Appintments

Booking Appointments

Appointments are available Monday to Friday. The Care Navigator will ask you about what the appointment is for. You will be then directed to the most appropriate service. For example i for joint pain, you would be referred to the "First contact practitioner".

You have the right to ask for a specific Doctor/ Nurse. We make every effort to meet these requests. Each individual Doctor/ Nurse’s appointments may vary due to availability and as such we may not be able to do this. Generally, appointments are available to book between 8.30am – 11.50am and 1.00pm – 5.50pm. 

HOME VISITS

We believe that most problems are better dealt with at the practice if at all possible, but we are always pleased to see our patients at home if they are too ill or infirm to visit the practice. Please telephone the surgery before 10.00am if you feel you require a home visit.

PREBOOKABLE - Routine Appointments

All GP practices must provide 25% of their appointments online. These are release on a rolling 2 weeks.

Booking Online

A selection of appointments are available online. Patients can use the NHS App or Patient Access from a PC or a wide range of devices, for example a mobile phone. If you want to start using this service. Please enquire at reception, click here for the NHS APP.

If you wish to sign up for this service. Please attend reception. Please bring some photographic ID. For example a photographic driving license and a utility bill with your address on it.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or through PATCHS

 

URGENT APPOINTMENTS ON THE DAY

If you need an urgent appointment, please contact the practice. The reason for the urgent request are recorded and your name added to an urgent list for the Duty Dr to review.  It is the Duty Dr who decides which patients are seen.

 

Cancelling appointments

Please phone the practice to cancel an appointment. If you booked your appointment through the online service, you can cancel it here.

PATCHS

PATCHS is an online consultation service. Designed to make it easier for patients to access GP services. Here are some key features of the PATCHS service:

• Online Consultations. You can submit requests about health issues and other queries. Ask the PATCHS chatbot on the PATCHS website or the NHS App.

• Triage and Workflow. Requests are triaged and directed to the most appropriate person to handle them. This helps manage patient demand and ensures that queries are addressed efficiently.

• Lots of ways to contact. Staff will respond to patient requests by sending messages either: online. SMS, phone calls, or video calls.

• Availability. PATCHS is available Monday to Friday.

PATCHS aims to streamline the process of accessing GP services. making it more convenient for patients and reducing the workload for healthcare staff.

Visit the PATCHS website here: https://patchs.ai/practice/margaretthompsonmedicalcentre

 

NHS App

The NHS App offers a range of features. It is to help you manage your healthcare conveniently from your smartphone or tablet. Here are some of the key functionalities:

• Book and Manage Appointments: You can book, view, and cancel GP appointments.

• Order Repeat Prescriptions. Request your repeat prescriptions and choose a pharmacy for them to be sent to.

• View Your Medical Records. You cam access your GP health record. This includes information about your medications, allergies, and test results.

• Check Symptoms: Use the NHS 111 online service to check your symptoms and get advice on what to do next.

• Register with a GP: Register with a GP surgery if you are not already registered.

• Get Health Advice. Patients can access trusted NHS information and advice. There are topics on hundreds of health conditions and treatments.

• Manage Hospital Appointments. Depending on your hospital, you may be able to view and manage your hospital appointments.

• Receive Notifications: Get notifications and messages from your GP surgery.

• Proxy Access. Patients can manage healthcare for someone else. for example a child or an elderly relative, with their permission.

• Organ Donation: Register your decision about organ donation.

The app is designed to make it easier for patients to access NHS services. So that they manage thier health more effectively.

OTHER SERVICES

When patients contract us to make an appointment they may be directed, not to a GP but to another more suitable service. These services are:

Pharmacy First Service

The Pharmacy First service aims to improve access to healthcare. It allows community pharmacies to manage and treat certain common conditions. This allows the patient to get treatment without the need for a GP appointment.

Key Features

• Conditions Covered: The service includes treatment for seven common conditions. These include:

  • earache,

  • sore throat,

  • sinusitis,

  • impetigo,

  • infected insect bites,

  • shingles,

  • uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

• Access. Patients can access the service directly by visiting or contacting a participating pharmacy. Patients can be referred from general practice, urgent care settings, and NHS 1111.

• Benefits: This free up GP appointments for more complex cases. It provides quicker access to treatment, and reduce the burden on other parts of the NHS.

How It Works

Pharmacists follow defined clinical pathways to assess and treat these conditions. Self-care advice can be given. If appropriate, they can also supply a restricted set of prescription-only medicines.

You can also self refer to the pharmacy via PATCHS

You can also refer yourself to the pharmacy via the PATCHS service

FCP

First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) are healthcare professionals in the UK . Trained to assess, diagnose, and manage patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Ideally, at the first point of contact. They are often physiotherapists, but can also be osteopaths and chiropractors.

Here are some key points about FCPs:

• Role and Responsibilities: FCPs provide expert assessment and management of MSK conditions including:

  • joint pain,

  • back pain,

  • sports injuries.

    They can order investigations, prescribe medications, and refer patients to other specialists.

• Benefits: By seeing an FCP, patients can receive quicker access to specialist care. They reduce the demand for GP appointments, potentially speeding up the treatment process.

• Training and Qualifications: FCPs are highly trained professionals with advanced clinical skills. They often have additional qualifications and training in MSK care.

• Integration into Healthcare: The FCPs are integrated into the practice. They provide accessible and efficient care for patients with MSK issues.

TALK Liverpool -

Talk Liverpool is a free and confidential service provided by the NHS. They offer psychological treatments to help people with common mental health problems. These include stress, anxiety, and depression. Here are some key points about the service:

• Services Offered: Talk Liverpool provides a range of therapies. These including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), counselling, and guided self-help. Such therapies are designed to help individuals manage their mental health. They do this by changing the way they think and behave1.
• Eligibility: The service is available to adults aged 16 or over who and registered with a GP in Liverpool.
• Accessing the Service: You can refer yourself online or through your GP. The service offers flexible therapy options. These include online therapy, wellbeing courses, and face-to-face sessions.
• Special Programs: They also offer specific programs. For example a six-week perinatal ‘skills for wellbeing’ course. This is to support parents with depression or anxiety.

If you wist to self refer please visit them online here: