Uwchaled Medical Practice

Reception phone line: 8:00am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday

Dispensary phone line: 10.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday

Appointments

Making an appointment

Our surgeries operate on an appointment-only system, and we do not offer walk-in services.

Appointments can be booked in a number of ways

If you’re unsure what type of appointment and with who, is most appropriate, we’d be more than happy to advise.

Canceling an appointment

Cancelling your appointment in advance not only allows us to offer the time to another patient in need of care, but also helps you avoid being marked as a ‘Did Not Attend’ (DNA) under our practice policy.  Missed appointments are monitored and action will be taken if a pattern emerges and can lead to your removal from our patient list.

How to cancel your appointment
  • Reply to your appointment reminder text message with the word CANCEL to request cancellation of your appointment
  • Use the NHS Wales App so that you can arrange and cancel appointments at your convenience
  • Phone the practice. The receptionists are always on hand to advise and to help cancel or rearrange appointments

Care Navigation

GP Care Navigators are trained members of the team who help patients find their way through the healthcare system and access the right services and support for their health needs.

Our care navigators are requested to ask questions about why you are calling so that you can be directed to the right person to help.   This can mean directing you to other services within or outside the practice.  This makes the most efficient use of our services and ensures that you get seen by the most appropriate service and as soon as possible.

Seeing the GP isn’t always necessary because many health issues can be effectively managed without a doctor’s visit. For minor ailments like colds, headaches, or stomach issues, self-care strategies and over-the-counter treatments are often sufficient. Additionally, other healthcare professionals, such nurses, can provide guidance and support for common health concerns. This approach can save time and ensure that GP appointments are reserved for more complex or serious health issues that require medical attention.

GP Appointments

GP appointments are 10 minutes in length and are for one person to discuss one medical problem.

You can choose from a face to face appointment or telephone consultation at time of booking.  If you have a complex or multiple issues to discuss, please ask for a double appointment.  You might be provided with a link so that you can send a photo of your complaint to the GP or similarly you may be provided with information about your condition via email or mobile phone once you have spoken to the GP.

Routine appointments

Routine appointments are for non-urgent problems or follow ups if you have an ongoing condition. These appointments are available to book at least six weeks in advance.

On the day appointments

We have a certain number of on the day appointments available daily.  These are for medical problems which require same day advice or treatment.

Emergency appointments

If you’re very unwell and need to be seen soon/urgently, contact the practice by phone as soon as possible and explain your condition to the receptionist.   You’ll be offered a same day consultation where relevant (which may be over the phone).

Children under 16

Children under 16 will always be given a same day consultation if they are acutely unwell (this may be on the phone).

Home visit

A home visit may be arranged if you are too unwell to attend the surgery. Please explain briefly to the receptionist the reason for your request. The doctor will contact you and decide if a home visit is necessary.

General enquiries, administration requests and referral updates

For general enquiries, paperwork, forms that need to be completed, and questions regarding referrals, our administrators are best equipped to assist you. They have the expertise to provide timely answers and ensure your requests are handled efficiently. Therefore, please refrain from making an appointment with the GP for these matters, as it may delay your response and take time away from patients needing medical attention.

Practice Nurse / Healthcare Assistant (HCA) appointments

It’s important to tell the receptionist the reason for your appointment when booking as different conditions and reviews require different appointment lengths and clinicians.

A practice nurse provides a range of healthcare services to support patient health and well-being, including vaccinations, health screenings, managing long-term conditions, and supporting patients with lifestyle advice and minor treatments.

They are responsible for administering vaccinations and childhood immunisations, conducting health screenings, including blood pressure checks and diabetes assessments. In addition to these tasks, practice nurses manage long-term conditions like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension by monitoring patients’ health, educating them about their conditions. They also provide support for minor treatments, such as wound care, stitch removal, and ear syringing.

Furthermore, practice nurses offer valuable lifestyle advice, helping patients with smoking cessation, weight management, and nutrition guidance. Their expertise and support are essential in promoting preventive care and improving overall health outcomes in the community.

Physiotherapist and Midwife

An appointment can be made directly with the physiotherapist and midwife. There is no need to see the GP first.

Young People: Seeing a GP or Nurse Alone

As a child, it’s common to visit the GP with an adult. However, as children grow older, they may prefer to attend appointments on their own, which is perfectly fine. While children can technically attend appointments alone at any age, 13 and above is generally considered the most appropriate time to start.

Rest assured, the doctor or nurse will keep everything discussed during the appointment confidential, unless the young person asks them to share the information or if there are concerns about their safety or the safety of others.

Your Contact Details

As a child gets older they will have their own mobile phone number.  From the age of 12 upwards, it is the young person’s own mobile number that is recorded on the clinical record and that not a parent or guardian.  This is to ensure confidentiality.

 

 

 

Date published: 8th October, 2014
Date last updated: 18th October, 2024