Appointments

 We run an appointments system called Advanced Access, which is a government initiative to enable patients to gain access to a healthcare professional within 24 hours and a doctor within 48 hours and pre-bookable 10 minute appointments up to 4 weeks in advance. We also have a few telephone consultation slots within each surgery should you wish to speak to a doctor for advice only.

Your Doctor will see you in the surgery by appointment.  Appointments can be made with reception either by calling in at the surgery or by telephone.   When you make an appointment, the receptionist may need to have some idea of the nature of the problem so that an appropriate length of time can be allocated to you, and provides the Doctor with a little information prior to your arrival at the surgery.  Any information concerning your health will be treated in the strictest confidence, as the receptionists are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the Doctors

Please make one appointment for each person who wishes to see the doctor. 

If you cannot keep an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that this time can be offered to somebody else.  We try to be as flexible as possible, but sometimes delays are unavoidable.  We recommend that you get to know one doctor and usually book to see them for ongoing medical conditions, so that we can provide continuity of care and thus a better service.

Confidentiality

Should you wish to speak to someone in confidence, please ask at reception and a room will be made available to assist you further.

Telephone Advice

In some situations, you may prefer to speak to your doctor or to one of our nursing sisters on the phone.

To book a telephone consultation Call our reception staff on the following numbers:

• Dibden Purlieu  02380 844546.
• Marchwood 02380 871233

or for a telephone enquire call:

• Secretary (Dibden Purlieu) 02380 877900
• Enquiries (Marchwood) 02380 871233 

You may be given a suitable time to ring back, or the secretary may take your number for us to telephone you back. It is not usually possible for the doctor to speak to you there and then. If you are telephoning for the results of a test, please telephone after 2.00pm, as our lines can be very busy in the morning.

To maintain confidentiality, results are only given to the patient or to a parent or guardian in the case of a child. If in any doubt, and we ask to telephone you back, please understand that we do this only to protect your confidentiality.  

Home Visits

Enquiry and Helpline: 02380 877900 and give us the fullest details

House calls are reserved for those patients for whom the doctor would consider it medically unwise for the patient to be brought to the surgery.

Please do not request a house call simply because you feel that you will be seen more quickly that way or because of lack of transport.

We would request that where possible a house call request is made before 10.00am as the duty doctor may be delayed in surgery later on in the day.

In the same time that one patient can be seen and assessed at home; four patients can be seen and assessed in the surgery.

If you are concerned about sitting in the waiting room (for example if you are feeling quite unwell, are worried about contact with others or if you have a poorly child), please telephone the above number and explain. A private examination room is available where you can wait to see the Doctor.