Appointments

 

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Before booking an appointment please check who is best placed to deal with your condition:

 

Many conditions can be dealt with without the need to see your GP. You can try a local pharmacy for advice about a range of conditions and we also have lots of self help information available by clicking here.

Please try this advice before contacting the Practice.

book appointment with GP

 

Please don’t be offended if you are asked what the problem is when you ring to book an appointment.
This is called Care Navigation and it’s about helping you get to the service you need!

Find out more about Care Navigation

 

Routine Appointments

Please telephone the surgery to make an appointment or there are some available to book online if you have signed up to online access using eConsult or The NHS App

The receptionist has been asked by the doctors to ask you for a brief description of the problem you are calling in to discuss. A face-to-face appointment will be offerred if it is felt necessary.

 

Urgent On The Day Appointments

These appointments are prioritised for those patients with urgent needs. To book a consultation, telephone reception after 8.30am and you will be offered a slot if any are available. It may not always be possible to provide the time and doctor you prefer. Mondays are always very busy so please don’t attend for routine appointments.

Please help us out by making your requirements reasonable when a doctor is on holiday.

The doctors prefer to see patients in the mornings when all the support services are available, for example blood can only be taken early in the day.

 

Improved Access Appointments

Same Day Access appointments are now being made available for patients to see a GP at other local practices if no appointments are available at their usual surgery. Clinicians will have access to patient records, so your full medical history is known, and records can be updated regardless of when or where you are seen. Our local enhanced access hubs are based at:

  • The Vine Medical Practice, 13 Tonbridge Rd, Maidstone ME16 8RL (9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday)
  • Staplehurst Health Centre, Offens Drive, Staplehurst, TN12 0LB (8:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday)
  • Barming Surgery, Marigold Way, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0ZJ (8:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday)
 

GP appointment? Don't need it? Cancel it!

We know people forget things, cancelling GP appointments being one of them. Remember to cancel your appointment if you don't need it.

 

How to Cancel an Appointment

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else.

Those patients registered for text reminders can text to cancel directly, otherwise please telephone us on 01580 211241 as soon as possible, and at least 30 minutes before your appointment time. This will enable us to offer your appointment to someone else.

Alternatively you can cancel your appointment online using eConsult.

The NHS App if you are signed up to the service.

  • Please remember that there may be a shortage of appointments and when you fail to attend you have prevented someone else from being seen in your place. On average about 230 appointments are missed each month.
  • Cancellations notified less than 30 minutes before the appointment time will be recorded as failure to attend (DNA).
  • Repeated failure to attend booked appointments is a significant waste of NHS resources.
 

Further Information