St.Helen's Medical Centre

HOW DO I...
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

Booked appointments with a doctor can only be made a maximum of two weeks in advance. We have been forced to adopt this policy because of the very high number of patients who were making appointments and then wasting them either by not turning up or failing to telephone the practice to cancel the appointment.
In order to make an appointment please call at the surgery or telephone us on 476576.

Appointments are available on weekday afternoons between 1.00 - 2.30pm and 4.00 - 5.30pm.

Open Surgery

Available Monday to Friday between 9.00 and 10.00am, this is an 'open access' surgery dealing with everything other than test results.

No appointment is needed - patients are seen on a 'first come, first served' basis, but you must be prepared to see the next available doctor.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO KEEP A BOOKED SURGERY APPOINTMENT PLEASE LET US KNOW IN PLENTY OF TIME, SO THAT WE CAN OFFER THE SLOT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

The practice continues to be concerned over the high rate of 'Did Not Attend' cases. Patients who fail to attend for a booked appointment on three occasions risk removal from the practice list.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT?

If you are too ill to attend the surgery and require a home visit, please ring 476576 between 8.30 and 10.30am. Please restrict requests for home visits at all other times to genuine emergencies only or for patients who are too ill to travel to the surgery. A doctor may telephone first to assess the need for a house call.

Telephone Advice

As an additional service, doctors will be available on the telephone throughout the day to offer advice and reassurance and are also able to deal with minor medical matters. You cannot request to speak to a particular doctor.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TEST RESULTS?

Please telephone the surgery between 2.00 and 3.30pm for the results of any investigations, x-rays or blood tests which you may have undergone. It helps if you explain to the receptionists the date the test was done and what the test was for, eg thyroid or kidney function, or what part of the body was x-rayed. Most results take about a week to get back to the surgery so please allow time.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS?

Repeat prescriptions are computerised. Please keep the tear-off right hand side of your last prescription for reference. Then either: Post the copy, ticking each item you require, enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Your prescription will be dealt with by return of post.

Telephone or call at the surgery between 8.30am and 3.30pm (Closed 12 noon - 1.00pm) requesting the required items.

In either case prescriptions will be ready for collection 48 hours after the request is received. Please do not request items which have not been prescribed for you previously. Do not be alarmed if your medication looks different from that in your last prescription. Our section on Generic Medicines explains why this may occur.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN SICKNESS CERTIFICATES?

If you are absent from work owing to illness for up to three days, you need no certificate. For longer periods a self-certification form should be provided by your employer. If you are unemployed or self-employed, you can obtain Form SC1 from the reception desk.

A doctor's certificate is only needed for illness lasting more than seven days. The doctor needs to see you in person unless he has had a recent letter about your illness from a hospital.