The switchboard is extremely busy between 8am and 10am, we would be grateful if you could avoid ringing during these times unless your query is urgent.
Urgent appointments
You can request an urgent appointment for today (Monday to Friday) during opening times.
Our urgent on the day appointments are only available after 10am.
If you feel you cannot wait until then, please call 111, or in an emergency, please call 999
We will respond to requests within 2 working days.
Minor illness appointments, most new illnesses that need to be seen the same day and can be seen by the nursing team.
You can also:
- phone us on 01842 828481
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse, paramedic or other healthcare professional to help you. You may be signposted to another appropriate NHS service.
Routine appointments
Routine appointments are pre-bookable appointments (up to 4 weeks in advance).
Chronic Disease Management appointments are usually via invitation with the practice nurse.
For follow up appointments, you will be offered the next available pre-bookable appointment. To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- phone us on 01842 828481, after 10am
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Systmonline to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
- use our nurse or healthcare assistant appointment request form and we will respond within 2 working day
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Telephone consultations
These are available each day for patients who do not require a face to face consultation with a doctor (ie a query or to pass on information etc). If you feel that speaking to a doctor would save attending for an appointment, please contact us to request a telephone consultation. The information will be confirmed and either the doctor or an appropriate member of the practice staff will call you at an agreed upon time.
Patients who require emergency treatment outside of our opening times are asked to call the NHS medical advice line on 111, who will direct the call appropriately.
Enhanced access
For pre-booked appointments only.
- Tuesday: 7:30am to 8am
For further information please visit our improved access appointments page.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text
- online via our website
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
It is the patient’s responsibility to inform the surgery if they are unable to keep an appointment. You can now cancel your appointments online. Failure to cancel any unwanted appointments may lead to you being removed from the Practice list.
We are experiencing a high volume of DNAs (missed appointments) lately, on average 127 per month. This equates to 24 hours worth of appointments with a GP/nurse per month! We are trying hard to reduce this by the following means:
- Operating a text appointment reminder service – please keep us updated with your mobile number.
- Putting the date and time of your next appointment on your repeat medication slip.
- You can now cancel any unwanted appointments online.
- DNA policy – If after two consecutive missed appointments or three in a year, you will receive a warning letter, if you then miss a further appointment you will receive a 2nd warning letter. If any further missed appointments occur, unfortunately you will be deducted from our Practice register.
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Systmonline
- phone us on 01842 828481 during opening times
Please help us to help you. We want you to be able to have an appointment of your choice, with a GP/nurse of your choice. By not cancelling your unwanted appointments, you are preventing someone else from having them.
If you need help when we are closed
Patients can attend the walk-in centre based at:
Norwich Practices Health Centre
Rouen House
Rouen Road
Norwich
NR1 1RB
Phone
01603 677500
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or online
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
Home visits are for people who are truly housebound or whose medical condition means they are too ill to travel to the surgery.
Patients are requested to phone the surgery before 10:30am if a visit is required that day. Only medically urgent visits will be arranged after that time. Please give the receptionist as much information as possible to enable the doctor to prioritise house calls.
Modern health care is best delivered in a health care setting and therefore we try to discourage home visits. Individual circumstances may make a home visit desirable but please remember that visits by a doctor are not appropriate for common childhood illnesses, headaches, earaches, tummy bugs, sore throats or flu. Equally it is not harmful to take a child with a respiratory infection or fever outside.
You may not be fit to travel by bus or to walk, but car transport is often available from friends, relatives or taxis. We do not offer home visits due to a lack of transport.
Home visits are appropriate for terminally ill patients and truly housebound patients only.
We are not an emergency service so for sudden serious illness such as heart attack, shortness of breath, severe bleeding or severe abdominal pain, it is more appropriate to arrange for an emergency ambulance by dialling 999.