Birchwood Medical Practice is pleased to advise we are offering telephone, face to face and e-Consult appointments. We completed a survey in 2022 and patient feedback is a preference for a mix of all of these types rather than one specific type of appointment. Should the appointment type you require not be available, please ask the team member to make a request to the GP to convert it to either telephone/face to face. This will not always be available but we will do our best to accommodate where possible.
Demand for appointments is unprecedented and the wait for a routine appointment is longer than we experienced pre-pandemic.
If we cannot offer you an appointment when you call please be aware that we release appointments at 8am daily and you can book these in person at the practice or over the telephone. You may also wish to use our e-Consult service where we aim to respond by close of play the next working day with an initial response. You may also contact NHS 111 who can liaise with us if they assess you and determine a GP appointment is the appropriate next step.
Our contract requires us to ensure we provide access to appointments in a variety of ways (in person/over the phone/digital consultations) and we allocate slots to each of these areas. If you phone us and we have no pre-bookable appointments you can still use the other access methods (digital/in person) where appointments may still be available.
Please do not be offended when you are asked about the symptoms you are experiencing. Our team are trained by our GPs to document your answers, maintain confidentiality and follow strict protocols to navigate you to the appropriate care provider. You may be directed to a pharmacist, physiotherapist, nurse, GP, social prescriber, mental health support worker or a community pharmacy. There may be occasions where self care and over the counter treatments are the most appropriate way forward. Where you submit a digital consultation and we share your information with a community pharmacist, we will only share what is necessary to provide your care as is lawfully permitted by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Here are some tips to make the most of your appointment.
One problem – The Doctor may not be able to deal with all problems in one visit. The clinician has only 15 minutes to help you so please be concise and please do not be offended if you are asked to make a further appointment(s). It is important the clinician investigates each concern thoroughly which can take more than one x 15 minute appointment.
Please make a separate appointment for each family member – Please do not ask a clinician to review someone who is not scheduled for the appointment.
Talk about the most important thing first- It is best to talk about the most important problem first, even if it is the most embarrassing or worrying, Write everything down before hand if necessary.
Is this your first visit to the practice? – Please bring a list of medication you are currently taking.
If you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask again – The clinician can explain what has been said or any words you did not understand. We can arrange translators and sign language where needed.
Ask a friend or family member to come with you – If you would like. You can also ask for a chaperone
Make sure you know what happens next – You may be asked to book a follow up appointment, be referred to a consultant or for further tests. Make sure you know if you need to do anything and write it down if necessary.
If you are late – you may not been seen. Please allow plenty of time when travelling to the Health Centre, and, if driving, parking your car.
Zero tolerance – Please be respectful to other patients and staff when attending the practice .Disruptive or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. About Birchwood Medical Practice – Birchwood Medical Practice (birchwoodbristol.nhs.uk)
Note – Patients should see their Dentist for problems with teeth or gums. If you are not registered with a dentist and have a dental emergency (pain, swelling, trauma or bleeding)please call NHS 111.
For repeat prescription requests you can request via the following routes:
· Digitally via the NHS App
· Speak to your pharmacist who can make these requests to us on your behalf
· Come into the practice and request at Reception
· Pop a note through our letterbox with your request
If you have spoken to a GP or other clinician and they assess that you need to be seen face to face, please rest assured you will be seen in person where clinically necessary.
If you are NOT registered with a GP at the moment we can still accept your registration request digitally – please click here to access the online registration process.
We are experiencing high demand as patients who would usually be seen by a hospital outpatients department are experiencing long waiting times so they must continue to be seen in general practice whilst they wait. Our phone lines are busy – but we will respond.
Also, you can contact us digitally for routine clinical issues and admin queries including sick notes using our digital consultation service available on our home page.