We are facing an unprecedented workload during COVID yet we need to ensure we are talking to those who really need our advice. 

Unfortunately a lot of people are turning to us because other services are busy.  That is overloading us.

Even before COVID, the NHS was doing a lot of work to try to eduate patients to go to the most appropriate place for their problem, not just to call the GP.  More and more services are now available for patients to contact directly without seeing the GP.  It is part of the government's "5 year forward view" for the future of the NHS.

If you have a problem, please consider first whether or not you can resolve it WITHOUT contacting us. 

If you contact us about a problem which would be more appropriately handled elsewhere, we will redirect you to the correct place.

Have you checked for advice on line?

• NHS Advice Website
• NHS 111 Website - medical advice 24/7
• NHS app from all app stores 

Pharmacies  

• experienced advice on minor conditions including: 

  Backache	Haemorrhoids
  Athletes foot	Insect bites and stings
  Colds	Threadworm
  Hay fever	Earache
  Mouth ulcers	Eczema
  Conjunctivitis	Allergies
  Head lice	Rashes
  Nappy rash	Minor Injury
  Constipation	Indigestion
  Teething	Sore throat
  Diarrhoea
  Headache and fever	speak to 111 during COVID
  Cough	speak to 111 during COVID

• antibiotics for eye and ear infections (when needed)
• order your regular medication
• an emergency supply of your regular medication even without a prescription
• the "morning after" pill
• Note you are able to phone your pharmacy - find their number on their website or on your last prescription

Opticians 

• minor eye complaints such as red or watering eyes
• during COVID most opticians are closed to walk-in patients but you are able to call them for advice or to book an appointment - find their number on their website

Minor eye conditions service 

• Some opticians have extra training and experience and deal with more complicated "minor eye conditions" such as
  • Recent sudden onset Red Eyes
  • Recent sudden onset Irritated or Inflamed Eyes
  • Sticky Discharge or Recent sudden onset Watery Eyes
  • In-growing Eyelashes
  • Foreign bodies in the Eye – urgent conditions will be redirected to A&E if treatment is required in under 24 hours
  • Recently occurring flashes or floaters.
• Click here for more information

All other NHS services (including hearing centres) are open and can offer advice via their website or over the telephone if not in person.

NHS Direct is available at any time of day by calling 111 or online at 111.nhs.uk   They will help you know where you should go for advice.

DoctorLink can assist you getting the right help from the right service.  If DoctorLink feels you need our advice, it will send us a message and we will contact you.  It also sends us the answers to its questsions, which will help us help you efficiently and safely.

College nurses are available throughout term for undergraduate and graduate students.  We work closely with the nurses and so if the nurses feels you need to see a doctor, it can be arranged. 

All appointments are VIRTUAL. Do not come to the surgery as you will be turned away.

We will contact you around the time of your appointment. 

Please make sure you look out for our call.

IF YOU MISS OUR CALL we will try again.  Please do not call us.

If we miss you more than once we will probably have to move on to our next patient.  We will send you a text asking you to make another appointment.  If you haven't received that text it means we are planning to try again.

Once we have contacted you we have the option of setting up a video link using your smartphone.  We use a secure service which is very similar to Facetime to use.  We are very happy to explain how to use it.

If we feel we need to see you in person we will explain the process.

It is important that you let us know if you are unable to make your appointment.  This will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient.

Unfortunately we find that several hundred appointments are wasted each month due to patients failing to let us know.  That is equivalent to more than one doctor or nurse. 

If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to make your appointment, you will be sent a letter informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment.  Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.

GPs do provide a home visit service for patients who we need to see in person and who are genuinely housebound because of illness or disability.

However unfortunately we are not able to visit patients unless it is absolutely necessary.  We will use our clinical judgement in each case, and considering the needs of all our patients. 

If possible please try to telephone 01223 364127 before 10:30 if you feel you may require a home visit.  One of our team will contact you to discuss the problem first.

If you have an appointment at the hospital or at an NHS treatment centre (not the GP surgery), but are unable to travel by private or public transport for medical reasons, you may be eligible for non-emergency patient transport.

This is provided by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST).  Call 0345 603 8117.

Lines are open: Monday - Sunday, 08:00 to 18:30. Before a booking is made, you'll be asked some short questions to see if you are eligible to use the service.

This is not longer booked through the GP surgery.

We use a confidential telephone interpreter service.  This does not need to be arranged in advance.  However if you are aware that you will need this service and can let us know, it will help us be prepared for your visit.

You are welcome to bring a friend or family member to act as interpreter, provided that you are happy to discuss things with them.

The NHS website is available to anyone worldwide, provided they have access to the internet.

The NHS 111 advice line is not available to patients outside of the UK.

If you are away from home but you are still in the UK, we are still able to offer you advice and treatment. 

Most of our consultations are remote (telephone, text etc) so it does not make a difference whether you are at home or elsewere in the UK. 

However if we feel we need to see you in person you will be asked either to come back to Cambridge, or to contact the GP local to your current area and ask to be seen as a temporary patient.  It is important to be seen as a temporary patient, because if you fully register with another practice in the UK your registration with us will automatically be cancelled.   

PRESCRIPTIONS

We are able to send prescriptions to any pharmacy in England.  We will ask you for the postcode of the pharmacy you wish to use.

If you are in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland we will not be able to send a prescription to you.  (NB we no longer do any paper prescriptions so we cannot post one to you.)  One option is for you to arrange for someone else to collect your medication in England and to send it to you.  Otherwise you will need to speak to a GP in your local area as above.

We are simply not able to offer medical advice to people who are not in the UK.

The NHS treats patients who are in the UK, not those abroad. 

Our medical licences (and our medical insurance) only allow us to practice medicine in the UK.  That means the patient MUST be in the UK.

If you are not in the UK and you need medical advice beyond what is available on the NHS website, you will need to contact local medical services in your area.

We strongly recommend you have appropriate medical travel insurance in place before starting your journey.

Early Morning Appointments

Extended hours surgeries are offered at Huntingdon Road Surgery on Thursdays and Fridays 07:15 – 08:00 for pre-booked appointments only.

Evening and Weekend Appointments

Extra appointments to see a GP or a nurse in the evening or at the weekend are now available to all patients. 

• These include appointments provided on our behalf by Cambs GP Network ("Extended Access") which may be at a different surgery.
• Please see the Cambs GP Network website for more information.

• The practice is currently providing extra appointments at Huntingdon Road ("Winter Pressure" appointments).

 To book an appointment, please ask reception.