Important information patients about GP appointments
The current strategy for delivering care in general practice involves using all the resources the NHS has invested in within primary care. There are a range of organisations now working collaboratively with General Practice within Primary Care to help look after patients in the community- Allied Health Professionals- Pharmacists, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Social Prescribers etc
Ascot Medical Centre along with all the other GP practices in Ascot now work with this model to provide appointments for patients in Ascot. This is in order to help increase capacity within General Practice and reduce the wait before patients are seen in primary care by utilising the skills of other practitioners that would help patient have accessto care by practitioners with appropriate skills for their presentation. Patients may start their care journey online using E-consultations – this portal is open 24/7 365 daysa week or by telephone during our working hours Monday to Friday 08.00-18.00. Once the request is made for an appointment the request will be triaged by the reception and administrative team with the support of a clinician to one of the above options based on current capacity and clinical need. Options available to patients calling for appointments have therefore increased and not all presentations will be dealt with in-house.
Locally we have the options of
Urgent Care Centre– patients presenting on the day for emergency appointments including some injuries. Patients will be seen by a nurse practitioner, paramedic, general practitioner or a clinical pharmacist
Extended Access Appointments– An extension of General Practice offered at a local Hub, usually at Boundary House in Bracknell or Brook House in Ascot at weekends. Patients will be seen by a nurse practitioner, paramedic, general practitioner or a clinical pharmacist.
Musculoskeletal Practitioner– Active solutions Sunninghill, Patients will be seen by an experienced physiotherapist for presentations with joint or back pain or any other musculoskeletal problem that is not an acute emergency.
Local Pharmacist– Minor ailments, hayfever, coughs and colds, insect bites and stings, allergies. Patients may be directed by the surgery to the local pharmacy for advice if patients have not already done so.
Month of Birth recalls – In addition to the above Ascot Medical Centre runs a month of birth review whereby all patients on chronic disease registers – COPD, Asthma, Hypertension, Diabetes etc are invited routinely for their annual reviews. The initial appointment is a face to face appointment with our health care assistant to perform blood tests when necessary, Blood Pressure check, Weight and height monitoring and foot checks for diabetics. Once the results are received a follow up telephone appointment to review the results is offered with our GPs or Clinical Pharmacists to review the results and optimise management of chronic conditions. If you are on a chronic disease register and have not been invited during your month of birth please call the surgery and let us know, this is especially for patients that may have joined us after their month of birth. We offer a health check to new patients and hopefully you would have already been seen
Nursing appointments will continue as planned, the nursing team will contact you by phone or text before your appointment at the surgery and we ask you to consider the national guidance before visiting the practice
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
We thank you for your co-operation and understanding. As you are aware, the situation is evolving daily and we will keep you updated via our website and text messaging service.
Book a telephone appointment
Please call the surgery if you are not able to send us an online consultation