Appointments

 

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

 

Alternatives to Visiting the Surgery

In many cases you may not need to see your GP or visit the surgery.

Please see our Alternatives to Visiting the Surgery page using the link below to check before booking an Appointment.

ALTERNATIVES TO VISITING THE SURGERY

Oak Tree Health Centre has a total triage system in place.

Our patients provide the required information – and are triaged by a medical professional – before any appointment is booked. This enables a GP surgery to meet patients' needs outside of appointments and prioritise their limited capacity to support those most in need of care.

Traditional ways to contact your GP often meant that appointments were being given on a first come first served basis with long phone queues to get through to the surgery on the phone. This meant that vulnerable patients or those who needed care sooner were missing out. This will enable you to avoid the queue on the phone.

By registering all requests through an online form, we are able to prioritise and action requests quickly and fairly, ensuring you get the right level of care at the right place and the right time.

 

How can I contact my GP?

The quickest way to contact your surgery with medical or administrative queries is by:

  1. Requesting an appointment online
  2. Downloading the NHS app
 

What if I don’t have a smartphone or can’t use the internet?

You can still telephone the surgery on 01235 810099 or visit in person.

Our patient advisors will ask questions about your request and fill out the online form on your behalf.

The surgery team will then assess your request and will be back in touch with next steps.

All requests will be assessed as soon as possible and in the same way regardless of how you contacted the surgery.

 

What happens once I have submitted my request?

We will use the information you have provided to ensure that you are given the most appropriate care. We may send you a text message containing a link to provide more information if needed. 

If an appointment is required, we may send you an appointment booking link via text message, or arrange this over the phone. 

If there is a faster or more appropriate route to care, such as being asked to go to your local pharmacy or being referred to another service, you may be offered this.

 

Missed Appointments

We know people forget things, cancelling GP appointments being one of them. Remember to cancel your appointment if you don't need it.

Ways to Cancel

  1. Telephone: 01235 810099
  2. Cancel using our online service
  3. Cancel via the NHS app