Can another Healthcare Professional help?
Do you need to see the GP?
Sometimes the GP is not the most appropriate Healthcare Professional to deal with your ailment. Please see the information on see a Doctor or Healthcare Professional, which might help you decide whether a GP appointment is truly necessary or whether it might be better for you to see a Pharmacist, Optician, Dentist or other Healthcare Professional. You can even self-refer for some services without seeing your GP.
For real life-threatening emergencies such as those below – RING 999
- Chest pain (suspected heart attack)
- Suspected stroke
- Suspected meningitis
- Anaphylactic shock (severe allergy)
- Heavy bleeding or deep lacerations
- Fluctuating levels of consciousness or completely unconscious
- Difficulty breathing or stopped breathing with a change in colour
- New seizure, fit or uncontrollable shaking
For immediately serious conditions such as the following, GO TO Emergency Department (A&E) IMMEDIATELY
- A fever and lethargic (drowsy) child
- A feverish and floppy (unresponsive) infant
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain
- Accidental or intentional overdose of medication
- Trauma (including falls) and possible broken bones or road traffic accident
Patients who have a problem outwith the surgery opening hours that can’t wait until the surgery reopens should contact NHS24 by dialling 111.
To arrange an appointment with a doctor or nurse, please ring 0131 337 2166 or call at Reception, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. Please note that we are unable to accept requests to book or cancel appointments by email.
Your appointment at the Practice
- Routine appointments with a GP or Practice Nurse are 10 minutes in length
- Each 10 minute appointment is for one person only, and your doctor may not be able to deal with multiple medical problems in this time.
- We offer a short emergency surgery every day around noon. Each emergency appointment is 5 minutes in length and must be booked on the day.
- We offer early morning appointments, between 0730 and 0830, on some days each week. Please call 0131 337 2166 to book in advance
- We regularly have medical students attached to the surgery. You will be told if the student is with the doctor or nurse you are here to see; if you would rather see the doctor or nurse alone this will be absolutely fine, please say
- The services of a translator to help non-English speakers through consultations can be arranged in advance.
- It is Practice Policy to allow patients to choose whichever Doctor they wish to attend in the Practice. However, in times of very high demand it may not always be possible to give you an appointment with the doctor of your choice but in an emergency our patients will always be seen by one of the doctors.
Telephone Advice
If you only need advice from the doctor or nurse please feel welcome to telephone the surgery. The staff will either pass your message on or advise you when you may speak to the doctor or nurse.
Please help us
Please be on time for your appointment and if you no longer need to attend, please let us know so that we can offer the appointment to someone else. Patients who repeatedly fail to attend booked appointments and do not advise us in advance that they wish to cancel, are removed from our patient list.
Additional information
Can I bring someone to accompany me to the Appointment?
We are generally very happy for patients to bring with them a carer, relative or even a friend. This often helps, particularly when they know you well and it allows them to tell us any observations they would make about you, which can help us in undertaking our assessment. Ultimately this will lead us more quickly to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore help you more.
Also, having someone with you means they can prompt you to ask questions that you may have forgotten, and after the appointment they can help in reminding you what was discussed.
Occasionally we might ask for them to leave but this would be unusual.
If you require interpretation services please contact us in advance of you appointment and we will arrange this.
Chaperone Policy
We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable – these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.
You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Interpreter
If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the receptionist and this will be arranged.
Private Medical Examinations
Medical examinations for special purposes such as pre-employment, fitness to travel, elderly drivers, fitness to undertake sports etc, will require longer than a routine appointment.
These examinations do not form part of NHS Services, you will be charged for any such examination. Please check the fee chargeable when you require to arrange any such examination.