CHANGES TO OUR APPOINTMENTS
We are now increasing the availability of face to face appointments that are available within the Balsall Common and Meriden Surgeries, these changes are currently being made.
We kindly request Patients requiring an appointment continue to contact the Surgery via TELEPHONE for all appointment bookings.
The Practice also kindly requests that Patients attending the Balsall Common and Meriden Surgeries continue to wear face coverings when entering.
Routine, 10-Minute Appointments
In a 10-minute appointment booked with a doctor there is only sufficient time to discuss ONE medical problem. Please do not present with two, three or more problems to be dealt with in a single appointment. If more time is needed please book another or longer appointment.
Urgent Cases
These will be seen the same day. It may not be possible, however, to see the doctor of your choice.
Children Under The Age Of 14
They should always be accompanied by a parent or guardian unless prior permission has been gained from the doctor.
Doctors Appointments - Changes to the Booking System
Having received comments from patients and staff we have decided to simplify the way in which doctor's appointments can be booked. This will take effect from Thursday 20th October.
With the exception of a few protected appointments in each surgery, all doctor's appointments will be bookable approximately 6 weeks in advance.
Once all of the PRE BOOKABLE appointments have been booked a number of appointments will be protected for release on the day of the surgery for patients who require a same day/urgent appointment. For morning surgeries these will be released at 8.30am and afternoon surgeries these will be released at 2.00pm.
We would advise patients that if their first choice of appointment is not available they should book the first available appointment they can attend, and then, if they wish, contact the surgery again to see if an earlier appointment has become available, remembering to cancel any unwanted appointments.
We also offer telephone consultations, these can be requested by telephoning the relevant surgery - please note that if there are no telephone appointments left on that particular day you may be booked in within the next few days
We try our upmost to meet the needs of the patients with the resources we have available to us. We hope this change to the way we book appointments will make the system easier for both patients and reception staff.
You can book Routine Pre-Bookable Appointments on-line. To do this you will need to be allocated a Username and Password by the Practice. If you wish to use on-line services please contact the surgery for further information or email balsallcommon.practice@nhs.net
On-Line Booking Appointment Details
We only have certain types of appointments for doctors and nurses that can be booked on line. It is important that when booking appointments the appropriate Clinician is seen and the appropriate amount of time is allocated for the appointment. Certain nurses and doctors carry out specialist procedures that others do not. To ensure that both patient and nurse/doctor time is not wasted some appointments have to be booked after a conversation with a receptionist. These appointments include appointments for smear tests, medical examinations and joint injections.
Chronic disease appointments such as asthma are available to book as they have standard time-set appointment slots. All Doctors appointments for Balsall Common and Meriden surgery as well as blood test appointments are bookable via the on-line system
PLEASE NOTE - If you have a blood test form from your consultant at the hospital we CAN NOT undertake your blood tests at the practice, these should be carried out by your consultant as they are responsible to review your results with you.
If you cannot see a specific appointment slot on the on-line booking page please telephone the relevant surgery to double check, as you may require an appointment type which is not accessible via this route