Change to appointment system from 1st October 2025

Posted on September 17th, 2025

Following our recent push for patient feedback, we have made some changes to our appointment system from 1st October 2025.

What’s changing from 1st October 2025:

• PATCHS online consultations will be used only for routine concerns that can wait for a pre-booked appointment. Opening hours for requests will be changing, so you can submit a request anytime between 8am – 6.30pm. If any PATCHS are submitted for an urgent problem then you may be redirected to alternative services such as walk in centres and A&E to ensure you are seen in an appropriate time frame.
• Urgent help – if you need urgent care, you will be asked to call the practice directly and speak to a receptionist. Our receptionists will ask for a brief reason for your call and will direct you to the most appropriate service or clinician. This may be with a GP but it may also be with a Paramedic, Pharmacy, Mental health nurse, Nurse or at an out of hours clinic. We have many different services available at our practice and at other local practices so to ensure everybody can be seen in an appropriate time frame you will be directed to the most appropriate service for your condition.
• Routine appointments – if you need to call us to arrange a routine appointment, we ask that you call after 10.30am to keep early lines free for urgent cases. PATCHS remains the quickest way to request routine care, and we kindly ask patients who can use it to do so, to help keep phone lines free for others. We do also offer evening appointments twice a week and we can arrange weekend appointments too at an alternative location.
• Continuity of care – you can now specify the GP you would like to see when booking.

In addition to these changes, from Monday 22nd September. PATCHS capacity will be reduced significantly as we transition into our new appointment system. Between 22nd September and 30th September we will be hosting some open access clinics so if you require an appointment during this time we would kindly ask that you call the practice and our patient advisors will direct you to the most appropriate service for your condition.