Appointments

To book an appointment please telephone the surgery on 01524 32622 and speak to the receptionists. Meadowside operates a 'Book on the Day' appointment service. This means that a number of appointments are available each day that can only be booked on the day.

These appointments are available to book on the day from 8am, and it is advisable to phone as early as possible. You can also book advance appointments by phoning 01524 32622

Our receptionists will ask you questions regarding your reason for your appointment.  This is to direct you to the most appropriate clinician, thus saving your time and ours.

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR APPOINTMENT

Please tell us what you think may have caused the  problem - If you have a worry about a serious underlying disease  please tell us - we can work to deal with these worries more effectively if you let us know about your concerns .

If you have discussed the problem with anyone else particularly if they are medically qualified  and they have suggested tests or treatment which you expect please tell us so we can sort things out for you.

Disabled Facilities

Wheelchair access is through the frontdoor, which is ramped. The whole groundfloor allows wheelchair movement. There are five consulting rooms on the groundfloor and the treatment rooms are also situated on the ground floor. There is a toilet designed for disabled use on the ground floor. The surgery also has a stairlift to allow patient access to the upstairs.  

Choose and Book

Many of our referrals are now done via the Choose and Book system. This is an electronic system that aims to reduce waiting times for patients. Your doctor will ask whether you are happy to be referred via the Choose and Book system. If you are referred via Choose and Book, we will send you the relevant documentation in order to book or change your appointment through the post.  

Telephone Advice

All the doctors and nurses are willing to speak to patients over the telephone. Please ring the surgery if you do need telephone advice and the receptionists will advise you of the best time to speak to the doctor.

Please note if you urgent medical require advice, you may be put through to the doctor on call who may not necessarily be the doctor of your choice. If you are told the doctor will telephone you back, please give a choice of suitable times and that we have the correct number for you.

Home Visits

The doctors are happy to visit housebound, elderly and terminally ill patients at home if there is a medical need for a home visit. Please tell the surgery receptionist as soon as possible that day, preferably before 10.30am and the doctor will then discuss your problem and decide where it is best to see you.

Babies and children with any illness, fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, earache or a rash will be asked to be brought to the surgery and will be seen quickly. Adults with similar illnesses can also be seen quicker at the surgery.

Home visits will be made only for medical grounds and not on social grounds, such as lack of transport - we do not do home visiting simply because there is no car, or because someone has had a drink and can't drive. In these circumstances we may ask you to order a taxi.

Please do be aware that in the time it takes to do one home visit, five patients can be seen in the surgery

Training of New Doctors

Meadowside Medical Practice is a training practice, which means that medical students, medical senior house officers (SHOs) and Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctors and general practice specialist registrars work in the surgery. The medical students (student doctors) come in to the practice as part of their undergraduate training, just before they qualify. They aim to gain as much experience as possible.

Foundation Doctors work in our practice for four months at a time. They are recently qualified doctors who will consult, then discuss your case with one of the more experienced doctors. General Practice Specialist Registrars come to the practice as part of their training to work for up to twelve months towards the end of their specialist general practice training to gain further experience in general practice and take the GP membership examination.

Medical SHOs work in the practice for 6 month periods. They are qualified doctors who are mid way through their training. They work between the practice and the medical wards at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

The trainees sometimes use video cameras during their consultations. This is for training purposes and the camera is focused on the doctor to assess their consultation skills. You will be asked for your written consent to allow us to film your consultation and full details will be given to you at the time, both before and after the consultation.

To maintain the quality of care in the practice we are sometimes inspected by external bodies. It may be necessary for other doctors of PCT staff to look at medical records. They are all bound by the rules of confidentiality. If you would like your records to be excluded from such inspections, please inform the practice.

Dr Craven is involved in GP education in the North West Deanery. He is available to give careers advice to anyone interested in general practice from Sixth form onwards. For further advice phone the surgery on 01524 32622.