Appointments

Chaperones

You are very welcome to have a trained chaperone at any time during your appointment. If you know you would like a chaperone please do ask when you arrive at Reception.

Elmbrook Surgery Opening Times - 020 8644 9948

Monday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Tuesday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Wednesday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Thursday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Friday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed

• Late night opening for booked appointments only Monday: 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Parkside Surgery Opening Times - 020 8770 7820

Monday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Tuesday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Wednesday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Thursday	8.00am - 6.30pm
Friday	8.00am- 6.30pm
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed

• Late night opening for booked appointments only Monday: 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Some doctors’ and nurses’ clinics are run at other times, at both surgeries, during the week. Please ask at reception for details.

All of the above times are subject to change at short notice.

Text messaging

If you would like to receive appointment reminders and other important information on your mobile phone please make sure that we have your correct number. 

Guide to our Appointment Booking System

Due to a high demand for appointments, we operate a variety of appointments to provide as greater choice to patients as possible‘. Appointments are available:

• up to 6 weeks in advance, at reception or Online. (Please contact reception for secure login details);
  Please be aware that the practice cannot be responsible when booking appointments for appointments booked into inappropriate clinics. Some services and procedures, travel, childhood vaccinations etc  require specific training and are only available at set times, and from certain GP’s or Nurses. If in doubt please contact reception on your usual number.
• to book ‘on the day’ through reception for patients who need to be seen as soon as possible. Contact the surgery as near to 8.00am as possible;
• If all our appointments have gone for the day, you will be advised if we are running a come and wait 'one urgent problem clinic'.
  

Book in Advance/Routine/Follow Up Appointments

If you would like to see a doctor in a non-urgent capacity, we advise that you ‘pre-book’ your appointment well before required. You may book these appointments any time up to 28 days in advance. Due to demand early booking is advisable.

Nurse Practitioner Appointments

A nurse practitioner is a nurse who is qualified to examine, diagnose and manage patients illnesses.

They are able to consult and write prescriptions or referrals for you in the same way as a GP, yet they also have all the practical skills of their nurse training.

If you need a doctor’s consultation you could see the Nurse Practitioner.

We have a superb Nurse Practitioner: Sandra Swinfield at Gander Green Lane.

Our Nurse Practitioner works closely with a Partner as their mentor and guide so they continue to update their skills. They are a huge asset to our team, as you will discover when you meet them, and greatly ease the workload of the doctors
Book on the day/Urgent Appointments

If you need to consult with your doctor urgently for something that cannot wait until the next advanced booking appointment, you may request an appointment on the same day. You may see your own doctor, or if he/she is not available you may see another doctor or Nurse Practitioner.

One Urgent Problem Clinic

The clinic may be available when all the appointments have gone; this is for one urgent problem only that cannot wait for an appointment the following day.

A preferred GP or Nurse Practitioner is not available at this clinic. You will only be seen for one problem.

Appointments with a Specific GP

You are able to request an appointment with a particular GP of your choice. If this request is in a non-urgent capacity, we advise that you pre-book your appointment as detailed above. If the request is urgent, you may ask for an appointment on the day but please be aware that if that particular GP is unavailable or fully booked, you will be offered an appointment with the next available doctor, or Nurse Practitioner).

Telephone Appointments

You may request the GP or Nurse Practitioner to phone you if you feel that your problem can be dealt with over the phone.

Home Visits

Home visits will only be provided if your condition prevents you from travelling to the surgery. You may request a visit through reception who will submit the request to the GP. Your doctor will telephone you in the first instance and will visit if appropriate.

Please could you telephone by 10.30am for a visit that day. Unfortunately specific GP’s or Nurse Practitioners cannot be requested for visits.

Nurse Appointments

We strongly advise that you book appointments with a nurse as early as possible as they tend to get booked quite quickly. Some appointments need to be booked in to fit in with your current treatment. For example; the contraceptive injection, smears, dressings etc.

To accommodate these types of appointments, we offer some pre - bookable slots with our nurses at the beginning of the morning and some afternoon surgeries.

Our nurse appointment times vary in length depending on the type of consultation. The receptionists need to have an idea what the appointment is for so that they can allocate the right amount of time for you.

Travel Advice

Cheam Family Practice offers a basic travel service to registered patients. Nurses offer advice and administer vaccinations where appropriate. The travel appointment must be a minimum of 4 weeks before your travel date, though we strongly advise that you book well in advance to be sure appointments are available.

Please note when making your travel arrangements that there is a global shortage of Hep A and Hep B vaccinations.

A full travel needs assessment is taken that covers each patients individual itinerary and also their individual medical history. It is practice policy that vaccinations are not given in isolation to this assessment and so if a patient has complex travel plans or when time is short (i.e under 4 weeks to travel) patients are advised to seek specialist travel advice at a private travel clinic, below are a few that can be contacted:

www.masta-travel-health.com	Find your Local Clinic Online: Tel: 0330 100 4174 (Gatwick Travel Clinic)
www.surreytravelclinic.co.uk	Tel: 01737 366221

Blood Testing

We now run a phlebotomy service at the surgery. This runs in the mornings on Tuesdays and Fridays in Cheam Village and Thursdays and Fridays at Gander Green Lane by appointment only. Please remember to bring your blood form with you to your appointment and let reception know when you arrive in the normal way. We ask that you remove coats/jackets when you arrive please.

Extended Hours

In January 2009 we introduced our extended opening hours. This means that on Mondays you may see a doctor outside of the normal opening hours from 6.30pm. These appointments are available to be pre- booked through reception and on-line.

Problems of Delay

We try to keep to our appointment times. However some consultations might take longer than expected and the doctor may be delayed. We do ask you to be understanding when this happens. It will always be because it is unavoidable and not through inefficiency or lack of respect for your own valuable time.

Please book a double appointment if you have more than one medical problem to discuss.  

Missed Appointments

Please remember to cancel your appointment if you no longer need it. Last month we had 155 DNAs (Did not attend).