Appointments

PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLINE APPOINTMENTS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED

Consultations are by appointment only, Monday to Friday. You are free to see any doctor in the practice. Patients with urgent appointments will either be seen at a same day appointment or assessed by the duty doctor, initially by phone. 

There are two methods for making an appointment:

• Telephoning the surgery on telephone number 0131 561 1900. You are free to consult with any doctor in the practice. Please make a separate appointment for each person wishing to see the doctor. If you are unable to keep an appointment please contact the receptionist to cancel it as soon as possible. Most appointments are for 10 minutes. You can also make telephone appointments to speak to a doctor for 5 minutes, bookable in advance. The doctor will call at the booked time and can deal with issues that do not require face to face consultation or examination.
• Online Appointments - Patient Access  - book non-urgent appointments with our GPs using a secure 24-hour online system called Patient Access. After initial registration, this system allows patients to book, cancel or check appointments on the web, whatever the time of day and be sent immediate confirmation of the booking.

Online Service (Patient Access) - Getting Started

It will be necessary initially for you to register to use the secure internet appointment booking facility. Ask the receptionist for a registration form (one registration form for each adult and child, 6 years and over, in the household) which provides the information you need to register to use the internet facility.

Once the registration process is complete, you can log on to Patient Access using your login details and password, and be able to view appointments you have already made, cancel them if necessary, and book an appointment with your doctor after checking the times available.

This system is fully encrypted ensuring access to a remote highly secure site managed by EMIS, not at the practice, so there is no possibility of unauthorised access to clinical data.

Medical Education

This is a training practice and each year we have a fully qualified doctor attached to us to gain experience in general practice. Most of the partners also teach medical students and occasionally you may be asked whether you are willing to see your doctor in the presence of a student.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:00. In the case of urgent problems during evenings, nights and weekends, please telephone the NHS 24 telephone service on telephone number: 111. Website: www.nhs24.com

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

NHS Pharmacy First

NHS Pharmacy First is an NHS service which is provided by your local community pharmacy.

If you have a minor illness your Pharmacy is the first place you should go for advice. You do not need an appointment and can go to any community pharmacy. You can use the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland if you are registered with a GP in Scotland or you live in Scotland.

 Your pharmacist can give you advice for a minor illness and medicine if they think you need it. Pharmacists, like GP’s, can only provide certain medicines on the NHS. If you want a specific medicine or product you may need to buy it.

 If your pharmacist thinks it is better for you to see your GP they may refer you.

The pharmacist will ask you about your symptoms; give you advice on your condition; provide medication (if you need it); refer you to another health professional if they think this is necessary.

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How can you local pharmacy help you? - Video  - Click here

When to visit pharmacy first - Video  - Click here

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For further information contact:

Your local pharmacy or

NHS Inform helpline (0800 224488) (calls from a landline are free) or  www.nhsinform.scot

Pharmacy can provide advice on symptoms. Pharmacists can also provide treatments for some conditions included those listed below, or can refer to GP if appropriate.

Acne  Athletes Foot  Allergies  Backache  Blocked or runny nose 

Cold sores  Constipation  Cough  Cystitis (in women)  Diarrhoea  Earache

Eczema  Headache  Head Lice  Haemorrhoids (piles)  Hay fever 

Impetigo (aged >2 years)  Indigestion  Mouth ulcers  Pain  Period pain        

Sore throat  Threadworms  Thrush  Warts  Verrucas  Smoking Cessation 

Emergency contraception  Sore throats for less than 3 days

UTI (Women age 16-25)  Conjunctivitis (aged over 1)

also now Shingles and Skin Infections

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Video Consultations

We are offering video consultations to a small number of already triaged patients (those who we have already phoned) and some consultations with other healthcare professionals (such as the practice physiotherapist).

Please only follow these instructions if you have been given an appointment for a video consultation.

You need to test your system a few minutes before the consultation and then you will be directed to a 'waiting room' until the clinician is available. 

This leaflet will explain the process and give you the link you need. Please read this document.

Patient Information Leaflet

If you are not seen within 10 minutes of you consultation please ring reception to make sure we are aware you are waiting.