How Do I... Make An Appointment?

Ring our main switchboard number on 020 8953 7666 to book an appointment at the practice.

If you feel you need to be seen on the day and it cannot wait until the next bookable appointment the receptionist will advise you when you should come down.

If, however, you feel that your condition can wait, the receptionists will be able to book you an appointment in advance. You may have to wait longer if you want to see a particular GP.

When booking an appointment we would be grateful if you could provide the receptionist with brief details of your problem so that you can be offered an appointment with an appropriate member of our team. Remember that the nurses in our practice can also treat patients for a wide range of common conditions.

• Let us know if more than one person in the family needs to be seen. We can give you a longer appointment if necessary.

• Tell us if you want someone to accompany you during an examination or a private room to discuss matters. Remember however that the results of tests can only be given to the patient.

• You can book to have a telephone consultation with a doctor. He or she will ring you at an agreed time on the telephone number you have given. If you are only available on a mobile phone, you will be expected to ring the practice at the agreed time.

Appointments are extremely precious.

You can help us by:
• Being on time for your appointment
• Letting us know if you need to cancel
• Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10.30am
• Ringing for the results of tests after 2.00pm

DID YOU KNOW?

That we offer the following booked appointments outside of normal surgery hours as a commitment to providing flexibility for you.

Commuter Clinics
Are you aware that we hold Commuter Clinics especially aimed at out patients who work full time? These run from 7.00am until 8.00am and also 6.30pm until 7.30pm and are bookable in advance.

Saturday Morning Surgery & Extended Hours
Our Surgery offers appointments that run outside of the Practice’s normal opening hours. These are held between 8.00am and 12 noon every alternate Saturday and also between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on certain weekdays. All of these appointments are bookable in advance.

Telephone Consultations
We offer pre booked telephone consultations with the doctors for patients who do not feel that they need to be seen but require some advice or speak about test results or to update repeat prescriptions. These appointments can be booked in advance. There are also on the day telephone appointments available for advice, however these can only be booked on the day and you would need to telephone first thing in the morning.

For more information regarding our appointments please speak to one of our Receptionists.

Evenings And Weekends

Our practice is closed between 6.30pm and 8.00am Monday to Friday and throughout weekends until 8.00am on Mondays (or Tuesday during Bank Holidays). Some pre-arranged clinics run outside of these hours (please see above).

If you need to contact a doctor urgently outside of these hours please ring 03000 33 33 33, our out-of-hours service.

During these periods West Hertfordshire PCT offers our patients a full GP service through the NHS Direct service. They can be contacted on 0845 46 47 to obtain any health information and advice you need. Where appropriate they can also arrange a consultation for you either in a local Out-of-Hours centre, or at your home. You should only ring 999 if your medical concern is a true emergency.

How Do I... Obtain A Home Visit?

Our doctors typically see four patients in the practice in the time it takes to do a single home visit. For this reason we ask our patients to come to the practice if at all possible. However, we can visit you at home if your condition means you simply cannot attend for an appointment here at Fairbrook. Please ring before 10.30am to arrange a visit and let us know if your condition is urgent.

How Do I... Obtain Test Results?

Please telephone or call after 2.00pm for results of tests. Results will only be given to patients themselves or to the parents/guardians of children if appropriate. If you have had several tests done, it is important that you check all results are back.

Specialist And Hospital Care

If a GP or another member of our health care team believes you need hospital treatment or specialist care elsewhere, in most circumstances they will provide you with a list of hospitals and their telephone numbers. These hospitals will be those that the practitioner feels can offer you an appropriate appointment for your medical problem. The practitioner will then ask you to choose which hospital you would like to be seen at, and to contact them yourself in order to book your own appointment. This system is known as 'Choose and Book' and it is how the majority of outpatient appointments are now booked across the country.