Appointments
Who do I see?
Appointments
We offer different types of appointments to ensure our patients needs are met, delivering telephone, face to face and on-line consultations. We operate a full triage system.
If you have a need for an appointment
you can either call the surgery or contact us via e-consult using this link,
Consult Online from Home – South Street Surgery (webgp.com) this is our preferred method of contact for non urgent appointments and requests for advice as it enables us to obtain relevant information about your symptoms and to ensure your care is managed in the right time frame by the right person. Please select the option which best matches your symptoms and you will be guided though a series of questions. You can also access e-consult via the NHS app
NHS App and your NHS account – NHSIf calling you will be asked a few simple questions by our reception team, your request and details are then added to the triage system to be triaged alongside the on-line requests. Our clinical team review all clinical requests and will then decide on the best type of appointment to meet your needs. We will respond to you on the same day acknowledging your request. Our reception team do not make any clinical decisions about your care. Once your request has been triaged:
You may be called by a GP on the same day to discuss your symptoms
You may be called by the reception team to book a face to face appointment this may be on the same day if you have an urgent need, within a few days or a routine appointment based on your clinical needs.
You may get a response via the e-consult system or on a text message advising you of the next steps
We provide face to face appointments for those patients where face to face assessment is the best method to deliver the care they need. We appreciate that some patients for a variety of reasons would prefer their care to be face to face, please let us know if this is the case. Others find telephone consultations and digital options more convenient and enables them to access the care they need. Please let us know your preference on the on-line form or on your call to the practice.
Urgent appointments
For urgent appointments please telephone the practice and you will be added to the triage list and flagged as urgent. The e-consult system will also flag urgent symptoms so that your request is prioritised by the triaging doctor.
Opening Times
Telephone lines are open between 8.00am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and the main surgery telephone number is 01279 465700. We operate a menu telephone system and when you call you will be asked to select the appropriate number on your keypad. We also offer a call back service if you use this service you will be called back at your place in the queue.
Consultation Time
The standard time for a consultation with a Doctor is 10 minutes which is generally for one problem. If you feel that your problem is more complex or you wish to discuss a number of medical issues please request a double appointment at the time of booking.
Evening and Weekend Appointments
We offer some GP and nurse appointments on a Monday evening and a Saturday morning, as part of an ‘extended access’ service for patients registered at practices in Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and the surrounding areas ( Stort Valley and Villages PCN).
You can book appointments to see a GP or Nurse on a Monday evening between 6.30pm and 8.30pm and on a Saturday morning 8.00am – 11.00am. Appointments are booked in advance please advise us when you request your appointment if you would prefer an appointment during these times.
PCN Same Day Clinic
Appointments are offered Monday – Friday in the afternoon in our PCN same day clinic which is available to all practice in Stort Valley and Villages PCN. These appointments are for minor illness conditions which require a same day assessment such as earaches and sore throats. You may be triaged to an appointment in one of these clinics.
Cancellations
If you are unable to attend your appointment please call 01279 465700 option 1 then option 1 to cancel your appointment. We please ask for patients to cancel their appointment as soon as possible as other patients may need the appointment.
Out of Hours
If you require urgent medical assistance which cannot wait until the surgery re-opens, please call the 111 service by simply dialling 111. Calls to the NHS 111 service are free from both landlines and mobiles.
