Appointments

Appointments can be booked online or by calling at reception or telephoning.

You can consult any doctor in the practice but for continuity of care we recommend you stay with the one who knows you the best. We try to offer an appointment for the day you request but you may have to plan ahead to see a particular doctor. Routine appointments can be booked up to one month in advance.

We also offer appointment reminders via text. If we have your mobile number you will receive an appointment reminder the day before your appointment.

You can also cancel the appointment by replying to the reminder with the word "CANCEL". Please allow at least 2hrs before your appointment is due when cancelling using this method. If you need to cancel less than 2hrs before the appointment is due please use Patient Access online services or ring us in person.

Online Services: Book, cancel and view appointments online.

Parents may register their child for an online account but access will be removed when the child reaches 14 due to confidentiality requirements. The child will then need to register for their own account.

Emis Patient Access Apps

We also offer appointment reminders via text to your mobile phone. Register for this service at reception or by completing this form consent form.

Telephone Consultation

We have an excellent team of doctors and nurses happy to give you telephone advice about most of your health problems.They will be able to give you self-help tips.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else. Its now easier than ever to cancel appointments online using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

We offer a text reminder service that will alert you the day before your appointment. Please let reception have your up to date mobile phone details or complete this consent form.

If your appointment is at least 24hrs away you can also cancel an appointment by completing this appointment cancellation form.

We have decided to introduce a more stringent policy to deal with the amount of appointments wasted. Patients who persistently miss their appointments will automatically be blocked from using online services and may also be removed from our list.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 11:30 if you require a home visit.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Training Practice

We are an approved training practice for qualified doctors who have completed a time working in a hospital. They join us to gain the experience required to become a GP and may spend up to 12 months in the practice sharing the same duties as the partners. At all times they are supervised by one of the partners.

As part of their training they often need to video consultations. Your consent will always be obtained before this is is considered.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

In the Redditch & Bromsgrove area, practices are working in partnership to provide additional GP appointments.  If you need access to an evening and weekend non-urgent appointment these are available with both doctors and nursing staff.  Appointments are offered at five Extended Access Hubs which are located at:

Hollywood Medical Practice, Hollywood, Birmingham          Tel: 07464 662 819

New Road Surgery, Rubery, Birmingham                             Tel: 07388 184 015

Winyates Health Centre, Winyates, Redditch                     Tel: 07393 654 195

BHI Parkside, Bromsgrove                                                     Tel: 07503 650 946

St Stephens Surgery, Redditch                                              Tel: 07831 764 047

There is always at least one hub open every day of week including bank holidays.

Hub opening hours are:

18.30 – 20.00 Weekdays

08.00 – 12.00 Saturdays and bank holidays

08.00 – 10.00 Sundays (telephone consultations only)

When open the hubs can be contacted Mondays to Saturdays on the mobile numbers above.

Please ask at our surgery reception for more details and to book an appointment.