The Northolme Practice

HOW DO I...
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

Both surgeries operate an Advanced Access appointment system, which means that we aim to offer all patients an appointment on the same day that they contact us. If you ring the surgery between 8.00 and 9.00am, you will be offered an appointment time with a doctor of your choice. If you ring after 9.00am, you will still be given a time to attend but may have to wait in the surgery until the doctor becomes available. If it is a particularly busy day, you may be offered an appointment the next day unless you have a medically urgent problem which cannot wait. Patients unable to attend the same day because of work commitments will also be offered a next day appointment. Patients who turn up at the surgery without ringing first will be given an appointment but may have to wait or come back later. If you wish to make an appointment for the evening surgery, please ring after 11.00am. If the appointments that evening are full, you will be given an appointment for the following day.

There are a few appointments for patients who prefer to book in advance for non-urgent problems. However, as availability is limited you may have to wait two or more weeks, especially if you wish to see a particular doctor.

Please let the receptionist know when you arrive at the surgery for your appointment so that you can be checked in. Keep an eye out for your name on the electronic sign as this is how the doctor will call you when he or she is ready to see you.

If your appointment is going to be delayed by more than 30 minutes, the receptionist will inform you.

If you are not sure if your problem needs a face-to-face appointment with a doctor, please tell the receptionist, who may ask the doctor to phone you back, or may make an appointment for you with another member of the primary health care team.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT?

If you need medical advice outside surgery hours, please ring 01422 205154. A recorded message will give you another phone number (023 4605 9999) to ring. NHS Direct and Local Care Direct provide our out-of-hours cover from 6.00pm to 8.00am weekdays, and all day weekends and bank holidays. The Primary Care Trust is responsible for this service.

In a genuine emergency, the practice may call an ambulance to take you to the hospital if a doctor cannot attend immediately. Please note that a doctor can see three or more patients in the surgery in the same time that it takes them to do one visit, so please think carefully before requesting a home visit.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TEST RESULTS?

If the doctor organises a blood test for you this can be done at the following locations:

Please make sure you have the blood form that the doctor gives you when you attend.

Most other investigations including X-rays have to be done at the Calderdale Royal Hospital, although some such as ECGs and lung function tests can be done in the surgery.

When the doctor orders a test, they will tell you when and how to get the result. If he asks you to phone up for it, please note that the receptionists are not allowed to give out results without speaking to a doctor first. If no doctor is available to speak to you, she will ask one to phone you back. We will usually contact you by phone or letter if a result is abnormal and ask you to make an appointment, but please do NOT assume a result is normal if we do not contact you, as results occasionally go astray.