Get help from your pharmacy
Did you know that your local pharmacy can help you with a lot of minor ailments? If you have a minor illness, a pharmacy is the first place you should go for advice. Your local pharmacist or a trained member of the pharmacy team will give you advice and provide medicine if needed.
You do not usually need an appointment and you can go to any pharmacy.
Appointments
We normally consult by appointment only and will always try to offer you an appointment on the day you request. We will always try to offer you an appointment at a time that is convenient for you, however it may be necessary to wait to see a specific doctor.
Reception staff will always ask you why you need to be seen. This is to allow them to place you with the person best able to accommodate your needs. We kindly ask that you provide our staff with this information.
Please note the surgery works to advance appointments only. We do not have ‘on the day’ appointments or a walk-in surgery.
Surgery times can be found on the Contact page.
Urgent appointments
If you have an urgent problem and cannot wait for a routine appointment please inform reception and we will try to assist you as promptly and efficiently as we can. If an emergency appointment is needed, reception staff are required to ask questions about your emergency in order to correctly triage appointments with the GP. The doctor will then decide if you require an emergency appointment. Please be patient with reception staff while they try to assist you with your problem.
We kindly ask that if you have more than 2 problems to discuss with the doctor, please ask for a double appointment upon booking.
- Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Please inform reception upon arrival to the surgery.
Extended Hours
The surgery runs an Extended Hours Clinic every Wednesday morning from 7:30am – 8:30am. The clinic is run by a GP and our Practice Nurse for those who are unable to attend appointments during our normal consulting hours.
Please be aware that there is limited availability of these appointments therefore we kindly ask that those who are able to attend during normal surgery hours do not request these appointments.
Appointments for the extended access service are booked by calling the surgery reception.
When you may get an appointment with one of our pharmacy team
Our pharmacists can provide telephone appointments. The pharmacists or the doctors often review some or all of your medicines and may want to talk with you about the medicines you are currently taking. In the practice we like to review your medicine at least once a year or more often if needed.
You may have heard people referring to Polypharmacy. It means lots of medicines. A medicine review is particularly useful for people who take a lot of medicines; for these people their medicines review may be called a Polypharmacy Review. Further information is on the NHS Scotland’s website Polypharmacy.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to offer the appointment to another patient in need.
- using our online cancel an appointment form
- phone us on 0131 465 2950, Monday to Friday during opening hours
- If you are late for an appointment you may be asked to re-book.
If you need help when we are closed
The 111 service provides urgent care information and support if you think you need A&E but its not life-threatening, and advice when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed.
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, or by face-to-face
- 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 the surgery before 10:00am. You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice.
Your GP 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 to schedule house calls.
Getting your vaccinations
Vaccinations help protect you and your family from many infectious diseases. You’ll be offered different routine vaccinations at different times, depending on your age and circumstances.
Additional Information about your appointment with us
Can I bring someone to accompany me to the Appointment?
We are generally very happy for patients to bring with them a carer, relative or even a friend. This often helps, particularly when they know you well and it allows them to tell us any observations they would make about you, which can help us in undertaking our assessment. Ultimately this will lead us more quickly to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore help you more.
Also, having someone with you means they can prompt you to ask questions that you may have forgotten, and after the appointment they can help in reminding you what was discussed.
Occasionally we might ask for them to leave but this would be unusual.
If you require interpretation services please contact us in advance of you appointment and we will arrange this.
Chaperone Policy
We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable – these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.
You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Interpreter
If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the receptionist and this will be arranged.
Intimate Examinations
During your care, a doctor may need to examine you in order to provide you with the best care. Occasionally this may involve an examination of intimate areas. We understand that this can be stressful and embarrassing. If this sort of examination is necessary:
- We will explain to you why the examination is necessary and give you the opportunity to ask questions.
- We will explain what the examination will involve, including whether you can expect it to be painful or uncomfortable.
- We will obtain your permission before carrying out this examination You will be offered a chaperone.
- At all times we will respect your privacy during the examination and while dressing and undressing.
Your doctor and the nursing staff will be happy to discuss any concerns you have about this.
Private Medical Examinations
Medical examinations for special purposes such as pre-employment, fitness to travel, elderly drivers, fitness to undertake sports etc, will require longer than a routine appointment.
These examinations do not form part of NHS Services, you will be charged for any such examination. Please check the fee chargeable when you require to arrange any such examination.