Woolton House Medical Centre

Making an appointment

 

• We are operating a telephone triage system. This means you will be asked to briefly describe your conditions over the phone to a trained member of our healthcare team. This information is completely confidential and will help us to assess the most appropriate way to provide your care.

 

• Demand for appointments continue to be high, which might mean a delay getting through to your practice at peak times, but please be patient with our staff – they will get to you, and are doing their very best to help you.

 

• In some instances, you may be offered an online, video or telephone consultation. These options can be a faster and more convenient way to receive healthcare advice and treatment for a range of minor issues.

 

• Please be reassured that you will be offered a face-to-face appointment if you have a clinical need for one – and we will always prioritise the sickest patients first.

Contacting your practice online

 

• If you have a non-urgent health request, a really easy way to contact your practice is by using an online form on our website to get help and advice for non-urgent problems.

 

• You can also use it to request things like fit notes and repeat prescriptions from your GP practice too.

 

• It can save you time and help free up our phone line for other patients who don’t have online access, or who have a more urgent problem.

 

Enhanced Access

 

• Pre-bookable evening and weekend appointments are now available through another NHS service nearby. Please speak to one of our reception team for more information or to book an appointment.

 

If you need urgent care or advice over evenings or weekends when the surgery is closed, you can visit 111.nhs.uk or dial 111 at any time. NHS 111 can offer over the phone advice, and book you face-to-face appointment for you at a walk-in centre, out-of-hours GP practice, or a local hospital A&E department if required.

 

Getting help when your GP practice is closed

 

 

Think NHS 111 first

 

• If you need urgent care when your practice is closed but it’s not a life-threatening situation, please call NHS 111 or go to: nhs.uk.

 

• NHS 111 is staffed by a team of clinicians and trained advisors who are always on hand to provide over the phone advice, or direct you to the right care if you’re not sure where to go

 

• They can also arrange face-to-face appointments with an out of hours GP, at a local walk-in centre, or a local hospital A&E department if required.

 

 

Walk-in Centres

 

• NHS Walk-in Centres can offer advice and treatment for a wide range of minor injuries and illnesses.

 

• They are open daily from early till late, including on Bank Holidays – no appointment or registration needed, just walk in.

 

• More information about locations and opening times can be found at: merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/walk-centres

 

 

Try a pharmacy

 

• If you’ve got a minor ailment, go to your pharmacy.

 

• Pharmacists are trained health professionals who can offer clinical advice and medicines to treat a wide range of minor concerns like coughs, colds, sore throats, upset stomachs and general aches and pains – no appointment needed.

 

• Many pharmacies are open from early until late, and at weekends too. Find opening times for your nearest community pharmacies here: nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy

 

 

 

 

 

Advice for parents & carers

 

• If you are worried about symptoms in a child or young person, you can use Alder Hey’s Online Symptom Checker for fast advice on treating common symptoms in children, and when to seek further help.

 

 

Urgent mental health support

 

• If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s important to know where to go to get help fast. Mersey Care offers a 24/7 mental health crisis helpline for adults on 0800 145 6570 (free phone).

 

• If you are a parent/carer for a child or young person in a mental health crisis, you can call Alder Hey’s mental health helpline on 0151 293 3577 or 0808 196 3550 (free phone) at any time.

 

 

Additional Pharmacy Support

 

 

Pharmacy First

 

• Patients registered to a Liverpool GP practice can now get some prescription medications straight from a local pharmacist – without needing to see a GP first. Simply drop into your nearest pharmacy and ask.

 

 

Care at the Chemist 

 

• There’s lots of over-the-counter treatments for common conditions that you can access straight from a local pharmacy. If you don’t pay for prescriptions, any treatment is free of cost (or charged at the normal prescription cost if you do). Simply drop into your nearest branch and ask.