Appointments

You are free to consult any of the doctors or nurses. However, it is often beneficial to see the same nurse or doctor for an ongoing problem. A chaperone is available for personal examinations. 

How to See the Doctor or Nurse

The practice computers are all linked so it does not matter which site you contact as an appointment can be made for any site. Before ringing, please consider:

• Would a telephone call from the doctor or nurse suffice? The receptionist will arrange the call but please wait by the phone.

• Is it an ongoing problem? If it is, then best to see the same doctor each time 

• Is it a new problem that can wait? Let the receptionist know so that a routine appointment can be offered to you.

• Is it urgent - really urgent? We will always see urgent patients the same day, but please do not abuse the system.

Please note: the receptionist will ask you the nature of the problem you are ringing about so it would be helpful if you could say in order for you to be booked in with the most appropriate clinician (GP, Nurse etc).

The practice nurses will see patients for pill checks, IUD checks, HRT checks, diabetes, asthma, COPD and cervical smears.

Advanced Appointments

We can offer routine appointment bookings as early as 6 weeks in advanced.

Extended Hours Service

From 1st July 2019, the practice will offer an Extended Hours service on a Saturday morning at Cliffe Woods from 8.30am -12.30pm.

Pre-bookable face to face and telephone appointments are available with both a GP and Nurse or Health Care Assistant. Please ring at the latest on Friday afternoon to cancel a Saturday appointment

A number of On the Day/Emergency appointments with a GP will also be offered.  These appointments will be released on Saturday mornings and only available to book on-line.

Please note: we have only one GP, one Nurse/HCA and one Receptionist on duty during this time so it will not be possible for you to access our full range of Receptionist services such as: booking of appointments, requesting prescriptions or test results. The telephone lines are not open on a Saturday during morning surgery as weekend cover is provided via NHS 111.

Please be aware that the surgery doors will only be opened to those patients who have booked appointments for that morning.

Cliffe Woods & Cliffe

Doctor appointments are available between:

Wainscott & Higham

Doctor appointments are available between:

Booking Routine Appointments

This can be done by phoning any one of our four sites, attending in person or via the internet. To avoid our busiest times and where possible, the practice asks that you telephone after 11am to book a routine appointment. Please ask at reception for registering for our internet service to book appointments online at Patient Online Services.  Alternatively, you can download the MyGP App that allows you to book routine GP appointments.  Please see the Online Services section for more information.

Booking Urgent/On the Day Appointments

When you call in the morning for an urgent/on the day appointment we will take your number and you will be called back by a doctor who will discuss the matter briefly and allocate you an appointment where appropriate. If the matter can be dealt with over the telephone then it will, saving you time and perhaps unnecessary inconvenience.

Please note, requests for urgent/on the day appointments should generally be made in the morning and it is advised to call as soon as possible after the phone lines are open at 0815 each morning. Requests received later in the day my not be offered this service if the practice has already reached capacity for that day.

Telephone advice

Sometimes you may want to talk to a doctor or nurse. It is helpful to let the receptionist know the nature of your query, so that we can have the relevant information available. We will ask you for a telephone number and phone you back.

Video recording

On occasions we may wish to film consultations between doctors and patients. These can help us to assess our consultation procedures and are only used for teaching purposes.

Filming will not be undertaken without the patient’s express consent. Intimate physical examinations will never be recorded and the camera can be switched off at any time on request.

Extended Access Appointments at Primary Care Hubs

Medway Practices Alliance (MPA) have been commissioned by Medway Clinical Commissioning Group to provide additional extended access GP appointments, including evening and weekend appointments, at locations across Medway. GPs at these locations have access to your full medical records and they can provide routine GP consultations. These appointments may be suitable or convenient for patients who can travel or looking for appointments outside of your local surgery opening times. The Practice Reception staff may be able to book an appointment through this service, subject to availability. There is further information on the Medway Practice Alliance website:  https://www.medwaypracticesalliance.co.uk/

If you need to cancel an appointment at one of these locations, please ring the Hub Cancellation Line: 01634 335 033

Rochester Healthy Living Centre
Delce Rd.  Rochester, ME1 2EL

Tel: 01634 333 318

Mon-Fri: 9am – 8pm
Sat:       9am – 4pm
Sun:      9am – 2pm

Rainham Healthy Living Centre
The Orange Suite, 1st Floor
103- 107 High St. Rainham  ME3 8AA

Tel: 01634 333 375

Mon & Weds: 1pm – 8pm
Thurs & Fri:   9am – 8pm

Lordswood Healthy Living Centre
1st Floor
Sultan Rd.  Chatham ME5 8TJ

Tel: 01634 333 370

Mon & Tues: 1pm – 8pm
Weds -Fri:    9am – 8pm

Walter Brice Centre
Tilley Close
Hoo Rochester ME3 9AE

Tel: 01634 382 201

Mon & Sat: 9am - 4pm

Balmoral Gardens Healthy Living Centre
Gillingham  ME7 4PN

Tel:

Fri:        2pm – 6pm
Sat:       9am – 4pm
Sun:      9am – 2pm

The MPA will be opening further Hubs in Strood and Chatham in 2020.  Please look out for further information.