Elswick Family Practice: 0191 2986060

Appointments

Elswick Family PracticeAppointments

Appointments

When you ask us for an appointment, if it's for something that can wait we will give you an appointment for a day in the future. If you need to speak to someone that day - one of our clinical team will call you to talk about the problems you are experiencing that day. Reception will ask you what your problem is so that we can get you the appropriate service for your needs.

We will never turn away a poorly child under 12 or an elderly or frail patient.

Home Visits

If you feel you need a home visit and are unable to attend the surgery please contact the surgery on 0191 298 6060. A receptionist will take your details and a doctor may phone you back. Visits are usually between 12:00 – 2:00 pm unless the visit is called in after 1pm in which case the GP will visit after their afternoon surgery or may ask our or Emergency Care Practitioner to visit.

You can be visited at home by our Emergency Care Practitioner, who is a fully qualified paramedic, a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You may 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.

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.
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. Trained staff are available at all times. Please ask at reception for details or see a notice in the waiting room.
We aim to provide all our patients with the best possible service and to achieve this we need your co-operation.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please make every effort to cancel it well in advance so that it may be offered to someone else.

Non-attendance and cancellations at short notice without a valid reason deprives other patients of essential medical services.

We would like to draw your attention to the number of DNAs (Missed appointments) we are getting on a weekly basis at the surgery.

While we understand that sometimes life gets in the way, we do ask that if you have an appointment that you are unable to attend, that you call the surgery to cancel your appointment so that it can be offered to someone else.

We are going to be auditing our DNAs more strictly going forward and have created a new policy to that affect. The new policy for CONTINUOUS DNAs OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD is as stated:

1st DNA = Informal letter and SMS message
2nd DNA = Formal letter and SMS
3rd DNA = Final warning letter
4th DNA = You may be removed from our surgery (unless there is a valid reason for your DNA)

We are going to be publishing our weekly DNAs on our Facebook page, website and via messages going forward.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping to reduce the number of missed appointments at Elswick Family Practice.

Please see below DNA figures for Elswick Family Practice:

Elswick Family Practice DNA Audits (updated 24/01/2023)

Same day help for your poorly child. If you child has become unwell in the last few days and you would like urgent advice then please contact the surgery and we will arrange for a clinician to speak to you and if necessary to see your child, today - this could save you an unnecessary trip to A&E or a Walk-in Centre. Can we also make you aware of the Little Orange Book, which provides expert help for parents and carers on how to manage common problems in babies and small children. Ask you GP for a copy.
To assist with increasing demand for appointments we now offer telephone consultations. If you don’t think a visit to the surgery is necessary but you require advice from a GP you can phone the surgery and ask for a telephone consultation. One of the GP's will ring you back to discuss your problem. You will be given an approximate time as to when the GP will call you back.
Patients who need to be seen urgently on the same day can access additional appointments at local treatment centres with a GP once the surgery is full. To book an appointment, please contact the surgery and we can book into these appointments. Once they are full you will be asked to telephone 111 stating you require an appointment at the EXTENDED ACCESS HUB, 111 will then ask you a series of questions about your condition and, where appropriate, book you an appointment at your nearest treatment centre.
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