Doctors Running Late

We sometimes receive complaints about doctors running late and patients having to wait for their appointments. We appreciate that this is frustrating for everyone involved so please allow us to inform you what you can do to help us, yourselves and other patients.

Multiple Problems per Appointment

  • This is one of the main reasons for doctors running late.
  • It can cause problems if you bring a long list of problems to a single appointment. Our appointments are in 10 minute slots. Although we will of course never simply cut you off after 10 minutes, it is usually difficult for adoctor to adequately deal with more than 1 problem in a 10 minute slot.
  • Please feel free to book more appointments or when you book, inform the receptionist that you have multiple issues you would like to discuss with the doctor (you do not have to reveal any details).

Patients Arriving Late

  • Please try to arrive on time for all appointments. Please inform us as soon as possible if you wish to cancel your appointment. If you are going to be late, please ring in on your mobile to let us know.
  • It has been agreed by our Patient Representative Group and the surgery that if you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, you will firstly be asked if it is possible re-book your appointment.  If you feel it is an emergency that you are seen on the day, the receptionist will ask you to take a seat while they ask the doctor if they will be able to see you during their surgery. It is up to the doctor if they are able to squeeze you in or ask you to come back later in the day.

Multiple Patients per Appointment

  • The appointment is only for the person who is booked in for the appointment.  If you ask for other family members, who are not booked in, to be seen at the same time, it will cause everyone after you in the queue to be seen late. Please book a separate appointment for every person who you wish the doctor to see.
  • Booking one patient per appointment will reduce the likelihood of doctorsrunning late.
  • If appointments are booked in good time you will probably be able to get 2 or 3 appointments one after the other.

Emergencies

  • Due to the nature of our work, occasionally we have unpredictable emergencies which we must deal with urgently. We ask for your patience in these matters and apologise for any inconvenience caused. One day the person with the emergency could be you!