Alcluith Medical Practice - How to make an appointment to see your doctor or nurse at the surgery

Appointments

Ring the reception on 01389 811 811 to book an appointment.

Urgent cases are seen on the day, we also keep on the day appointments that are available from 8.30am. We ask patients to phone between 8.30am and 9.00 am for appointments on the day. If you telephone out with these hours we may not be able to offer you an appointment on that day unless it is medically urgent. If there are no available appointments on that particular day and your condition is non urgent you will be asked to phone the following day.

If your condition is non urgent and you want to see a particular GP you may have to wait longer. Nurses based in our practice treat patients for a wide range of common conditions.

Let us know if more than one person in the family needs to be seen. We can give you a longer appointment if necessary.

Please always let the surgery know if you cannot keep an appointment. Failure to attend appointments with out cancellation may result in warning letters and ultimately patients being taken off the practice.

In keeping with Government guidelines we are working towards an appointment

system that allows access to a doctor or nurse within 48hrs. In times of high demand we may not be able to meet this, however we guarantee to anyone an appointment on the day if the patient considers this to be a necessary.

Consulting Time (By Appointment Only)

GPs – Monday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday 8.30am —12.15pm / 2.30pm – 5.20pm. On two Tuesdays per month we have bookable appointments until 7.00pm, this is to help accommodate patients who perhaps cannot come within our regular opening hours.

We have a range of appointments, pre-bookable appointments, on the day appointments and urgent appointments.

Practice Nurse Sister Elaine Ponton is available Thursday from 8.30am until 1.00pm.

If you require telephone advice, you should leave a message with the reception staff and the Practice Nurse or GP will return your call when surgery is over.

Telephone Advice

A doctor or nurse is available to give advice after the morning surgery. You will be asked to leave your name, telephone number and the nature of your request and the doctor, nurse or reception staff will ring you back.

Obtaining Test Results

The practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. We will only release test results to the person to whom they relate until that person has given prior permission for the release of the results or they are not capable of understanding the results. Please allow 4-5 working days before phoning for your result.

Medical Certificates

A doctor’s medical certificate is not required for any illness lasting a week or less. If you are off work for 7 days or less you should fill in a self-certificate in the first week.

Home Visits

Doctor's bag If possible please try to telephone reception before 10:00 if you require a home visit.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

NHS Minor Ailment Service at your Community Pharmacy

A service for people who do not pay prescription charges.

You can now register with the community pharmacy of your choice and you will be able to get advice and free treatment for minor illnesses and ailments such as:

Acne
Athletes Foot
Head Lice
Back Ache
Indigestion
Cold Sores
Mouth Ulcers
Constipation
Nasal Congestion
Cough
Pain
Diarrhoea
Period Pain
Ear Ache
Thrush
Eczema and Allergies
Sore Throat
Haemorrhoids (Piles)
Thread Worms
Hay Fever
Warts and Verrucae
Headache

If your pharmacist feels that it would be better for you to see your GP then they may refer you directly or tell you to make an appointment with your GP.

For more information Telephone 0800 22 44 88 (calls are free) or contact your local community pharmacy.

Remember

You can treat many minor ailments such as colds, coughs and indigestion by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home.

Paracetamol and aspirin (children under 16 and people with asthma should not take aspirin)
Paracetamol mixture for your children.
Mild laxatives
Anti diarrhoea medicines
Re-hydration mixture
Indigestion remedy (for example antacids)
Travel sickness tablets
Sunscreen – SPF 15 or higher
Sunburn treatment (for example calamine)
Tweezers
A thermometer
A selection of plasters, non-absorbent cotton wool, elastic bandages and dressings

Keep the medicine chest in a secure, locked place out of reach of small children.

Always read the instructions and use the suggested dose.

Watch expiry dates – do not keep medicines past their sell-by date.

Take all unwanted and out of date medicines back to the pharmacy

Remember that your local chemist can give your advice about medicines.

Only use this application if you have been given permission from GP or practice staff.

https://nhsattend.vc/gp85032

See below for instructions of how to use attend anywhere.

Video Consultation

Have you been asked to email us photos?

Here is our 10 step guide for taking the most helpful photos for our clinicians.

1. Use best quality phone (or digital) camera you have- the higher the megapixels the better.

2. When taking photos take several then edit.

3. Make sure skin area is well lit.

4. Try to always orientate the photos such that person’s head at top of image.

5. Take a photo from a distance so that the lesion or rash has context (e.g. the whole of person’s back) then a mid-close up with an anatomical marker (e.g. navel).

6. For close-up photos of lesion (e.g. a mole) try to take from 20cm away from skin- take two images from different angles keeping the lesion in centre of image.

7. Place a ruler or tape next to lesion (if possible) so we have a sense of its size.

8. If possible, place a solid neutral colour (e.g. a towel) in background.

9. Disregard any poor images (e.g. out of focus), send only the best ones.

10. You can send as JPEG or whatever format your phone/camera uses.

Please only send pictures if you have been requested to do so.

ggc.gp85032clinical@nhs.scot

Thank you for sharing your photograph. We will store this in your records held on our clinical system and nowhere else. We will not share this image with anyone other than with other clinicians directly involved in your care for any reason.

thank you for sharing your photograph. We will store this in your records held on our clinical system and nowhere else. We will not share this image with anyone other than with other clinicians directly involved in your care for any reason.