Continuity of Care

Do you have trouble seeing the same doctor

This information advises you how best to see the doctor that you want and whether you should see a doctor or a nurse.

Sometimes you may feel this doesn’t matter, but for longstanding problems or those that are new and under investigation it may be best to see the same one or two doctors if possible.

Planning Appointments – should allow you to choose the doctor you want to see:

• If you ask to see a doctor urgently it can be more difficult to see a named doctor as these appointments are given with the first available doctor. Many doctors are not in every day. If the problem can wait a few days you have more chance of choosing your doctor.
• The phone. Some problems can be dealt with (or a plan of action started) exclusively by telephone consultation.
• The practice nurses and health care assistants can care for and follow up most long term conditions, and can involve the doctor in any treatment decisions.
• Please, only see the doctor for things that need the doctor. Other health care professionals in the practice can see you for a variety of problems or procedures. This helps make doctors more available to see patients for illness.

The Healthcare Assistants should see you for:

• All blood tests, Blood pressure checks, ECG, Urine tests

Cancelling Appointments – if you are unable to attend is essential. Every week we lose on average 50 appointments because patients fail to turn up without letting us know. If you cancel an appointment that you cannot attend then we can use that appointment for someone else.

Some clinicians don’t consult every day.