Appointments


Routine Appointments

You can request a routine appointment by:

Non-urgent advice: Patient Notice

We are closed on Wednesdays between 12-2pm 

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with. We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

Urgent Appointments

For urgent appointments, we run a “same-day clinic”. This clinic deals with new health problems, which need to be seen on the same day. For example, new chest infections, acute pain or otherwise urgent problems can be seen in the same-day clinic. A re-occurrence of a long-term problem should be seen in routine clinics.

You can request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) by:

  • Visiting the surgery and speak with a receptionist
    We are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.00pm. When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with. We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.

Your Appointment

However you choose to contact us we may offer you a consultation:

  • By phone
  • Face-to-face at the surgery
  • On a video call
  • By text or email

Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means the doctor or nurse can help you sooner.

We usually provide a telephone appointment and then offer a face-to-face appointment if needed. However, if you prefer a face-to-face appointment, please tell us. 

If you need help with your appointment, please tell us:

  • If there’s a specific doctor, nurse or another health professional you would prefer to respond
  • If you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
  • If you need an interpreter
  • If you have any other access or communication needs.

Chaperones 

We are committed to maintaining professional standards. For certain examinations during consultations an impartial observer, called a chaperone, will be required. 

This impartial observer will be a practice Nurse, Health Care Assistant or chaperone trained receptionist who is familiar with the procedure and be available to reassure and raise any concerns on your behalf. If a chaperone is unavailable at the time of your consultation, then your examination may be re-scheduled for another time. 

You are free to decline any examination or chose an alternative examiner or chaperone. You may also request a chaperone for any examination or consultation if one is not offered to you. The GP may not undertake an examination if a chaperone is declined. 

 The role of a chaperone: 

  • Maintains professional boundaries during intimate examinations. 
  • Acknowledges a patient’s vulnerability. 
  • Provides emotional comfort and reassurance. 
  • Assists in the examination. 
  • Assists with undressing patients, if required. 

Cancelling or changing an appointment

If you are cancelling an appointment for the same day, please let us know as soon as possible.

If you are cancelling an appointment for another day, please cancel your appointment by:

If you no longer require an appointment, please cancel it, giving as much notice as possible. This will enable the appointment to be booked for a patient, who needs to be seen urgently.

If you have booked your appointment via online services, you can simply cancel your appointment online. You can also cancel by text message, once you receive your appointment reminder.

If you would like to know more about these services, please speak to a member of our reception staff.

The practice operates a ‘did not attend’ policy. Please be aware that repeated offenders may be removed from our practice list.

Home Visits

Patients should only request a home visit if they are genuinely housebound and too ill to come to the surgery. A member of our clinical team may call you to discuss your problem. If the decision is made that a visit is necessary this will usually occur after morning or evening surgery.

Where possible, home visit requests should be made before 10.30am.

The ability to properly examine the patient and to access computerised records and medical equipment necessary in modern general practice is only available at the surgery. In addition, your doctor can usually see several patients at the surgery in the time that it takes to make a single home visit.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

The following guidelines are provided by the Local Medical Committee. GP home visiting makes clinical sense in cases whereby the patient is:
– Terminally ill
– Truly bed bound for whom travel to premises by car would cause a deterioration in their medical condition or unacceptable discomfort.
Home visits are not usual for:
– Children
– Adults with common problems, where the individual could readily be transported by car to a doctor’s premises
– The elderly, except where the individual is truly bed bound.

When we are closed

NHS 111

If you are very unwell and you cannot wait until the surgery has opened, please call NHS 111 by dialling 111, and they will be able to advise on the care that you need. They can organise emergency services or an ambulance if needed. The NHS 111 is staffed by fully trained advisers supported by experienced nurses, pharmacists, and doctors. The NHS 111 service is available if you require urgent medical help, but it is not a life-threatening situation.

Late Night Pharmacies

As qualified healthcare professionals, community pharmacists can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.

If symptoms suggest it’s something more serious, pharmacists have the right training to make sure you get the help you need. For example, they will tell you if you need to see a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional.

All pharmacists train for 5 years in the use of medicines. They are also trained in managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice.

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.

Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.

You can find out your nearest open pharmacy on the NHS.uk website. Once you have searched for the location, you can select ‘only show pharmacies open now’ if you are searching outside of usual business hours.

Extended Access Service

Attleborough Surgeries provides an extended hours service on some days with early morning surgeries starting at 07.00am and evening surgeries running until 20.00pm. We also provide a clinical service approximately once a month on a Friday evening and all-day Saturday. During these clinics you may be invited to an appointment to see or speak to a GP, Advanced Care Practitioner, Nurse, Health Care Assistant, Clinical Pharmacist or Social Prescriber.

Available Sessions at Attleborough Surgeries are:
Tuesday
 7.00am – 8.00am
Wednesday 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Friday 07.30am – 08.00am

Approximately once per month the Practice also provides a Friday evening clinic 6.30pm – 8.00pm and a Saturday Clinic 09.00am – 5.00pm.

When you attend at Station Road Surgery for an extended hours appointment (before 08.30am or after 6.00pm) please go to the back door, enter into the small foyer and press the intercom for admission.