Appointments
Routine appointments
Appointments can be made via online services or by calling the reception desk where you can book an appointment with one of our clinicians. GP appointments can be pre-booked up to 2 weeks in advance.
We also offer a number of urgent / same day appointments which are booked through reception.
We always try to minimise the waiting time for you and, whilst we try to see you at the appointed time, some patients appointments may take longer than the time allocated, so please be patient if there is some delay.
When booking routine appointments, we will always do our best to fit you in with the doctor or nurse of your choice and at a time most convenient to you, but please appreciate that this is subject to availability.
Online Booking
If you would like to access appointments and repeat prescriptions online, you can register for our online services here
Please note you must be registered with us to use this service.
If you require any further information about our Online Services please do not hesitate in contacting us via 01661 842 626
Urgent Appointments
An on-call doctor is always available to deal with urgent matters. We hold back urgent appointments every day to meet on-the-day urgent need.
An urgent appointment is for something that cannot wait and needs seeing to that day. For urgent matters we can’t always be flexible with the timing of the appointment and it may well not be possible to fit you in with your usual doctor.
You should be aware that when requesting and appointment or home visit, our reception staff are obliged to ask you for information regarding your medical condition – this is simply to enable them to book or direct you to the most appropriate person or service. Depending on your presenting symptoms, you may be directed to NHS 111, or even 999, if your symptoms suggest an emergency response is needed.
Examples of ‘urgent’ matters include:
- chest pain, feeling acutely faint, severe headaches or feeling short of breath
- poorly babies or children
- acute visual symptoms
- anything this is particularly worrying you and that you feel can not wait until another day
For non-urgent urgent problems, it is essential that you please make a routine appointment.
This will enable you to see a doctor or nurse of your choice at a time most convenient to you, subject to availability.
Please do not abuse our urgent appointment system by using it to ask for sick notes or medication reviews or anything else that is a non urgent request.
Cancelling your appointment
If you cannot attend your appointment or wish to cancel you can do this by either completing our online form (follow the link below) or phoning us on 01661 842 626
Consult with a Doctor online
If you have any non-urgent clinical concerns, particularly those which you feel might be dealt with without the need to see or speak to a GP, you are welcome to use our eConsult service. You will usually receive a response within 2 working days.
Evening and weekend appointments
For patients who prefer to be seen in the evenings, or on Saturdays, we work in collaboration with other local practices and you can be seen in the Hadrian Extra Care Hub. These appointments are currently in Prudhoe, Corbridge and Hexham. You can see or speak to a local GP who will have full access to your GP records. You can also use this service for blood tests, smears, asthma checks and more.
Patients must book appointments through their own GP practice.
Should you need to cancel an appointment when your own practice is closed please ring 01434 636950 and leave a message.
For more information about this service, please click this link: https://www.hadrianprimarycarealliance.com/
Home Visits
If you are housebound or need to be seen but you do not feel well enough to attend the surgery, we can arrange a home visit.
Please be aware that home visits are a precious resource which we cannot offer out lightly. We will always rather see people in the practice when possible as it is a much more effective use of a doctor’s time (we can see 5 or more patients in surgery in the time it takes to undertake a typical home visit). Seeing people in the surgery also means that there are better facilities available and and more members of our team around, should we need them.
When dealing with requests for home visits our reception staff will need to ask a few questions as to the nature of your problem and your ability to get up to the surgery. They might sometimes ask a GP to call you back, to assess things further.
If you think you might need a home visit please call as soon in the morning as possible, before 10.00 a.m. if at all possible. This will enable the doctors to plan home visits round their other commitments.
Branch End has recently augmented its home visiting service with community paramedics. Our paramedics have proved to be an invaluable and very well-received addition to the clinical team.
