Ormeau Park Surgery

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TELEPHONE ADVICE?

Interruptions during surgery are upsetting for both doctor and patient. For this reason, staff have been asked not to disturb consultations with non-urgent telephone calls. If you wish to speak to the doctor or nurse, the receptionist will take your telephone number and a brief description. The doctor will then phone you back at their earliest convenience.

It is not usually necessary to speak to the doctor to obtain test results; these can be obtained from the receptionist after 2.00pm and the doctor will leave instructions for the receptionist if appropriate.

HOW DO I...
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

• The doctor can only be seen by appointment, which can be made with the receptionist, either by calling at the surgery or telephoning 9064 2914.
  
• Please observe teh golden rule: one consultation - one patient - one problem. Patients presently with a list of complaints or two patients attending teh same appointment invariably causes delays and is unfair to other patients.
  
• Appointments are for 10 minutes although some patients' problems take longer than others, so please be patient if there is some delay. If you feel you will need a longer appointment than usual, please let the receptionist know and we will try to make provision for this.
• Patients are reminded that mobile phones MUST BE TURNED OFF whilst you are in consultation so that there are no unnecessary interruptions.
• Cancellations - it is essential that you telephone if you cannot keep your appointment. Even at short notice, we can usually allocate your appointment to someone else.

Urgent Cancelation Appointments

If you have an urgent problem, you will be able to see a doctor the same day, but it will be the first doctor available and may not be your usual doctor.

• The receptionist will ask you for some brief details about the complaint as sometimes the doctor may decide your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice.
• If the doctor does decide to see you, it will be to deal with the urgent problem ONLY abd your consultation will be limited to five minutes. Other, unrelated matters will not be discussed.
  

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN A HOME VISIT?

• Please do not ask the doctor to make a home visit if you are well enough to come to the surgery.
  
• If you ask for a home visit you should give a complete description of the patient's condition so that the doctor can judge if a home visit is necessary.
  
• Only the doctor can judge if a home visit is necessary.
  
• Other than in the case of extreme emergency, all requests for home visits should be made by telephoning 9064 2914 before 10.00am.
  
• The receptionist will ask a few details to allow the doctor to assess the urgency of your call and help you in the most appropriate way. Please remember that several patients can be seen at the surgery in the time it takes to make a home visit.

HOW DO I...
OBTAIN TEST RESULTS?

Results of investigations eg blood tests, x-rays etc, are available by telephoning 9064 2914 after 2.30pm when the results will have been reported on by the doctor.

• Information will not be given to another person unless we have your prior permission.
  
• Certain results will only be given in person or in writing. The practice nurses will advise you as to how and when to obtain your results.