How do appointments work?

Patients are usually seen by appointment only, which can be made for any doctor through the receptionist. Please try to phone as early in the day as you can to make your appointment. When you phone you may be asked the nature of your problem as this helps us but you are perfectly at liberty not to disclose this to the receptionist. 

Please remember you can book any routine appointment up to four weeks in advance. We do hold appointments each day for patients who need to be seen on that day.

Your calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

Extended Hour Surgeries

Once a week there is surgery times out with core surgery hours. This is staffed by different doctors from our practice each week.

We prefer you always to see the same doctor at each visit to the surgery as this ensures continuity of care; when making your appointment can you, therefore, say which doctor you usually see. However, we will always see someone on the same day for urgent problems, though you will not necessarily see your usual doctor. Please ask to speak to a doctor if you cannot be fitted in and you feel you need to be seen quickly.

Telephone Advice

We are happy to speak to patients on the telephone to give advice for problems that you think do not require a visit to the surgery. Out of consideration for others, you may be asked to call back after the surgery if we are seeing a patient when you ring.

Chaperone

If you would prefer to have a chaperone present during an intimate examination please tell the doctor. You can either bring a friend or we will ask a member of the staff of the medical centre [male or female as appropriate] to come in.

Advanced Nurse Practitioners

In a number of cases, it might be worth considering an appointment with an advanced nurse practitioner, rather than a doctor. Advanced Nurse Practitioners are qualified to deal with many ailments as well as prescribe, you may be seen more quickly.

Practice Nurses

In a number of cases, it might be worth considering an appointment with a practice nurse rather than a doctor. Practice nurses are qualified to deal with many ailments and you may be seen more quickly.

Community Link

The Community Link Worker service is provided by Link Workers from Royal Voluntary Service. Sarah works 2 days a week on Tuesdays and Thursday for Dunbar Medical Centre and 1 day a week for East Linton.

GPs can refer patients to the Community Link Worker service if they believe there are non-medical needs which can be met by the service – this might include help and support with social isolation, mental and physical well being, getting involved in the community or learning new skills through volunteering or training.

The service offers a series of approximately 6 appointments (either face to face or over the phone) at intervals agreed with the patient ‘client’, starting with an assessment and developing to achieve outcomes agreed between the Link Worker and their client. The recent introduction of the Elemental System means that GPs can create a referral electronically and Link Workers can update clients’ cases as time progresses, giving GPs visibility of progress and outcomes.

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.

Emailing Photos to GP Services

Please note that patient photos should only be sent if requested by a clinician, and we will always ask for the patient’s consent. Please also be aware that there are risks when sending personal details out with the practices secure network; therefore it may be unsafe as this travels over the public internet and we cannot guarantee the email will be delivered to / received by the practice. Photographs will be part of your patient record. If there is any inappropriate correspondence sent to the Practice, action will be taken.

Photos only to be sent at the request of a clinician – loth.photos76180@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk