All practice’s across the PCN are working hard to help make it easier for you to get the care you need. Whether you contact them online, by phone, or in person, you’ll receive the same high-quality support and patient care.
Accessing their services
Our practice’s are open from 8.00am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Throughout these hours you, or your carer on your behalf, can:
- Visit your practice.
- Call your practice. Find all of our practice’s contact details here.
- Use our online consultation tool via your practice’s website or the NHS App.
You can choose the way you contact us and based on what is best for you.
Using online consultation
You can use your practice’s online consultation tool during their core opening hours (find your practice’s hours here) for:
- routine, non-urgent appointment requests
- medication queries
- administrative requests (eg fit notes, test results, letters).
They will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please note: If you need help filling in an online request, you can phone your practice on or visit them in person.
If your practice is closed and you need urgent help for your physical or mental health – go online to 111.nhs.uk or call 111. They will tell you what to do next. For emergencies such as chest pain, severe bleeding, or difficulty breathing, please go to A&E (Accident and Emergency) or call 999.
What happens when you contact your practice to request an appointment?
Whether you make your request by phone, online or visiting the practice, you will be asked to give some details so that they can assess what is best for you based on your clinical needs. The practice team will review your request for an appointment or medical advice and tell you within as soon as they can what will happen next. This could be:
- A booked appointment (face-to-face, video or telephone) the same day or another day
- A message with advice or next steps (such as a text message, email or NHS App message)
- A referral to another NHS service (pharmacy, specialist or other community service)
- Advice to call 111 or visit A&E.
Please do not use the online consultation tool for:
- Urgent medical problems – after 8am please phone the surgery for advice. If the surgery is closed, please call 111.
- Emergencies – for emergencies such as chest pain, severe bleeding, or difficulty breathing, please go to A&E or call 999.
If your need is urgent or you’re unsure what to do, please call the practice or visit in person. Urgent clinical matters will be triaged and managed appropriately.
Understanding your appointments
Your practice is here to support your ongoing health and wellbeing. They offer:
- Routine appointments for:
- issues that can wait a few days until the next available appointment
- ongoing or long-term health conditions
- medication reviews
- general check-ups or follow-ups.
- Urgent appointments for:
- problems that need attention sooner but are not emergencies
- a new health problem that you haven’t told us about before
- worsening symptoms that need attention today or soon
- problems you’re worried will get much worse if you wait longer.
You and your general practice
This guide tells you what to expect from our practice and how you can help us, so you get the best from the NHS.
Read the You and Your General Practice guide.
You can also visit our local NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board website for further information on how to give feedback or raise a concern.