We are aware that one of the key challenges we have as a practice is telephone access and getting appointments when you need them.

One of the things we know causes frustration is that same day appointments go to those who get through on the phone and not those most in need and the system is blocked due to lack of appointments in advance.

We have reviewed and changed our appointment system to allow you to plan your appointments better around your personal commitments with greater flexibility in appointments in advance but also ensure we meet your urgent medical requirements.

Key features:

3 types of appointment will be available:

• Book in advance up to 3 weeks
• Book in advance 48 hours
• Same day

Same day appointment requests are for those patients whose medical problem must be dealt with on the same day.

Routine appointments can be booked up to 3 weeks in advance or 48 hours in advance for patients who do not need immediate attention.

There is going to be an ongoing review to try and ensure we have the right number of slots for everyone, in the right timescale you require.

You can help us to help you by:

• Only ringing at 8am if you need a SAME DAY appointment.
• Trying to consider if the problem you have had has been a longstanding one which is suitable to be booked ahead. For these appointments please try to call after 9am. 
• Ensuring that if you cannot attend an appointment, or no longer require it, that you cancel it as far in advance as possible.

Great Western Surgery  - updated 16th May 2012

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit.

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.

These clinics will no longer run at the Surgery as of the 29th of September 2010. Alternative Clinics can be found at

www.swindon.nhs.uk/your-nhs/Babies-children