How to

Make an Appointment

Phone 01355578030 between 8.30am and 6pm. If you wish to be seen the same day, you should be prepared to be flexible with regard to who,where and when you consult and you should phone as soon after 8.30am as possible.

Obtain the Result of an Investigation

Phone 01355578030 between 1pm and 2pm or 5pm and 6pm. Results will only be "Normal" or "Make an appointment/discuss with doctor". This is because receptionists are not qualified to explain results to you. Results can only be given to the patient concerned and not to third parties, for reasons of confidentiality.

Obtain Medical Advice over the Phone

Phone 01355578030 between 11.00am and 11.30am or between 3.15pm and 3.45pm. This is to minimise the disruption to other patients' appointments. The doctor you wish to speak to will not necessarily be present at these times, but you should be able to speak to a doctor. It would be helpful if some indication of the urgency of your call was given to the receptionist by the caller. In a very urgent situation, you can phone at any time, obviously. In an emergency situation you should dial 999 and contact the ambulance service.

Request a Home Visit

Phone 01355578030 as soon after 8.30am as possible. Home visits are only for people too unwell to attend the Health Centre. The receptionist will ask for your name, address and telephone number, as well as a brief description of what is wrong.This helps the Doctor assess the urgency of the call and the home visits can be planned accordingly. The Doctor may phone you back for further details, and indeed may suggest that a visit to the Health Centre or simple telephone advice is all that is necessary. Please remember that we can see about five or six people in the surgery in the time it would take to do one housecall.It would therefore be appreciated if every effort could be made to come to the surgery. Generally speaking, children are expected to be brought into the Health Centre to be seen.

Obtain Repeat Prescription

If you are on regular medication you will be issued with prescriptions that have a tear-off list on the right hand side, indicating what repeat medication you are on. This should be ticked at the required items when you are running out and handed or posted into the Practice, allowing 48 hours for the prescription to be processed. Certain chemists will uplift your prescription from the Practice by arrangement with you. Alternatively, you can uplift it yourself or, if you provide a stamped self-addressed envelope it will be posted back to you. If items requested are not on the computer, then they may take longer to process or the Doctor may query or not issue the prescrption as requested.

Make an Suggestion or Complaint

Contact Mrs Anne Marie Scott in the first instance on 01355 578030. You will then be guided on what to do next.

Register as a New Patient

Ask at Reception and you will be given some forms to fill in. A rota system is in operation in Hunter Health Centre so that new patients are distributed equally. Thus if it is not "our" week and you just ask to register with any doctor you will be directed to the Practice that is "on take" that week. If however, you particularly wish to join a certain doctor's Practice you can request this, no matter what week it is. It is advisable for immediate family members to be in the same practice. Note please that we are a group Practice, which means that whilst you will be registered with one GP, you are at liberty to consult any of the Doctors in the Practice. All new patients will be invited to have a consultation with the Practice Nurse where a general check, tailored to your needs, will be performed.

Out of Hours Emergencies

Phone NHS 24 on 08454 242424

access medical advice out of hours

phone NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24 The out of hours period is between 6pm and 8am everyday and from 6pm Friday to 8am Monday. Additionally, some public holidays are covered by NHS 24. More information on this service is available at www.nhs24.com