FAQs

Making sure that you are on the right medication is an important part of looking after your health and is a partnership with your doctors, practice nurses and your local pharmacist. We recommend that you have at least an annual review of your medication around the time of your birthday. This will usually be with the GP who will carry out routine checks. If there are any problems these will be discussed with your doctor. For some reviews you will need to see a doctor and in some cases it is possible to carry out your review by telephone rather than by coming into the practice.

We believe that it is very important that you understand why you are taking your medication and what checks you need to have on a regular basis to maintain your health. We can give you a list of your current health problems and medications that we have recorded for you. This information is also available to you on-line and we recommend that you register for on-line access and order your repeat medication this way. Please let the doctor, nurse or pharmacist know if there is any information anything you don’t understand.

Looking after your health is more than just carrying out a medication review. We want to find out what matters to you not just what is the matter with you. This means finding out what is most important for you as an individual and will be different for each person.

Please use this website link to find your NHS number https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/

If you decide to have a summary care record it will contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Giving healthcare staff access to this information can prevent mistakes being made when caring for you in an emergency or when your GP practice is closed.

Your summary care record will also include your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS number to help identify you correctly.

You may want to add other details about your care to your summary care record. This will only happen if you ask for the information to be included. You should discuss this with healthcare staff treating you.

Further information can be located from the following:

• NHS website
• Summary Care Record Patient Leaflet and Opt Out Form can be located on this website.

You may use the online service, or request a print-and-post form, to make or change your choice at any time. You can also request assistance or make your choice by contacting NHS Digital Contact Centre telephone service. If you do not wish to opt out, you don’t have to do anything at all.

You can also manage a choice on behalf of another individual by proxy. For example, if you are a parent or guardian of a child under the age of 13. For further information and to opt out visit find out why your data matters on the NHS website.

• Triage is the point at which your care begins – it is your initial medical assessment and treatment.
• This can be accessed via our Website online consultation button or by calling the practice if you are unable to access the website.
• The method of appointment will be determined by a clinician depending on your illness or condition this could be via Telephone consultation or face-to-face appointment.
• Triage is available Monday to Friday.
• The practice will contact you within 48 hours and patients will be prioritised depending on the clinical urgency of your issue.
• Appointments for nurses, HCA & all other clinicians can also be arranged by using our online consultations button. If you are unable to access this service, please phone the surgery.

• If you need medical help fast but it’s not an emergency call 111
• If it’s a life-threatening emergency call 999

Calls to 111 are FREE from landlines and mobiles and are available 24/7, 365 days per year.

When to call 111

• you think you need to go to A&E or to another NHS urgent care service
• your GP surgery is closed and you need healthcare advice
• you don’t know who to call for medical help.

When to call 999

Call 999 for life-threatening emergencies such as:

• Major accident or trauma
• Severe breathlessness
• Severe bleeding
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe chest pain.

During normal practice opening hours, the practice remains your first point of contact for all routine requests.

You can register as a new patient with the practice online here.

Alternatively, you can come into the practice and complete our registration form. You will be asked to provide proof of ID (passport, driving licence), and address (utility bill, bank statement). If none of these is available to you, please speak to our practice assistants who can assist you further.

Registrations can take up to 48-72 hours to be processed.

We hope you are happy with the services provided at our surgery. If you wish to comment or make any suggestions for improving the services, please click on the smiley faces to let us know how you feel. If you would like to complain about our services, please put this in writing and bring this to the attention of the practice manager.

Complaints should not be made verbally in person and should be sent via email toswlicb.brigstockfamilypractice@nhs.net, please put the subject title as Complaint FAO Practice Manager or brought in person.

We do not routinely inform you of results but ask you to ring the practice about a week after a test. The receptionists will inform you of the result and whether you need to see or discuss the result with the doctor or nurse. Please ring after 1.00 pm if possible.

You can also use our online consultation button via our website to enquire about any sort of result.

If you and your GP decide that you need to see a specialist for further treatment, you can now choose where to have your treatment from a list of hospitals or clinics. Please discuss with your GP or if you want to find out more – further information is available on the NHS website.

Please try to come to the surgery if possible (the doctor can see three to four patients at the surgery in the time it takes him/her to visit one patient at home). Home visits are mainly for those patients who are too ill to come to the surgery and for elderly patients who are housebound. The doctor will discuss this with you.

If you require medical attention and are unable to travel to the surgery then please try to phone before 12pm and give the receptionist some indication of your problem – this will enable the doctors to plan and give priority to the more urgent cases.

Please note: home visits can only be arranged if you are housebound and live within the CR7 postcode.