Book Appointments

Our Appointment Procedure

Spare a Thought
Please remember your appointment is only for 10 minutes. Whilst the doctor has your best interest at heart, he/she cannot properly deal with a whole list of concerns in such a short time. The doctor may therefore have to prioritise your concerns and ask you to make a subsequent appointment. Please spare a thought for those patients after you, who are waiting for their own appointment. Also please spare a thought for the reception staff who try their best to help you.

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Do I Need to Be Seen?

For a lot of common illnesses from which we all suffer, there is no specific cure and they will be relieved with time and simple remedies available without prescription.

Therefore, please do not expect your doctor to prescribe a drug for every problem. Discussion and advice may be far more useful and free from side effects.

The NHS website and Patient.co.uk are two excellent websites you can use free of charge.

They have powerful search functions so you can find what you need quickly.

We also have lots of advice via our website

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Speak to a Pharmacist

Your pharmacy can advise you on minor illness without the need of an appointment. Please speak to a pharmacist first.

Pharmacy Logo

Pharmacy & Self-Care

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can offer clinical advice, over the counter medicines and their use, to effectively and safely manage a range of minor health concerns. They can also help you to decide whether you'll need to see a doctor. You don't need an appointment and you won't even be asked to make a purchase. Every pharmacy also has a private consultation area for you to talk about your symptoms in private if you prefer.

FIND A PHARMACY

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Book an Appointment

The easiest way to book an appointment is to complete an econsult

This will allow you to see the right healthcare professional and avoids you having to wait on the phone. Complete an econsult here

Other Ways To Book An Appointment 

What can we offer on the day?

  • Same day telephone consultations
  • Daily Practitioner Lead Minor Illness clinics
  • Same day GP appointments

The following can be booked in advance:

  • Treatment Room Appointments
  • Phlebotomy
  • Chronic Disease Reviews
  • Family Planning Appointments/smears
  • GP appointments (up to 3 weeks in advance)
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Improved Access

GP and nurse appointments are now available during the evening and at the weekend for people across West Sussex.

  • This means that urgent appointments are available up to 20:00 during the week, and during clinics on a Saturday and Sunday.
  • This aims to improve access to GP appointments and help local people to get the help and support they need.
  • The service is run by Innovations in Primary Care (IPC), a not-for-profit company owned by local GP practices.
  • The appointments will be available at local GP access hubs, run from GP surgeries, and they will be both routine and urgent appointments with a doctor, nurse or healthcare professional.
  • The teams will see new illnesses when you urgently need to see a health professional, and offer planned appointments such as family planning and smear tests that can be hard to arrange whilst at work or when you are caring for family or a loved one.
  • IPC has been running the GPAH clinics for the last three years, which has offered a very similar service, offering help for ‘Minor Injury Assessment & Minor Illnesses’.
  • These clinics have been successful and helped local people to access the help they need outside of normal opening times.
  • We hope that this roll out of the hubs across the whole of Coastal West Sussex will mean that all patients registered with a GP practice in our area can benefit.
  • You book into the GP access hubs via your normal GP practice, and you may be offered an appointment at one of the hubs at the weekend if you call NHS 111 for urgent health advice and support. The hubs may be at your GP practice or they may be at a neighbouring GP practice locally in the community around you.
  • The teams will have access to your medical records with your consent, and any care they provide will be added to your notes so your GP practice can continue any ongoing care.
  • Patients can book into these appointments by calling your registered GP practice in the normal way, and they will be able to access the booking system and make sure you receive the help and support you need.
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Home Visits

A member of the healthcare team may decide to visit those patients that need it at home.

Please request a home visit before 10am if possible, giving the receptionist some idea of why you cannot come to the surgery. This makes it possible for the doctor to assess the necessity and urgency of your case and plan their rounds.

It is better to see the doctor at the surgery; you will usually be seen more quickly this way and at the surgery it is often possible to carry out tests and investigations which cannot be done at home. It does no harm to bring a child with a temperature to the surgery, and we have facilities to separate infectious patients from others waiting to be seen.

Telephone numbers for appointments and home visits 01243 265222

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Cancellations

If you need to cancel an appointment – please do it as soon as possible so we can offer it to someone else.

Either phone us on 01243 265222 or do it online using SystmOnline or via the NHS App.

We would much prefer to cancel an appointment (so someone else can use it) than waste it, so please let us know! Sadly each week about 60 appointments are wasted in this way.

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Life Threatening - Go to A&E

If you or someone you know has a life-threatening condition, such as loss of consciousness, a sudden confused state, chest pain, breathing difficulties etc, you should call 999

In an EMERGENCY call 999.
Emergencies are situations that cannot be managed at home and may be life threatening

How You Can Help Us

The telephone lines and receptionists will be very busy from 8.30am and 10.30am therefore

Please…….

  • Do not telephone on a Monday morning for a follow-up routine appointment, as this is the busiest day.
  • Do not telephone before 10.30am for routine queries
  • Phone after 2pm for any results
  • Please make requests for home visit before 10.00am wherever possible.
  • Let the surgery know as soon as possible if you no longer need your appointment
  • Use the prescription box to post your repeat prescription requests rather than hand in at the desk
  • Remember that we require five working days to process your repeat prescription.
  • Check your supplies of your regular medication and try not to run out
  • Only order what repeat medications you really need
  • Use NHS 111 for 24 hour advice and for when the surgery is closed.
  • Use a chemist (if appropriate), the Pharmacist is qualified to give advice for everyday illnesses, from stomach upsets, to coughs, colds and sore throats.