Appointments
can be made either in person at the Reception
Desk after 9.00 am or by telephoneafter 8.30am.
The
reception desk and the telephone lines are particularly
busy first thing in the morning. If possible please
ring for non-urgent appointments
after 10.30am.
We are trying at the moment to adapt our appointment system to meet all our patients needs so please bear with us.
Please
make a separate appointment for each person wishing
to see the Doctor.
If
you require a long appointment for something such
as a smear or a coil fitting, please let the Receptionist
know, so we can book a double appointment for you.
If
you cannot keep an appointment, please inform us
as soon as possible, so the appointment can be
offered to someone else.
Monday
is our busiest day. If possible, book
routine appointments and return visits on other
days of the week to enable us to deal with the
most urgent cases on Mondays.
Morning
appointments can only be booked on the day.
Most afternoon appointments may be booked in
advance. If all the regular appointments
have been taken, patients who need see a doctor
that day will be seen, but not necessarily by the
Doctor of their choice.
We
endeavour to keep to our appointment times as far
as possible; however, emergencies may be fitted in
at the Doctor’s discretion. Young, distressed
children who are unable to wait will always be seen
as soon as possible if brought to the surgery (this
may be quicker than a home visit). If in doubt
about bringing your child to the surgery, please
phone the surgery first for advice.
Please
do not demand an urgent appointment if it is not
necessary.
Birley
Health Centre - Services: Home visits
Where
possible please request home visits before 10.30am.
Be
prepared to give brief details of the problem so
the Doctor or Nurse can assess the urgency of the
visit.
A
Doctor may ring you at home prior to the visit.
Please
remember that visits are for patients who are too
ill to attend surgery. It is appreciated
if patients can attend surgery if at all possible;
this is usually quicker for the patient and makes
best use of the doctor’s time.
It
may not always be possible to see the doctor of
your choice.
Birley
Health Centre - Services: Telephone advice
If
you feel telephone advice may help, please ask to speak to a doctor or nurse. Please tell Reception, who will arrange for someone
to call you back. To help the doctor, please make
sure that you are available to receive the returned
call.
The
reception desk and the telephone lines are particularly
busy first thing in the morning. If possible please
ring for non-urgent appointments
after 10.30am. 
