Appointment Process
However you contact us, your request will be triaged by a trained Care Navigator, supervised by a GP. This means that:
- Your request will be assigned to the clinical or administration team;
- Your request will be categorised into routine or urgent priority; and
- Your request will be allocated to the most appropriate healthcare professional for your condition (this may be a GP, Nurse or other specialist clinician).
This will ensure your needs are met in the fastest and most efficient manner.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that all your personal information is handled with the utmost confidentiality and care.
Urgent appointments
During our core opening hours of 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday, to request an urgent appointment:
- Submit an eConsult here – this is the fastest method of obtaining an appointment.
If you are unable to submit an eConsult:
- phone us on 01359 240 298 or visit the Health Centre and a Care Navigator will complete on your behalf.
Routine appointments
During our core opening hours of 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday, to request an urgent appointment:
- Submit an eConsult here – this is the fastest method of obtaining an appointment.
If you are unable to submit an eConsult:
- phone us on 01359 240 298 or visit the Health Centre and a Care Navigator will complete on your behalf.
During our core hours of 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday, to request a routine appointment:
- Submit an eConsult here – this is the fastest method of obtaining an appointment.
If you are unable to submit an eConsult:
- phone us on 01359 240 298 or visit the Health Centre and speak with a Care Navigator at Reception;
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) to book a screening test or vaccination; or
- use your Patient Access account.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone;
- face to face at the Health Centre;
- on a video call; or
- by text or email.
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App);
- reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message; or
- phone us on 01359 240 298, Monday to Friday from 8am – 6.30pm.
Non-urgent advice: If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if you would prefer to consult with the healthcare professional by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email;
- if you need an Interpreter;
- if you would like a Chaperone; or
- if you have any other access or communication needs.
Home visits
If you are housebound and need to consult a healthcare professional, where possible submit an eConsult here. If you are unable to do so, please telephone the Health Centre as early as possible.
Your request may be passed to a healthcare professional to decide if a visit is possible/necessary. If it is not possible to offer a home visit then the healthcare professional may ring you back to offer you an appointment at the Health Centre, or deal with your condition over the phone.
We are afraid we can only offer home visits to housebound patients who are physically unable to leave their home long-term. It is in general safer and quicker for patients to be seen at Woolpit Health Centre as we have more equipment and support available.
Please remember that in the time that it takes to make one home visit, several patients could be seen in the Health Centre.