Appointments

Online Consult

Getting clinically approved advice when you need it.

We know that you dont just need medical support during practice hours and that you may need advice at any time of day. Online Consult gives you access to a wealth of health advice, self-care tips and information on your next steps. Plus, you can submit request forms directly to your GP for review if you need further guidance.

Why use Online Consult?

Accurate medical advice: Receive tailored advice and information based on your symptoms.
Less time on the phone: Submit your form online so you spend less time waiting in phone queues.
Clinically approved information: All the advice and information available through Online Consult is clinically approved and provided by medical professionals.

Using Online Consult

Step 1

Visit our practice website and click on the Online Consult link on the home page.

Step 2

Fill in a simple online form outlining your symptoms to view relevant articles and information to help you manage your condition.

Step 3

If youre still having issues after viewing the support material, submit your form directly to your GP.

Step 4

Well direct you to the most appropriate form of treatment for your condition based on your form.

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Appointments System

You may consult a doctor of your choice by appointment.  Appointments can be made either by telephoning the surgery on 01923 202600 or calling in person.  You can also book an appointment online – please bring some photo ID into the surgery to register for this service. 

If you want to see a particular doctor or nurse (e.g. female doctor or someone that you see regularly for a long-term clinical condition) then you will be offered the next available routine appointment for that person.

If you want to make an appointment for a specific day, for example your day off as a shift worker, or for a specific clinic, then we can normally book appointments up to four weeks ahead.

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Urgent Appointments

For urgent medical problems we are piloting a telephone triage system every weekday morning.  A senior doctor will aim to call you back within one hour to discuss your symptoms over the phone. If you need to be seen, they will offer you the first available appointment with a doctor, paramedic or nurse who have been specially trained in diagnosis and treatment. We aim to offer urgent appointments within 24 hours. If you phone us in the morning and need to be seen urgently, we aim to give you an appointment the same morning. We try to see urgent cases during the morning wherever possible as this gives us the opportunity to carry out urgent investigations and referrals where necessary. If you phone after 11:00 you may be asked to phone us at 08:00 the following morning for on the day urgent telephone triage. However, if you are too unwell to wait until the following day we may be able to fit patients in sooner. Please note we are not a walk-in centre.In an emergency where you think a life may be at risk, e.g. severe chest pain or difficulty in breathing, please call 999 to access the ambulance service.For non emergency urgent problems when we are closed, please call NHS 111.

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Please be aware that all our staff are currently working differently to their normal working pattern and often at different locations to where they are normally based. We apologise for any inconvenience caused but ask that you bear with us at this time to help us best serve our patients until we can resume a normal service.

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Urgent Problems

If you have symptoms of a fever/cough/shortness of breath or are concerned that you have Coronavirus or been exposed to it please go online to https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19 for information and what to do.

If you are unable to do this please call 111 but be aware NHS 111 is experiencing very high call volumes and are urging use of the online service wherever possible

Please do not attend the surgery or A&E with any fever or cough or breathing problems.

If 111 have advised you to call the GP please inform the receptionist of this and they will arrange for a clinician to triage you on

the telephone on the same day.

If you have been triaged by one of our clinicians & have been booked an appointment with fever or cough symptoms:

• you will be given a time slot to avoid unnecessary waiting in the building / exposure to other patients / staff
• you will be seen on the ground floor in a clean isolation room
• the clinician may be wearing protective clothing (gloves, gown, mask)
• Please do not enter the building. Please bring a mobile phone with you and wait in your parked vehicle/outside the building until you are called on your phone. If you are concerned about your wait time please call from your phone and do not come into reception to ask about your wait time.
• We have been asked to prevent patients using the toilet facilities in this building if they have these symptoms

Routine problems:

If you have a non-urgent medical problem you will be given an initial phone call appointment and a decision about best management will be made at that point. We cannot advise which clinician you will be speaking to or which clinician you will see. You may be asked to have a video consultation if felt appropriate by the clinician who speaks to you.

Repeat prescriptions:

Please continue to order these as needed in writing, ideally through the online system or by email (prescriptions.bridgewatersurgeries@nhs.net). We are unable to accept prescription requests over the phone as per our normal policy.