Contact us with eConsult
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called eConsult.
New appointments
We know it can sometimes be difficult to get an urgent appointment so we’re changing our appointments system to improve this.
From Tuesday 24th September 2024 anyone who needs an urgent/same day appointment needs to request this online using the “e-consult” messaging system on our website. This is so that we can make sure you see the right clinician at the right time for your problem.
To avoid unnecessary delays in being seen, you will be offered a consultation with someone other than a GP, where this is appropriate, including our matrons, minor illness practitioners, pharmacists, MSK practitioners and physios.
How will it work?
- The e-consult facility is available on our website from 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. If you need a same day appointment, please do your best to submit your request in this time frame. However, be assured that if a problem arises after 4:30pm, you can still phone us and we will still review your request.
- If you are not able to access the internet, please ‘phone our reception team who will help you to complete your request which will then be managed in the same way as online requests.
- Your request will be triaged promptly by one of our on call GPs or matrons who may recommend self care advice, that you see your local pharmacist, or that you have a phone or face to face appointment with a member of the BRS team.
- Once your request has been triaged, a receptionist will contact you to arrange an appointment if needed. It might be that a routine or less urgent appointment is more suitable for you as these appointments allow you more time to discuss complicated issues.
- You are welcome to use the e-consult facility to book routine appointments also as an alternative to phoning.
Important
Please keep your contact details up to date, especially mobile phone numbers, and be available to answer them if you have submitted a request for an appointment.
We hope this new system will provide you with a better standard of care, improve access for all our patients and reduce waiting times for routine appointments.
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- Visit eConsult
- phone us on 01525 373111 or 01525 378387
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- phone us on 01525 373111 or 01525 378387
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or SystemOnline to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Enhanced access
Appointments with GPs and practice nurses are now available in the evenings and weekends for patients registered in any of the 3 Leighton Buzzard practices; these are called ‘extended access’ appointments.
When you call to make an appointment we may offer you an ‘extended access’ appointment, this appointment will be offered from the Leighton Road Surgery base, and will be with a GP or practice nurse from one of the practices across Bedfordshire.
Our reception team will confirm all of the details at the time of booking and if you are registered to receive text message alerts, you will receive a text message to confirm the date, time and location of your appointment. Please note that, at present, extended access appointments are not available to book online.
There has been no change to normal surgery appointments which are available as usual including our existing extended hours with early morning and late evening appointments on Wednesdays. If you would prefer to see a GP or practice nurse from this practice, please book an appointment during normal opening hours.
Text messaging appointment reminder service
You may be aware that an average of 40 hours per month of appointment time is wasted as patients forget either to attend or cancel appointments they have already booked. The practice has therefore implemented a service whereby we will send appointment reminders via SMS text messages. We are able to offer this to all patients for whom we have a mobile phone number recorded on our system.
For the service to be effective, it is important that we have your most up to date mobile phone details by completing a contact details form via reception.
Should you wish to be excluded from the text messaging service, please contact us.
Blood tests appointments
In response to feedback from our patient survey this year, we are enabling patients to book blood test appointments online from Monday 2nd March. All booked appointments for blood tests must have been authorised by a GP, hospital consultant or be in response to a reminder letter from the practice, e.g. for diabetic monitoring. Please do not use these blood test slots for anything other than authorised blood tests as our phlebotomist is not qualified to diagnose or prescribe.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: SystemOnline
- phone us on 01525 373111 or 01525 378387 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10am.
You may request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP or one of our practice matrons will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor/matron to schedule house calls.
You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under 5 years.