Request an Appointment

Patients can now get treatment for seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.
The Pharmacy First scheme was launched by the government and NHS England to give patients quick and accessible care and ease pressure on GP services. Pharmacists can now treat and prescribe medication for the following common conditions and ailments:

• Earache – 1 to 17 years
• Impetigo – 1 year and older
• Infected insect bites – 1 year and older
• Shingles – 18 years and older
• Sinusitis – 12 years and over
• Sore throat – 5 years and over
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections – Women 16 to 64 years

You can get treatment for these conditions by visiting the pharmacy or contacting them virtually. 

GP receptionists, NHS 111 and providers of emergency care will also be able to direct patients to pharmacies, that offer the service, if contacted.

For more information please see the Department of Health and Social Care website

Pharmacists can also can provide advice and over-the-counter medication for various common conditions such as coughs, colds, flu, as well as everyday issues like aches, pains, and skin rashes. No appointment is necessary to see a pharmacist, and they will let you know if you need to see a doctor. Many pharmacies are open evenings and weekends, and often provide private consultation rooms where you can discuss issues without being overheard.

To find your nearest pharmacy and check opening times, visit the NHS find a pharmacy service

You can often take care of your health conditions without needing to see us. Many minor illnesses and injuries can be treated at home with medicines you can buy without a prescription and by getting plenty of rest. Taking care of yourself is the best choice for a sore throat, cough, or a grazed knee.

If you're not sure if you should take care of your illness yourself, you can call us on 01536 204 154 or get medical advice from from the NHS 111 website or call 111

Information and advice for travelling abroad.

Visit our Travel Information page

You must give your employer a doctor's 'fit note' (sometimes called a 'sick note') if you've been ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays. Please submit an Anima request for a sick note.

If your condition is non-urgent, you can get in touch with us using our online consultation platform called Anima.

Simply follow the on-screen instructions and answer the multiple-choice questions in the online form. Anima prioritises each form based on clinical urgency and need using the information you provide. This will help us ensure you get the right help, whether it's self-care advice, a prescription ready for pickup at your chosen pharmacy, an in-person appointment at the practice, or something else. It’s convenient, secure and could save you time.

Whether you call, visit in person, or use Anima, we make sure patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician in the most appropriate time frame for the presenting medical issue.

Contact us Online

The quickest and easiest way to get in touch is through Anima, our online platform.

• It is open 7.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday: Contact Us Online with Anima
• You will be asked questions about why you are contacting us and the best way for us to get in touch with you. We will review your information and we will be in touch with the next steps.

This could be:

• An appointment that day or a subsequent day
• A phone call that day or a subsequent day
• A text message responding to your query
• Advice to go to a pharmacy or another NHS service.

You can also:

Contact us by phone

• 01536 204 154
• One of our care navigators will go through the Anima questionnaire with you and submit a request on your behalf?
• Our telephone lines get very busy, particularly from 8am, so if you are able to wait until the afternoon please do so. We also have a callback option that operates at times of high demand meaning that we will phone you when you reach the top of the queue.

Contact us in person

• We have tablets available in reception that you can use to submit a request or again, our care navigator can take you through the process at the front desk.
• Please note we do not book appointments directly at the front desk – your request will be triaged by our team and we will contact you to let you know the next steps.

In order to ensure patient safety we do have a capacity limit on Anima so when we reach that day’s capacity the system may close earlier than the times stated above.

From what age can you see a GP on your own?

• If you are 16 or older, you can make and go to appointments by yourself.
• If you are under 16, you can still ask to see a GP without your parent or guardian. The GP will decide if that’s appropriate for you.

 What if you need extra help?

• If you do not speak English, you can ask for interpretation services in your preferred language when you make an appointment.
• If you need extra help like longer appointments, a quiet space, wheelchair access, or information in a different format, tell us and we will try to help.  

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else.

If you are cancelling please let us know as soon as possible, and at least 30 minutes before your appointment time.

You can do this either by phoning us on 01536 204 154 and select Option 4 when prompted or else  please put in an admin request via Anima. When cancelling please supply your name, date of birth and appointment time.

Cancellations notified less than 30 minutes before the appointment time will be recorded as failure to attend (DNA).

Repeated failure to attend booked appointments is a significant waste of NHS resources and may lead to your registration being removed from our list.

While we encourage our patients to come to the surgery where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. If you feel that you do need a home visit please call our Reception teams to request one before 10:30am.

You should only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please note that the doctor may telephone you rather than visit you if this is medically appropriate.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

If our services are unavailable, you can get medical advice from the NHS 111 website or call 111. This service will direct you to the most appropriate local healthcare option.

NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls to NHS 111 are free from landlines and mobile phones.
If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, you can call 18001 111 on a textphone, use the NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service if you’re deaf and want to use the phone service.

If you require urgent medical attention that isn't life-threatening, you can go to an urgent treatment centre. These centres, led by GPs, are open for at least 12 hours every day, including bank holidays. They can diagnose and treat various common ailments including sprains and strains, suspected broken limbs, minor head injuries, cuts and grazes, minor scalds and burns, feverish illness in adults, feverish illness in children, and abdominal pain.

To find your nearest urgent treatment centre and check opening times, visit 'find an urgent treatment centre'

Visit an A&E department (also known as the emergency department or casualty) for genuine life-threatening emergencies. These may include conditions such as loss of consciousness, an acute confused state, fits that are not stopping, chest pain, and breathing difficulties.

Less severe injuries can be treated at urgent care centres.

To find your nearest A&E, visit 'find an A&E'

We are part of the Rockingham Forest Primary Care Network that provides ‘enhanced access appointments’ between 6.30pm to 8pm Mondays to Fridays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

Your appointment may be a telephone call, video call or a face-to-face appointment and you will be advised of the location when the appointment is booked.

As our site/s may not be physically open during these hours, patients will be unable to have general queries answered or dealt with during enhanced access opening times.