How Do I...
Make An Appointment?

Same-day Appointments
If you or a relative has an urgent medical situation which needs to be seen on the same day, please ring as early as possible after 8.15am and the receptionist will direct your request. In some circumstances the morning 'walk in' clinic may be suitable.

Children under 10 years who are poorly and patients who do not require an appointment with a specifically named doctor will be given a same-day appointment immediately by the receptionist.

Advance Booking
Please call after 11.00am if possible to book an appointment in advance. These appointments are made available for booking one week in advance at Carlton Surgery and two weeks in advance at Rutland Lodge. All the doctors work at both sites but some doctors are part time. If you wish to make an appointment to see a specific doctor you may have to wait longer than if you are happy to see whichever doctor or nurse practitioner is available.

Early Morning/Evening Appointments
If you work full time, we run early morning and early evening appointments on Tuesday and Thursday at Rutland Lodge. It would be very helpful if patients who are able to attend surgeries during the day did so, leaving these appointments for those who are at work all day.
Please note: the arrangements for managing appointments may vary from time to time in order to meet changes in demand.

Telephone Consultation/Triage
The triage system runs from 10.30 – 11.30am. Please ensure that you will be available to answer the doctor’s call on the telephone number you leave. The duty doctor will ring you back and will arrange an appointment for you either with a doctor or nurse practitioner, organise a prescription for you to collect or give advice.
The triage service is not available for repeat prescriptions or the issuing of 'fit to work' notes which should be ordered at the reception desk as usual.

Temporary And Emergency Care
The practice will accept as a ‘one off’ registration any patient requiring immediate GP attention. If there is a true medical emergency utilise the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital.

How Do I...
Cancel An Appointment?

If you have tried and failed to obtain an appointment when you wanted it, you may be disappointed to hear that many patients book appointments and then fail to turn up.

This is a waste of staff time and adversely affects other patients.

PLEASE cancel any appointment you do not intend to keep, preferably 24 hours in advance, so we can offer it to another patient.

Your attention is drawn to the practice's cancellations policy in this regard.

How Do I...
Obtain A Home Visit?

If you or your relative is too ill or frail to attend surgery please telephone us before 10.30am whenever possible to request a home visit request. The duty doctor will ring you back to establish the urgency of the situation and give immediate advice. Home visits are generally done after morning surgery.

How Do I...
Obtain Test Results?

Ring the practice between 11.00am - 3.00pm for the results of tests or investigations. If we took the blood or sample at the practice, please give us at least 7-10 days to get the results. If the tests were taken at the hospital it may take much longer.

If urgent action is needed on the test results, you will be contacted as soon as possible.

Cervical smear and mammography results are notified to you by letter and may take as long as eight weeks to arrive. Patient support staff/receptionists are NOT PERMITTED to tell patients the results of their tests until the doctor has viewed them.

How Do I...
Requests A Health-Check Consultation?

Any patient aged 16 to 75 who has not been seen by a doctor within three years has the right to request a health check.

Any patient aged 75+ who has not been seen within 12 months has the same right and, where necessary, may have the check done at home.