How to Make an Appointment
We are now offering a new service called askmyGP, which makes it faster and easier for you to get help.
You can use a smartphone or any computer, enter your details and your problem, medical or any other question. You can name your own preferred GP. You can seek help for your child or someone you care for as long as the patient is registered with the practice.
If you telephone or visit the Surgery in person, Reception will need to ask you to send your request to see a doctor via askmyGP. The doctor will contact you by phone or email and book the appointment for you, as appropriate.
askmyGP saves you having to ring up, and there’s never a queue online. We normally respond within two hours, in working hours. Please click the link below to access:
Online Consultation
Information about your request today
Thank you for contacting the Surgery today, for help with a medical problem. This information will explain how we will help you.
If you are ill we will try to help you today.
If the GP thinks this is an urgent problem, the appointment will be today. But if the GP thinks that this is not urgent, the appointment will be within a week. If we need to physically examine you – to work out what is wrong with you – then we will give you a face-to-face appointment.
If the GP thinks we can treat you by talking to you on the telephone – then we will call you. Make sure your phone is on.
Or we can treat you by looking at a photo or document you sent us online, we will help you online. By using different appointment types, we are able to manage more patients than ever before; and we can make sure that we have enough face-to-face appointments available for people who need to be physically examined.
We will contact you. Make sure phone is on. Also keep a lookout for text messages, emails for AMGP communications.
If you are ill, we plan to call you by 6.00pm, unless we have told you the out of hours doctor will contact you.
If you are not ill but need something else (such as a sick note), this can take up to 5 days. We have received your request, and we are working on it. We usually complete non-clilnical requests in less than 5 days, so do not call for an update until 5 days later. Non-clinical administrative requests take longer (up to 20 working days).
It is not always a doctor who will help you. In addition to GPs, we have 2 Nurse Practitioners, 2 Nurses, a team of Clinical Pharmacists and 3 Pharmacy Technicians. These clinicians are called Allied Heathcare Professionals. Each of these clinicians has different skills. We will make sure that you see the best one to help you. If the Allied Healthcare Professional cannot help you, then they will call the GP over to help.
We are a teaching practice. We teach GPs. If you are asked to see one of the learners, please do not worry. You will get a long consultation allowing you to discuss everything in detail. At the end, a Senior GP will review everything and make sure you received high-quality care.
Always use askmyGP to make requests. Our online platform is open from Monday to Friday. It is easy to use and saves you time. When you telephone the Surgery, you have to speak to a receptionist, but with askmyGP, your message goes directly to a GP Assistant.
Who do I see?
For information on how best to be seen at the Surgery, select the service or condition you require.
Home Visits
It is clinically better for you to be seen at the surgery where we have better facilities, diagnostic aids and lighting to assess you; we work closely with Ealing Community Transport to bring patients to the surgery where possible.
Home visits are ONLY for housebound patients and for those too ill to attend the surgery; home visits are not for those who do not have transport.
If you need a home visit please contact the surgery as early as possible in the morning via askmyGP.
A nurse or a doctor may call you back for more information and confirm whether a home visit is appropriate depending on the urgency of your needs.
Making the Best of Your Appointment
- Prepare your thoughts and problems in advance by writing down your problem e.g: When your symptoms started, how they have changed.
- Do a urine sample if you have pain passing urine or lower abdominal pain.
- Do not try to add another person in on your consultation. Let reception know you need another appointment for this individual or prioritise who needs the appointment more.
- Be honest with the doctor. It is important to tell the doctor the main reason you are there at the start of the consultation. If you are embarrassed, don’t be, the doctor is there to help and won’t be shocked.
- If you have more than one problem please let reception know and they will try and get you a longer appointment if possible. Otherwise, let your doctor know at the beginning of your consultation. They may be able to deal with more than one problem if they are related. However, your doctor may make you another appointment for your other problems, especially if they are new or complex problems.
- If you have any special needs please inform reception in advance so we can prepare the appointment for you first time (e.g. need an interpreter, visual impairment, hearing impairment, prefer male/female doctor etc..)
- If you know you have difficulty understanding or explaining things, bring someone you trust with you or if you require an advocate, see the NHS choices advocacy services for further guidance.
- Dress accordingly for possible examination. Loose clothing is best and remove any layers in advance.
- Please let reception know if you would like a chaperone.
A consultation is about sharing in decisions about your care and goals, to make a good consultation you should let your doctor know about your goals, hopes, fears and expectations; this is why doctors ask you for YOUR thoughts.
At the end of a consultation you should know:
- What is your main problem.
- What do you need to do about it.
- What to do if it does not get any better.
Useful Links
NHS Choices – Get the most from a doctor’s appointment
Cancelling your Appointments
We do understand that sometimes you may forget your appointment, or that other important life incidents happen and that you sometimes no longer need the appointment.
We do ask that if you cannot attend your appointment, please cancel it or notify the practice why you did not attend at your earliest convenience.
We have a large number of people who do not attend their appointments every single week leading to wasted doctor and nurse time, leading to delays in you being able to get an appointment.
You can telephone us on 020 8567 2111 and speak to someone on Reception or cancel via SystmOnline, or come in and speak to Reception.
Please let us know well in advance if you cannot make your appointment so that it may be allocated to another patient.