Our appointment system
Our appointment system
As a practice we offer a variety of different appointments being:
- Online consultations.
- Telephone consultations (for GP’s, nurses and occupational therapists.)
- Doctor face to face appointments.
- Advanced nurse practitioner face to face appointments.
- Practice nurse face to face appointments.
- Health care assistant face to face appointments.
- Occupational therapy face to face appointments.
All the practice team members are trained in care navigation to help signpost you to the most appropriate service or clinician and to help the doctors prioritise their calls. (If you do not wish to divulge your problem, you can say its personal.)
If you are booked a doctor telephone, call the admin team are not able to give an exact time for the telephone call from the doctor, they can only advise if the call will be in the morning or afternoon.
The doctor will telephone call the patient on the number given, so please ensure you give the correct contact details as available to take the call. The doctor will try 2 times and if they can’t get through to the patient, it will be classed as a did not attend and it will be to be rebooked for the next available appointment. If the doctor speaks to the patient and decides they need further examination, they will offer the patient a face-to-face appointment at a mutually agreed time for later the same day.
The admin team are subject to the same levels of confidentiality as all our clinicians.
On the Day appointments
The practice offers same-day appointments for acute illnesses, which may be telephone consultations or face-to-face appointments. Our admin team will ask for a brief description of your symptoms to help direct you to the most appropriate service or clinician.
Pre bookable appointments
Pre-bookable appointments can be booked up to 4 weeks in advance.
You can book appointments at reception, online, or by phone on 0151 355 2112 after 9:30 am. When booking by phone, please inform the admin team that you would like to book a pre-bookable appointment.
The admin team will ask for a brief description of your symptoms to help direct you to the most appropriate service or clinician.
To provide continuity of care, it is often best to see your registered doctor for ongoing issues or to follow up with the same doctor who has been managing your current problem.
Enhanced Access
York Road Group Practice is part of the One Ellesmere Port Primary Care Network (PCN). The PCN is a collaboration of six GP practices across the town, working together to improve and develop better services for our patient population.
Our PCN now offers additional appointments during weekday evenings and on Saturdays:
- Monday to Thursday: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
- Friday: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm (held at Great Sutton Medical Centre or York Road Group Practice)
- Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (held at Great Sutton Medical Centre or York Road Group Practice)
These appointments are available to patients registered at any of the six PCN practices. You may be asked to attend an alternative GP practice if it is more convenient or suitable.
You can book these appointments in the usual way through York Road Group Practice.
The additional appointments are offered by a range of practice and PCN staff, including:
- GPs
- Nurses
- Physiotherapists
- Phlebotomists (for blood tests)
- Mental Health Link Workers / Counsellors
Please note that Friday evening and Saturday appointments are provided by Primary Care Cheshire GP Federation (PCC). For more information about PCC, please visit: Enhanced Access | primarycarecheshire
Urgent Appointments
If patients feel they need to be seen urgently on the day, a telephone consultation will be arranged with the on-call doctor.
The admin team will ask for a brief description of the problem to ensure you are either booked with the most appropriate clinician or signposted to the right service.
Home visits
Our doctors are happy to visit patients at home who are bed-bound and unable to attend the practice. While we encourage patients to come to the surgery—where we have the appropriate equipment and facilities—we understand that this is not always possible.
If you require a home visit, please contact the practice before 12 pm. Requests received after this time will need to be triaged by the on-call doctor.
Late for your appointment
Please try to arrive on time for your appointment to ensure you receive the full consultation and to avoid delays for other patients.
If you are running late, please contact the practice as soon as possible. Depending on how late you are, we may need to reschedule your appointment.
Thank you for your understanding.
Make the most of your appointment
Most GP and nurse appointments are 10 minutes long. As a practice, we strive to provide the highest standard of care, which can be challenging if more than one medical issue is discussed during a single appointment. Please prioritise your most important concern and book separate appointments if needed.
Also, please remember that each appointment is for the patient booked. If your child or another family member needs to be seen, they must have their own separate appointment.
Cancelling your appointment
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the slot to another patient who may need it.
You can cancel your appointment easily by:
- Replying to the text message reminder you receive.
- Using our online patient services such as the NHS APP.
- Calling the practice on 0151 355 2112
Cancelling your appointment helps us reduce waiting times and ensures that our services run smoothly for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation.
Chaperone policy
During examinations of an intimate nature, the doctor may ask for a member of staff to be present as a chaperone. This is to ensure the safety and comfort of both the patient and the doctor. If a suitable chaperone is not available at the time, an alternative appointment will be offered.
Patients are also welcome to request a chaperone for any examination, but please be aware that this may require booking a separate appointment.