Our Appointment System

 

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Making The Right Choice

Stop Think Choose helps relieve pressure across the system by supporting patients to make the right choice about healthcare continues across social media and radio channels.

The Stop Think Choose website details the services patients should use and highlights the benefits of 111 and community pharmacists. The website includes a map and opening hours of all pharmacies in the county. 

book appointment with GP

Please note that there are no specific telephone times currently. All GP appointments are triaged on the phone first. The GP will then make a decision as to whether a face to face appointment is required and they themselves will book this appointment with you.

 

Care Navigation

Patients may be asked to explain briefly what the problem is when they ring Amherst to book a GP appointment. Under NHS care navigation – or signposting – we aim to provide the most appropriate service

The receptionist at Amherst might suggest other professionals who could be more helpful to patients, depending on their needs. For example, the pharmacist; a counsellor; support for older people; carer support; mental health support; or support to become healthier and more active.

Amherst receptionists and clerical staff are trained to help patients by identifying the most relevant care. Through this specialist training, our practice team will be able to direct patients to the health clinician best suited to their needs.

Receptionists will never offer clinical advice or triage; this new way of working is about offering the choice to see a more appropriate professional in the practice team, or perhaps somewhere else. If different medical professional can deal with your problem directly, it will often be quicker and may not need a GP apppointment at all.

This policy helps to free up time for GPs to care for patients with more complex or serious health conditions that can be managed only by the GP. More importantly, though, it means people are seen by the clinician best placed to manage their clinical problem.

The choice is always the patient’s, though, and a GP appointment will never be refused – but next time you contact the Practice and speak to the receptionist, please consider the value of seeing an alternative health professional if they are better able to help.

For more information please contact a member of our practice team.

 

Appointment Booking Information