Appointments
There are different ways to get medical help from a clinician, depending on your needs and preferences.
A face-to-face appointment may not always be necessary. Other clinicians such as Advanced Clinical Practitioners may also deal with issues for which patients may previously have seen Doctors.
Online consultations
You can contact our practice through SystmConnect consultation system, from any internet-connected device. You can check your symptoms, get self-help advice or send a message directly to the practice team. Messages will be checked during work hours, and we will get back to you within 2 working days.
Contact us through SystmConnect.
A clinician may invite you to book an appointment or suggest another form of treatment. Often, our team can resolve common patient issues without you needing to visit the surgery.
Systmconnect is quick, secure and easy to use. Many patients enjoy the instant access, flexibility and quick resolutions it offers.
Requesting an appointment
If you would like an appointment, please complete a SystmConnect form either online or at reception.
You will be asked about your issue on the SystmConnect form. We do this to direct you to the best person to help with your problem. Staff are trained to do this, and anything you say is confidential.
Standard appointments are 15 minutes and are for one patient with one issue. If you think you will need more time, you may need to request a double appointment.
You have the right to request a specific GP, we will always try to accommodate requests for specific times or clinicians, but please be aware that some options may not be available or may lead to a longer wait.
If you require a home appointment please complete a SystmConnect form or contact on 0191 2755740 and press option 2 to speak with a Care Navigator, who will pass the information to our duty doctor to access if a home visit would be beneficial.
Urgent Appointments
If you require immediate assistance, you need to contact 999 for life threatening emergencies. Our surgery only offers pre-booked appointments. We do not offer walk in appointments.
The surgery does offer urgent ‘on the day’ appointments, these need to be booked by contacting us using the SystmConnect form. If you’re unable to access the internet, our phone lines are open 8.30am until 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closed Thursday between 12-1:30pm.
Our trained Care Navigators will view your SystmConnect form, and book an appointment, if the issue is appropriate to be booked in with a clinician.
Cancelling Appointments
If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact us on 0191 2755740 and press option 1 to leave a message to cancel. You will need to leave your name, date of birth, date and time of your appointment. You won’t need to wait in the call queue when doing this.
However, if your appointment is within the next hour, we ask that you please contact us on 0191 2755740 and press option 2 to speak with a Care Navigator to cancel your appointment. Doing this ensures that your appointment does not go to waste and we are able to offer your slot to another patient.
You can also cancel your appointment on the NHS app if you have access to this or by replying to the text reminders.