Urgent Problems During Surgery Hours

If you have an urgent problem during surgery hours call the health centre on 01493 717796 for Acle Surgery or  Reedham Surgery The receptionist will need to take some details about the problem and arrangements will be made for you to be seen by the doctor as soon as possible

Triage doctor

We operate a triage system for patients who need treating on the same day.  Patients who request a same day appointment will be asked by the receptionist to give a brief summary of their symptoms and up to date contact details.  This allows the triage doctor to prioritise calls so that, for example someone reporting severe pain or a sick child will be called first, before someone querying medication.  All our receptionists have signed confidentiality agreements and they are full aware the information you tell them is personal, you do not have to tell them your symptoms, but you should be aware this will make it more difficult for the doctor to prioritise your call.  The triage doctor will aim to call you back within 1 hours and will discuss your problem over the phone.  if a face to face consultation is necessary the doctor will make an appointment for you later in the day or week.  If you need to be called back at a certain time because of work constraints then we will do our utmost to meet this within a 1 hour window. 

Booking Your Appointment

For telephone appointments please phone 01493 717796 for Acle and Reedham during the reception hours as advised above.

We offer  pre-bookable appointments  with a limited  number  of appointments available with 24 hours. Our aim is to offer routine appointments with a doctor of your choice, if this is not achievable we would then offer an appointment with another doctor. We try to keep to time, but there can be unforeseen emergencies that are beyond our control.

If you are unable to keep your appointment please notify the surgery as soon as possible so it can be offered to someone else.

There is usually only time to deal with one problem during a routine appointment, so if you feel you need more time please inform the receptionist when you make your appointment. We would also stress that one appointment is for one person.

We will always endeavour to let you book an appointment with the doctor of your choice at a time that suits you best. This is obviously not always possible especially at times of high demand, usually around the holiday periods, after weekends or bank holidays. We are constantly reviewing the appointment system to offer a range of availability.

Children under 16 years old should ideally be accompanied by an adult. If more than one member of your family wants to see the doctor, please make a separate appointment for each of them.

Checking in for your Appointment

To save waiting we have installed a self check-in system where you are able to let the doctor or nurse know you have arrived by entering your date of birth and gender, then confirming your personal details. The system will display where to wait. Alternatively, please report to the receptionist and she will book you in.

Cancelling Your Appointment

If you have booked an appointment it is really important to let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel it.

Methods for cancelling your appointment are:

1. By Telephone: Please call us on 01493 717796 for Acle Surgery or Reedham Surgery and advise the receptionist. (If the surgery is closed you can leave a message which will be picked up when the surgery re-opens.)
2. In Person: Call into the surgery and advise the receptionist.

Why is it important to tell us you want to cancel your appointment?

Every month valuable consulting time is wasted due to patients failing to cancel their appointment. By telling us in good time that you cannot keep an appointment, we can offer your appointment to someone else. This helps us to reduce waiting times and means everyone can be seen sooner.

Transport

Hospital transport may be available for patients under the NHS unable to use public transport or find another means to attend. The number to call is 0845 8500774 (Mon- Fri 08.00 - 18.30, Sat 08.00 - 12.00).

Teaching

At times we are a Training practice and have GP Registrars working with us. The Registrar is a fully qualified doctor who is gaining experience of general practice for a period of 6 months. Medical and nursing students also join the practice for short periods. If a student is working with your doctor or nurse on the day of an appointment, you will be advised and have the right to object to their presence if you so wish. The Registrar will on occasion be making video recordings of patient consultations. Under no circumstances will a recording be made without the patient’s consent. Intimate physical examinations will not be recorded. If you require any more information please see the receptionist who will advise

Home Visits

Home visits are available on request for patients who are housebound, terminally ill or too ill to come to the surgery. All requests for home visits will be assessed by a doctor.

At home the doctor will only have limited equipment and it is often difficult to perform a full assessment of your symptoms. It is therefore essential that if it is at all possible that you attend the Surgery to see the doctor.

If you do need a home visit, call 0844 477 3992 (Acle Surgery) or 0844 499 7071 (Reedham Surgery). Please be prepared to give some details about the reason for the home visit so that we can deal with your enquiry more efficiently.

Please call before 10.30am.

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)

Car Parking

There are car parking spaces outside the surgery in addition to a space for disabled drivers. These spaces are limited and we ask you to avoid bringing your car if possible and encourage you to park in the public car park adjacent to the surgery.

Please do not park in the staff car park at the side of the building or on the road, as the doctors and emergency vehicles need easy access and exit spaces.

Disabled Access

The surgery has disabled parking facilities with easy access to the practice. A call button system is in place at Acle Medical Centre to enable patients who have difficulty with the doors to request assistance. Toilet facilities are also available.

Hearing Assistance

If you have a hearing impairment we have a number of audio loop systems. Please ask a member of staff if you would find this helpful.

Language Interpreter

Please ask a receptionist to book an interpreter who speaks your language. Your appointment time may be limited by the availability of this service.

Telephone Advice

Telephone Advice may include queries about a prescription, a test result, a hospital appointment, a referral, a form that needs to be completed or advice about a minor ailment.

If you only need advice from the doctor or nurse you can book a telephone consultation by calling the Surgery. You will be called back to discuss your problem. Please make sure you give the correct phone number to the receptionist.

Advice is also available from NHS Direct by telephoning 111 or from their website http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/.