Appointments

If you wish to speak to a Dr or arrange an appointment please phone the surgery or 01863 766379.

A telephone consultation will be organised for you with a doctor in the first instance. The receptionist will ask you for a brief reason for the call in order for the doctor to prioritise the call. The GP will then arrange any further action necessary including arranging a face to face appointment at a time that is convenient.  This will usually be on the same day or a day that is suitable for you. 

If you feel that your condition is urgent, please convey this to the receptionist, who will fit you in as soon as possible. 

Preference of Doctor

You will not be registered with any particular doctor, but you can request to see the doctor of your choice. This may mean a longer wait for an appointment.

Medical Students

We take students from Aberdeen University usually for a period of 6-8 weeks for experience in general practice as part of their undergraduate medical training.

We hope you will enjoy helping with their learning as we know they appreciate their time in our practice. We hope we are able to give them experience which will be highly beneficial for their future careers.

You will always be advised in advance of the presence of a student and can ask for them to leave at any time. This will not prejudice your care in any way.

Cancellations

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.

Home Visits

Whilst 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. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 11 AM.

Unfortunately it is not possible to request a specific doctor for home visiting. Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit

You may 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 bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

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

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)