We have developed an appointment system where the majority of our appointments are bookable ‘on the day’.  This is because many of our patients are elderly or have long-term health conditions, so require rapid access to an appointment with their preferred GP, for continuity of care.

  • On the day appointments are available to request from 08:30 by telephone only to ensure that:
    • Patients have similar access to these appointments
    • Receptionists are available to answer the telephone
  • You may be asked if your problem is urgent for today and the reason for your appointment, to ensure that:
    • We prioritise the patients who are most unwell
    • We deal with your problem in the most appropriate way

You may choose either a face to face consultation or a telephone consultation - our reception staff will be able to assist you with that decision.  A face-to-face consultation should be the default for new problems, and if you feel you might require an examination.  A telephone consultation is most appropriate for following-up a medical problem that has already been assessed face-to-face.  We are aware that many working-age patients prefer the convenience of a telephone consultation.  Thankfully, it is now possible to assess many more problems remotely using cameraphone photos and video consultations.

Please see the following article: How to get the most out of your GP appointment

We have a small number of additional 'urgent' appointments available after 14:00, for patients who become unwell during the day & their problem cannot wait until the following day.  These are ideal for children who become very unwell whilst at school or nursery that day.

We also have some 'pre-bookable' appointments at the start and end of every day, which are made available on a rolling basis up to two weeks in advance.  Pre-bookable appointments are only available for specific things - baby/ postnatal checks, contraceptive/ HRT reviews, planned procedures, or if one of the GPs has requested it.  Alternatively, you may be offered an appointment with the 7-Day GP Service, which provides pre-bookable evening and weekend appointments for patients across Southport and Formby.

Home visits are reserved for patients who are permanently housebound, severely disabled or reaching the end of their life.  If a patient would be able to exit their home independently or with the support of a carer in the event of a fire, we would normally expect them to attend the surgery instead.  This allows us to see as many patients as possible each day, so a GP may ring you back to confirm that a visit is required.  In almost all cases children can be brought to the surgery where we have the best conditions for examination. 

Home visit requests should be made as early as possible in the morning, preferably before 10:00, because they are completed by the doctor between 12:00 and 14:00.  If you feel your problem requires more urgent attention than that, please telephone 999.  At present, the majority of our home visits are performed by a dedicated, separate Acute Visiting Service.

The cost of travel to the surgery cannot be a consideration in requests for home visits, so please ensure that you have a system whereby you can access transport by family, friends or a taxi.  Please click here to read our home visiting policy in full.

Booking An Appointment Online

We would encourage all patients who are able to, to download & register for the NHS App as this allows you to book an appointment from the comfort of your own home.  However, please note that apart from a small number of our face-to-face, on-the-day Advanced Nurse Practitioner appointments (for one new physical health problem only), few of our appointments are made available to book online.  This is because we need to ensure that patients are given the right appointment, with the right professional, at the right time.  Online access to our surgery is also available via the PATCHs platform on the homepage, during our opening hours.

If you do not own a smartphone or tablet, you can still sign up for and use Patient Access Online Services to book your appointments instead.  To begin the registration process, please call the practice or visit us in person, and our receptionists will advise you of the next step to take.  You will need to provide proof of your identity so please bring along photographic ID and proof of your address.  Once we have supplied you with a registration letter you can return to the Patient Access Website to complete the registration process - just click Register at the top right hand corner of the home page and follow the on screen instructions.  If you have any difficulties with the website please contact their Support Centre.