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GPs
General Practitioners (GPs) provide a wide range of health services, including:
- advice on health problems;
- vaccinations;
- examinations and treatment;
- prescriptions for medicines; and
- referrals to other health services and social services.
Usually a small group of GPs work together in a practice, often referred to as a surgery, clinic or health centre. GPs provide consultations in their practices and through home visits.
Registering with a GP
To register with a GP you need to find a local practice that you are able to attend appointments at. You can find details of GPs in your local area on the North East Primary Care Services Agency website.
Once you have found a local GP, you need to contact them to give them your medical card details. If you don’t have a medical card, the surgery will give you a form to complete. Once you have been accepted as a patient, your medical records will be transferred to the new surgery and you will be sent a new medical card.
When you register with a new GP it is a good idea to ask them for an information leaflet about the surgery and its services and policies. Also, you are entitled to a health check when you first register with a new GP. It's a good idea to take advantage of this, even if you are feeling fit and well.
Sometimes you may not be able to register with your chosen GP because they already have enough patients, or because you live too far away. If this is the case, you will have to choose another GP in your local area.
Changing your GP
You have the right to change your GP without giving them a reason. To do this, you follow the same process as you do when registering with a new GP.
Visiting your GP
If you're aged over 75 years old, you are eligible for free annual health and medication checks at your GP surgery. You should really take advantage of this, even if you're feeling fit and well.
Before your appointment
When visiting your GP, it is a good idea to go prepared with as much information as possible to help them to diagnose and assess your condition. It is useful to keep a record of your symptoms to help your GP to pinpoint any triggers.
You may feel anxious and confused when visiting your GP, especially if you are feeling very unwell or haven’t been to see your GP for a long time. Please remember that GPs are used to nervous patients and they are there to answer any questions you may have.
Because of nerves or feeling unwell, you may forget some important information that you need to pass on to your GP. It's a good idea to write down any questions you have or symptoms you have had before you go.
If you require further support, remember that you can take a friend or relative into the appointment with you. Often two sets of ears are better than one.
During your appointment
Don't be afraid to ask questions, or ask for clarification if you don't understand anything.
You may want to write down some notes whilst you are talking to your GP, especially if they use any medical terms that you are not familiar with.
Before you leave your appointment
Before you leave the appointment with your GP, you could ask the following questions to ensure that you understand what is happening:
What might be wrong?
Information about any further tests (such as blood tests and scans)
Information about treatment
Information about what happens next
Home visits
If you are unable to get to your GP's surgery because you've got a serious illness, you can call to arrange a home visit. However, such visits are only for medical reasons and are not for your personal convenience.
GPs visit patients at home when they're confined due to illness or disability; or when urgent treatment could be administered more quickly by a home visit. If you call the surgery to request a home visit, your GP will probably call you back to find out more about your problem before deciding whether the visit is really necessary.
GP referrals
Your GP may decide to refer you to a specialist, such as a consultant at a hospital, if they think that you would benefit from more specialist advice.
Choose and Book
If you live in England and need non-emergency medical treatment, you can choose to have it at any hospital in the country. This scheme is called Choose and Book.
You may wish to choose a hospital other than your local one for a number of different reasons (for example, to be closer to a relative who can visit you, because you can have your operation sooner at a particular hospital, or because you have heard good reports about a particular hospital). Your GP must now discuss these options with you when referring you for further treatment. You can choose whether to make your choice immediately, or to take some time to consider the options and make your decision later.
Information to support your choice
The NHS provides information on every hospital and clinic, so that you can decide which one you want to use. This information includes local transport details and whether or not the hospital provides services such as car parking, disabled access, a visitor canteen and shops.
There are also star ratings or performance standards, which are based on information collected to show how health services are doing in relation to some of the main targets set by the government for the NHS. They are also based on information from surveys of patients and staff.
Choice will not be offered to patients where other factors are thought to be more important, such as emergency admissions, rapid access chest pain clinics, cancer services, and mental health.
For further information, visit the Choose and Book website. You can also find out more about patient choice on the BBC website.
Exercise Referral and Cardiac Rehabilitation Schemes
Exercise Referral Scheme
If your GP thinks that you will benefit from an exercise programme as part of your treatment, they may refer to an Exercise Referral Scheme at a local leisure or community centre.
The scheme is specifically designed for people who are new to physical activity. It is not intended for those people who simply need to do more exercise, but is for those:
- who have a medical condition, such as arthritis or diabetes, which will be alleviated by regular exercise; or
- whose doctor or practice nurse believes that they need the structure and support of a special programme to allow them to take part in physical activity.
The exercise programmes are subsidised and, after an initial one-to-one session, are held as group sessions usually lasting between 10 and 15 weeks.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Scheme
If you have suffered from a heart attack or other heart problems, your GP may refer you to to a Cardiac Rehabilitation Scheme.
The scheme runs a rolling programme of exercise, relaxation and information for patients. Physiotherapists and exercise instructors review patients cardiac status, as well as giving advice and guidance about how to exercise appropriately for your condition.
Complementary therapy
Complementary therapy is gradually becoming more widely available on the NHS. At the moment, the kind of complementary treatment you can access depends on where you live. However, complementary therapies are being introduced in more healthcare settings, including hospitals, GP surgeries and community clinics. Ask your GP about what’s available in your area.
Lots of GPs have completed further training in complementary therapies, and may be able to provide treatments such as acupuncture, homeopathy and osteopathy directly from their surgery. Other GPs may refer you to complementary therapists in the area.
You can find out more in our section on Complementary therapies.
Accessing your medical records
You, or your representative, have a right to access your health records under the Data Protection Act 1988. If you want to read your health records, you can ask to do this at your GP surgery and can arrange a time to go in and read them. You don’t have to give a reason for wanting to see your records.
You may be asked to submit your request in writing. It’s a good idea to state the dates you want to see, for example from January 2009 to January 2012, and to send the letter by recorded delivery and to keep a copy. By law, you must receive a response to your letter within 40 days. Government guidance for healthcare organisations says they should aim to respond within 21 days.
Your family are not allowed to see your health records unless you give them written permission to do so, or if they have Power of Attorney.
If you don’t have a GP, or you are applying on behalf of someone who has died, you should write to the Medical Records Officer at your local health authority. In Newcastle, this is the North East Strategic Health Authority.
For further information, visit the NHS Choices website.
Complaining about your GP
If you wish to make a complaint about the care or service provided by your GP, or by someone working at your GP surgery, you should contact the person responsible for the practice complaints procedure. Your GP will try to resolve your complaint at this stage. You can get support to help you to do this.
Alternatively, you may feel that you need to take the complaint to a more formal level by using the NHS Complaints Procedure.
You can find out more about informal and formal approaches to complaining in our section How to complain about health services.
Information in other languages
The Department of Health has produced a leaflet called Questions to ask: getting the most out of your appointment, which covers some of the information above to help you when you visit your GP. This information is available in the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portugese, Punjabi, Somali, Spanish, and Urdu.
Other useful information
The NHS Help Card is an initiative from NHS North East which aims to help and support you whenever you visit your NHS hospital, doctor, dentist, optician or pharmacist.
The card features a blank panel on the front where you can write down any special requirements and a tick list of different languages on the reverse for those who cannot speak English. Simply show the card to a member of staff if you need help, for example:
- if you are unable to walk far
- if you are confused, lost or don’t know where to go
- if you cannot speak or hear
- if you do not understand English
- if you have a learning disability
NHS Help Cards are available free by contacting your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) using the contact details given below.
Contact Information
North East Primary Care Services Agency
2nd Floor, Partnership House, Regents Farm Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3HD.
Telephone : 0191 275 4200.
Email : mailto:customer.services@nepcsa.nhs.uk
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
c/o North of Tyne PALS, Old Stables, Grey's Yard, Morpeth, NE61 1QD.
Telephone : 0800 032 0202 (Freephone).
Email : northoftynepals@nhct.nhs.uk
Patients Association
PO Box 935, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3YJ.
Telephone : 0845 608 4455, Fax : 020 8423 9119.
Email : mailbox@patients-association.com
Article last updated January 16, 2012 8:26 pm
