Appointments

Requesting an Appointment

To request an appointment:

• Use an online form and contact us online via Patchs. You can do this at any time, but we will only respond when we are open (Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:30pm)
• Phone us on 01524 551551 (Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:30pm)
• Visit any of our sites and speak with a receptionist (Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:30pm)

When you contact us, we will ask what you need help with. Our reception staff will ask for the reason you have made contact – this is so you can receive the best care from the most appropriate clinician, at the most appropriate time. All members of staff are strictly bound by the NHS code of confidentiality so you can discuss your needs with them in complete confidence.

We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable care (an appointment or signposting to an alternative service) with the most suitable healthcare professional to help you.

Appointments are booked for 15 minutes. If you have several problems to discuss or feel you may require longer, please note this in your Patchs online form or let reception staff know at the time of booking. Longer appointment slots are provided at the discretion of the practice in line with reason(s) provided by the patient.

Your appointment

Unplanned Appointments

Unplanned appointments are for those who require medical attention within three working days. Our clinicians triage patients’ conditions and determine in what timeframe they should be treated, and by whom.

Planned Appointments

If you need a non-urgent, routine or follow-up appointment to review or discuss a problem, you can book an appointment with a clinician in advance (please note that waiting times are regularly changing and vary for different clinicians).

Care at Home

Our Care at Home team work with housebound patients who are unable to leave their home due to illness. Care at home can include a home visit, a telephone appointment or signposting to other services.

For the vast majority of patients, attending the practice is the best option, however we recognise that there is a small group of patients that are unable to travel to us to receive their care.

Care at home is provided at the discretion of the clinician and is reserved for housebound patients. We will not provide care at home if the patient can leave the house, or attends other appointments or activities outside the home.

If you are housebound, or if you care for a person that is housebound, you can contact the Care at Home team by calling 01524 551551. They will ask you for details of the problem which will be passed to a clinician to review. If you are not sure whether you need to be seen at home or at the practice, our team will be able to advise you.

Requests for care at home should be made before 11:00am as this allows us to plan more efficiently.

Telephone Consultations

Appointments are normally face to face, but you may be able to request a telephone consultation unless one of our clinicians determines you need to be seen face to face.

You may be asked to send in a photo. This will usually be requested via a text message.

Other Services

You may be advised that another service, for example a pharmacy, would be the best option for you – our staff have been highly trained to know when this advice is appropriate.

If your symptoms could be resolved by a booked consultation with the pharmacist instead of a clinician at the practice, you will be given a same-day referral to a pharmacy of your choice. Pharmacists are highly trained and skilled clinicians experienced in treating minor illnesses.

However, if your condition does not improve, or it worsens, please get back in contact with the practice.

Cancelling Appointments

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please cancel as soon as possible so we can offer your slot to another patient.

You can cancel your appointment by phone (01524 551551 – select option 1 and leave a message on our cancellation line) or in person.

You can also cancel your appointment online if your appointment is more than 24 hours away.

Missed Appointments

The majority of patients who cannot attend an appointment inform us with plenty of notice so we can utilise the appointment for another patient.  For patients who do not inform us that they cannot attend an appointment the following policy will apply:

• If you fail to attend an appointment without informing us, we may write to you asking if there are any specific problems preventing you from letting us know
• If you repeatedly fail to attend appointments you may be removed from the practice list and will have to find an alternative GP practice.

Please help us make the best use of our appointments for all patients.

Arriving Late

Please ensure that you arrive to your appointment in time. If you are more than ten minutes late for an appointment you may be requested to re-book for an alternative date or time. 

Occasionally your clinician may be called away on an emergency during surgery. This will likely cause delays and we ask you to please be patient with us if this does occur.

Chaperones

We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed. The safety of everyone is of paramount importance. All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required.

Wherever possible we ask you to make this request at the time of booking your appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way.

Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a chaperone at the time of the request – occasionally, however, it may be necessary to re-schedule your appointment.

Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with the practice chaperone policy. 

Translation Service

We are able to offer a translation service for patients who do not speak English. If possible, please advise reception when you book your appointment if you require a translator.

Our Clinical Teams

We are a large practice, covering several sites and a vast geographical area, but we strive to provide a localised approach to patient care through our four clinical teams.

Clinical teams work in a particular geographical area, based within specific practice sites to ensure strong practice-patient relationships, good continuity of care and delivery of high quality services for patients.

All clinical teams are made up of a range of healthcare professionals to get you the care that you need. This means that your care will fall into one particular clinical team, and you will be cared for by GPs and other specialist professionals that work within that group. Your named GP will also be in this group.

If you have an urgent medical need (conditions that require medical attention within 72 hours), you may be asked to attend an appointment with a clinician outside of your usual clinical team. For planned care (less clinically urgent conditions / ongoing problems that can safely wait more than 72 working hours for medical attention and may benefit from continuity of care), you will be added to your named GP’s waiting list and your appointment will take place within your usual clinical team.

We acknowledge that patients have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within Lancaster Medical Practice; we will endeavour to find a solution where possible.

Page last reviewed: March 5th, 2024
Next review due: June 5th, 2024