Changes to Appointments
To allow us to offer more appointments to patients, from Monday 9th September 2024, Howdale Group Practice will no longer be offering call time at either 8.30am or 3.15pm. All on the day appointments will be released at 8.30am.
Due to demand on resources at the practice and the NHS as a whole, the partners and team have agreed we need to look at alternate ways to help our patients and to ensure you receive the correct care, in the timeliest manner. Our reception team may ask a number of questions, to enable us to direct you to the appropriate care. This may be an appointment at the surgery, or another service such as a community pharmacy, minor injuries unit, physiotherapist etc. if this is deemed appropriate.
Once all available appointments have been allocated on that day, patients who feel they have an urgent matter, which cannot wait until the next pre-bookable appointment, or the following day, will be directed to NHS 111. This process will allow us to assess and highlight which patients need to have contact with the surgery on that specific day. All NHS 111 reports are received electronically by the practice, therefore all information is available to access by our clinicians.
For more routine appointments such as blood tests, vaccinations, annual reviews, patients will be offered the first available appointment, this may be at either of our sites. You can choose to be seen at your preferred site, however this may mean a longer wait for your appointment.