquiry regarding test results, please contact the surgery. If necessary, a doctor or nurse will then telephone you to discuss the results.

HOW DO I...
CHANGE MY DETAILS?

It is always most important that, especially in case of an emergency, we have your correct address, home and mobile telephone numbers. If you are moving within or away from the practice area or if your telephone number changes, please let us know.

By appropriate use of the surgery you can help the doctors and staff provide a better service for everyone.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS?

Please give at least 48 hours' notice when requesting a repeat prescription, using the computer slip attached to your prescription (please tick required medication). If it is more convenient, we are happy to post prescriptions as long as a stamped addressed envelope is provided. Repeat prescriptions can be requested from your regular chemist, either in person or by telephone. Your chemist will then make the necessary arrangements. All you have to do then is collect your medication from your chemist giving them four days' notice.

NO PRESCRIPTION REQUESTS WILL BE TRANSACTED OVER THE TELEPHONE.

CHEMIST

For the convenience of our patients, a chemist's shop is situated next door to the surgery. Repeat prescriptions can be requested from the chemist by prior arrangement.

TRAINING

The Practice is a fully accredited training practice and is involved in the training of GP Registrars and Foundation doctors, who are qualified doctors undertaking specialist GP training.