APPOINTMENTS
Book an appointment online or book in person or via the telephone with one of our receptionists on 01728 602022 between 08:00 and 18:30, Monday to Friday.
Accessing our online facilities enables patients to book and cancel appointments, order repeat medication and update address information.
eConsults
Fill out a simple online form to get advice and treatment from one of our doctors within 48 hours. You can use eConsults for specific conditions, general symptoms or to request sick notes and other administrative help. Submit an eConsult.
Unable to keep an appointment?
Please let the surgery know if you are unable to keep your appointment, as we will try to offer it to another patient. You can cancel your appointments with the NHS App.
Do you use a Taxi Service to attend appointments?
Due to the unpredictable nature of General Practice, unfortunately there may be a delay in your appointment time. Therefore, please do not ask taxis to wait for you to attend your appointment.
Should you require assistance in phoning a taxi to collect you, our Front of House team will be happy to help.
Mobile phone text message appointment reminders
The Surgery offers a free appointment reminder service by text message, so please register for this by giving us your current mobile telephone number.
Making an appointment with your Doctor
Patients can request to see a particular GP although for continuity of care it is recommended patients normally see their usual doctor. Appointments to see a doctor are classified as routine or book on the day. The latter are used for conditions that are more urgent and cannot wait for a routine appointment.
Routine appointments
We ask that patients do not telephone to make routine appointments during the busy hours of the morning but ring in after 11.30am, Monday- Friday. Appointments can be made up to four weeks in advance. If you have more than one issue to discuss with your GP please ask for a longer appointment.
Book on the day appointments
If you request a ‘book on the day’ appointment during the early part of the morning you will be given an appointment that morning with either a GP as part of a ‘pool’ surgery or a Nurse Practitioner. Should an urgent request be made later in the day, you will be given an afternoon appointment with the duty doctor. These appointments are of 5-minutes duration, so there is only time for the urgent problem to be discussed.
Telephone appointments
If you would like a telephone appointment, please liaise with our reception team.
Making an appointment with a nurse
The nurses run routine treatment and clinic sessions. Appointments are all classified as routine unless a patient has to come into the surgery directly as the result of an accident. Patients can make appointments several weeks ahead.
Arriving for your appointment
On arrival at the surgery, please either report to a receptionist who will mark you in on the computerised appointment diary or you could try out our automated check in screen. When the clinician is ready to see you your name will appear on the screen in the corner of the waiting room. The screen will display the room number and the clinician you are seeing.
If you have vision problems or are hard of hearing, please tell a receptionist on arrival. We will ensure you do not miss your appointment.
We also use the calling screen to pass on information and messages. For example, if a doctor has been called out on an urgent visit.
Should you be unable to keep an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else.
GP+ Appointments
Suffolk GP+ is for people who urgently need a doctor’s appointment or are unable to see their GP during normal GP hours. Appointments can be made via Reception during our usual opening hours. Please note that patients cannot refer themselves to this service. The service is staffed by local Suffolk GPs and Nurse Practitioners in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Stowmarket, Leiston and Wickham Market and is an NHS service delivered by the Suffolk GP Federation. You will be given a booked appointment and will be seen by a suitable local GP or nurse who will have access to your medical records (once consent is given).
Telephone Advice
Our telephone system is very busy first thing in the morning, especially on Mondays. To help relieve this problem, calls to the surgery for test results, routine enquiries, or calls to dispensary should be made from 11.00 a.m. onwards. Our clinicians are happy to give advice over the telephone or offer a pre-booked telephone appointment. Please leave your contact details with our receptionists, along with an indication of your problem and a message will be left for the doctors or nurses attention. Telephone consultations are available for problems that can be dealt with by phone.
