HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TELEPHONE ADVICE ?
If you need to speak to the doctor on the telephone please call the surgery
as normal and if the doctor is free you will be put through or advised of the
best time to telephone back. Please appreciate that it is not always possible
to interrupt the doctor for non-urgent matters if he / she is seeing a patient.
HOW DO I...
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ?
All patients are seen by appointment. To arrange an appointment please telephone
Deal 373444 or call in at the surgery between 8.30am and our closing time. Our
telephone system has an automatic answering service with a list of extensions.
You should press 1 on your telephone for appointments or hold to speak to the
receptionist. Please make a separate appointment for each person who wishes to
see a doctor. If you require urgent medical attention, please let the receptionist
know, so that a special arrangement can be made. If you are unable to
keep your appointment please let us know as soon as possible.
HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT ?
If you are TOO ILL or PHYSICALLY UNABLE to get to the surgery and need a home
visit please phone between 8.30 - 10.00am (including weekends). If you are not
sure whether you need a visit please discuss with the receptionist or doctor.
Our receptionists are trained to ask for information regarding the visit in order
to determine its urgency. Please appreciate that it is not always possible to
interrupt the doctor for non-urgent matters. Visits are shared out between the
doctors and it is not usually possible to specify a doctor for an acute visit.
Please remember that a home visit is not your right and, as per government guidelines,
the doctor decides when and where a patient should be seen after assessing the
clinical condition of the patient. Most home visits are usually reserved for
terminally ill, housebound or very sick patients. On 1st September 2003 the
out of hours service ceased to be the responsibility of the practice: it is now
organised by the Primary Care Trust for this area, ECPCT.
HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TEST RESULTS ?
Tests And Investigations
Blood samples are usually taken by the phlebotomist at Deal Hospital, Monday
to Friday. This service is run by appointment and you should telephone Deal Hospital
between 9.00am and 5.00pm on 865400 for an appointment. Urine or any other samples
for the laboratory can be left in the tray at the hospital at any time. Most
x-rays and scans are done in Deal by appointment, but special x-rays and scans
are usually performed at either Buckland Hospital, Dover, the William Harvey
Hospital, Ashford, or the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate.
Results
Please leave a week for most tests. Smears take about a month and you will
be contacted with the result. The test result department is open at present
between 2.00 - 4.30pm. The automatic choice list on the telephone includes
an option for dialling this department direct. If you are uncertain about a test
please ask the doctor or nurse when the test is requested, about the procedure
and how to get the result.
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