At Lime Grove Medical Centre  we have had an increase in patients booking urgent same day appointments at the reception desk.

May we take this opportunity to remind patients that same day urgent appointments are shorter in length and designed to address a single acute issue requiring rapid assessment.

Our receptionists would be unable  to ask confidential questions over the reception desk that would help direct you in the appropriate way.

The booking of same day urgent appointments via the reception desk can put frailer and more remote patients at a deficit for accessing these urgent appointments.

Therefore we would ask that you contact the surgery via the phone to arrange an appointment for same day appointments to allow fair access for all our 8100 patients.

Patients who present at the front desk requiring a same day urgent appointment will not be given an urgent on day appointment until they have been contacted by the on call clinician by phone to discuss further, so please ensure that we have your most up to date contact details on record.

Thank you for helping us ensure that the surgery provides equitable access for all our patients.

All of our clinics are booked by appointment. 

Patients are able to book appointments in multiple ways such as:

• Via the NHS App
• Via the SystmOnline App
• By ringing reception on 01629 581 586
• With one of our receptions over the receptiopn desk

When booking an appointment our reception team will ask for a breif description of the problem. This is to ensure that the patient is  being booked in with the correct clinician in order to receive the most efficiant and high quality care. 

*SystmOnline allows patients or someone acting on behalf of the patient to proactively manage their care. The online services available include the ability to view an online Electronic Medical Record (EMR) as well as booking appointments and managing medication. SystmOnline is available as an online service or via apps. To access SystmOnline you need to request at reception with photographic ID.

All clinical staff are happy to offer advice by telephone when a surgery appointment may not be required. 

If you would like telephone advice  or speask to a specific doctor the receptionist will ask for a contact number, a brief description of the problem and the doctor will phone back at the agreed date and time.

Being part of the Derbyshire Dales Primary Care (DDPC) network allows us to offer extended access for evening and weekend appointments working together with other local practices.

These are available between 18:30 – 20:00 and at the weekend 09:00 – 12:00. (Times may differ for other local practices)

If you would like to take advantage of these appointments our receptionists can inform you when are where they are available, and, book them for you. Times and days may vary between the local practices.

To help support these changes we will no longer be booking appointments at the reception desk before 8am. Please do not attend the surgery to book an appointment before 8am.

Doctors visit people at home each working day to see patients who are housebound to come to surgery. If you feel you require a home visit, it is extremely helpful if the request can be made to the surgery by 10.00 .

Requests for a home visit will be referred to the duty doctor for a telephone conversation in the first instance to determine how the situation can be managed most appropriately.

The practice contributes to the training of students training to be doctors, as well as nurses and other health care professionals. On occasion this may mean a consultation being witnessed by a student, or a student being involved in planning your care under the guidance of a doctor. 

Patients are always asked if they are happy for a student to be present during a consultation before it begins. It is always possible to make alternative arrangements to comply with patient preferences.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmations, reminders and cancel your appointments texts.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

It is important that you inform the reception staff if you are unable to attend your appointment, this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient.

You can cancel you appoint via calling reception, via the NHS app or SystmOnline

Please attend your appointment on time, if you are late you may not be seen. If you are not seen you will not be able to rearrange your appointment until the next working day-except in the event of an medical emergency that requires immediate attention.

If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the receptionist and they will arrange this for you.