Booking a Routine Appointment
- Online – The quickest way to request a routine appointment is online via AccuRx triage. We aim to respond to your request the same day, either offering an appointment or, if no appointment is available, adding your request to a virtual waiting list. If you are requesting a specific GP or particular site you may need to wait longer for an appointment
- Telephone – If you are unable to complete the online form, you can contact the practice by telephone . Your request will still be triage the same as online requests.
- In Person – You can visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist during opening hours.
Non-urgent advice: Submitting an online request
Non-urgent advice: Cancel an Appointment
If you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason, or the health problem has cleared up, please remember to cancel your appointment. Even cancelling your appointment with 10 minutes’ notice will enable us to see other patients in need.
We have a large number of people who do not attend their appointments every single week. This leads to wasted doctor and nurse time and being able to get an appointment.
You can telephone us on 020 8850 5141 or reply to your text reminder to cancel your appointment.
Urgent Appointments
When you contact the surgery, the patient co-ordinator will triage your request and an appropriate appointment will be offered.
Information about your appointment
Our practice coordinators are triage trained and will ask for details about your problem to allow you to be seen by the most appropriate clinician. This information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
In some cases it may be that a clinician can deal with a problem over the telephone thereby saving you the need to visit the practice.
All appointments are for 10 minutes, and for 1 problem only. If you feel have more than 1 problem or feel you need longer, please advise the practice coordinator.
Home Visits
If you require a house-visit, please let the patient coordinator know. Your call will be passed to the duty doctor who will call you to discuss your problem and will decide if you need a visit. Then, our home visiting team will arrange to come out to visit you.
Generally, you may only request a home visit if you are housebound.
Extended Hours
Our extended hours are on:
Tuesdays at Westmount Surgery
Thursdays at Passey Place Surgery
Every fourth Saturday at Passey Place
GP Trainees/Medical Students
Eltham Medical Practice is a training practice. You therefore may be offered an appointment with a qualified trainee doctor or be asked if one may be present during your consultation with your own doctor. If you prefer to see your doctor in private, please let us know.
GP Trainees
GP trainees are fully qualified doctors who have decided they would like to become GPs. They will undertake a minimum of six months of ‘on-the-job’ training with us here at Eltham Medical Practice and are supervised by the Partners.
Medical Students
Our practice is a community teaching practice for King’s College London School of Medicine and Imperial College School of Medicine. With the supervision of the doctor or nurse, medical students may, with your consent in advance, join your consultation. This is one way medical students learn to become good doctors and understand patient views about their care. We appreciate your help with their learning.
Your GP
You are welcome to request to see a particular GP, though you may have to wait longer to see the GP of your choice.
Chaperone
Eltham Medical Practice prides itself in maintaining professional standards. For certain examinations during consultations an impartial observer (a “Chaperone”) will be required.
This impartial observer may be a practice Nurse, Health Care Assistant or chaperone trained receptionist who is familiar with the procedure and available to reassure and raise any concerns on your behalf. If a chaperone is unavailable at the time of your consultation then your examination may be re-scheduled for another time.
You are free to decline any examination or chose an alternative examiner or chaperone. You may also request a chaperone for any examination or consultation if one is not offered to you. The GP may not undertake an examination if a chaperone is declined.
The role of a Chaperone:
Maintains professional boundaries during intimate examinations
Acknowledges a patient’s vulnerability
Provides emotional comfort and reassurance
Assists in the examination
Assists with undressing patients, if required
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