St Austell Healthcare - Guide to our Appointment System
We constantly evaluate our appointment system and listen to feedback in order to provide
you with the best possible service. GP practices are facing unprecedented pressure but we
try to ensure we provide enough appointments in line with national guidelines.
Our model has been nationally acclaimed as an innovative approach to the changing
demands in our community. These demands mean that we have to work differently. We
work alongside other services such as NHS 111, community pharmacy and Minor Injuries
Unit and Accident and Emergency to provide a range of care options.
We would ask that you respect our team – they are doing their best to help you and respect
the demands on the NHS and use this precious and free service responsibly.
Choosing the most appropriate service for your health need
Self-care
There are a range of symptoms and conditions that may not require input from our clinical
team. These include back pain, conjunctivitis, cough and cold, constipation, diarrhoea,
earache, haemorrhoids, hay fever, head lice, headache, heartburn and indigestion, insect
bites, migraine, nasal congestion, nappy rash, sore throat, sinusitis, sprains and strains,
thrush and warts and verruca’s. Our website www.staustellhealthcare.co.uk contains
information to help you manage these types of symptoms. Your local pharmacist may be
able to give you advice and appropriate treatment.
If we can encourage patients who have a self-limiting illness to follow minor illness advice
where appropriate, then this will allow more appointments to be available to those patients
with long term and serious conditions
Planned care
These appointments are for all non-urgent matters. Planned care appointments are usually
with a clinician who knows you and are longer than urgent appointments in order to meet
your needs better. All patients have a named GP. If you are unsure who your GP is please
ask. You will be offered an appointment with your usual or preferred clinician first. If this isn’t
suitable then you will be offered an appointment at the site of your choice whenever possible.
Planned care appointments can be arranged by telephone on 01726 75555 or at reception in
one of our 5 sites. Alternatively you can book GP appointments and blood tests on-line on
our website www.staustellhealthcare.co.uk.
It helpful to give the receptionist some details of your problem (as much as you are
comfortable with).This helps us to pick the best possible, and most convenient, way of
consulting with your doctor. In addition to face to face appointments we can arrange for your
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usual doctor to ring you within the next five working days. If your doctor needs to see you
then he can give you an appointment.
If you call relates to a query then a message through the reception to the doctor may resolve
the problem for you without the need for an appointment (e.g. simple advice, sick notes,
queries about referrals, medication reauthorisation).
We aim to answer these queries within 5 working days – please indicate if your need is more
urgent.
Occasionally the receptionist will check with a clinician if they are unsure as to which
appointment type to use and will get back to you.
We aim to provide planned care to those who need it most by a team that is familiar with
your case. Our routine/planned-care appointments are only booked a maximum of 5 days in
advance.
Urgent care
Urgent care is for patients who need urgent medical attention within 24 hours (e.g. an unwell
child, patients with urgent mental health problems, complications of underlying conditions like
asthma, cancer or diabetes).
We operate a ‘telephone triage’ system for urgent care. If you feel that you need to see a
doctor or nurse that day please call 01726 75555 and speak to our reception team. They will
take some basic information about your health problem and your telephone number. Please
give us as much medical information as you feel comfortable with. This helps our team to
find the most appropriate appointment for your needs and helps us prioritise your call-back.
Where possible the receptionist will sign-post you to the appropriate appointment. However,
this will often be a telephone call-back from one of our nurses or doctors. The clinician may
offer you an appointment depending on the urgency of your problem or give you advice over
the telephone. Please check we have your correct details to call you back.
We see most patients with urgent health problems at the Carlyon Road Health Hub. Please
note this is NOT a walk-in service.
Please note we are not able to deal with enquires regarding sick notes, prescription
requests, medication queries (unless serious drug reaction), most long-standing problems
(unless fear of serious medical illness) and routine matters in the urgent care centre. These
are planned care issues (routine) and will be dealt with as such.
Home Visits
Home visits are reserved for patients who are unable to come to the surgery due to ill-health.
Each home visit reduces the number of appointments we can offer in surgery. Please talk to
a receptionist if in doubt and ask for telephone advice if appropriate.
A doctor will phone you back about your request for a home visit to ensure that the right
person visits you. We ask that requests for home visits are made before 11am to ensure we
see you in a timely fashion.
Helping You Stay Healthy
We are constantly developing new services and working with partners to bring the highest
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quality care to you, to improve your well-being and to help you stay fit and healthy.
Please ask our team or visit our website www.staustellhealthcare.co.uk for a full list of those
services and to keep up to date with the latest developments.
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