WESTCLIFFE MEDICAL PRACTICE
CHANGES TO OUR APPOINTMENT SYSTEM
Please be aware from 1st August 2016 our appointment system is changing.

URGENT PROBLEMS
If you have an urgent problem that needs dealing with that day please
telephone the practice between 8.00am and 9.30am and ask for the:
‘Rapid Access Clinic’
The Doctor will deal with your problem over the phone and offer urgent
advice, prescriptions, referral or same day appointment as clinically
appropriate.

ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS
For routine appointments you can still pre-book up to 6 weeks in advance with
the doctor of your choice, subject to availability, including on the day if we
have free appointments.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
For phone calls occurring between 9.30am and 6pm we will only be able to
manage medical emergencies. A doctor will be available by phone and in
clinic to deal with these if they arise.
Why are these changes needed?
We are struggling to meet the increasing demand on our services and to recruit
additional Doctors due to a national shortage. We believe that these changes are
needed as a way for us to manage demand on our service and to try and prioritise
our scarce Doctor resources to those people who are in most need of that expertise.
The pressures on our workforce have become intolerable, we have to make these
changes to help retain the valuable members of staff that we currently employ and
have invested in.
Thank you for working with us during this change and supporting our staff implement
this new system.
However, if you do have any concerns, please contact Manda Bean - Patient
Service Manager 01274 609683.
The Partners: Drs Humphrey, Fay, Dawson, Stockwell, Rawal, Hayward, Tahir, Pickering and
Mrs Winterbottom