Contact us with PATCHS
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called PATCHS.
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- phone us on 01925 221457
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- phone us on 01925 221457
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Patient Access to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
- use the PATCHS service
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Get medical advice from a nurse
To ask a non-urgent medical question:
- fill out an ask a nurse a question form
We will respond within 2 working days during opening times.
Appointment system
When attending surgery for a prebooked appointment, we now have an automated arrivals system located in the waiting area near to the right of the reception desk. Please report to the arrivals machine and register for your appointment, ensuring you press the arrive me button when indicated. You will then be automatically called through for your appointment via information on the television screen in the waiting area.
Book on the day appointments
The phone lines are very busy on Monday mornings so we would ask you to ring at other times if at all possible.
The receptionist may offer you alternatives when you ring, such as the walk in centre at the Millennium Centre in St Helens, an appointment with our nurse or a telephone consultation with the doctor.
Telephone consultations
To access this service, please call before 10:30am.
Our telephone consultations allow our doctors to assess the nature and severity of your condition. We feel that this system will allow you to access medical advice quickly without having to wait for the next available appointment. During the telephone consultation, the appropriate course of action needed will be decided between you and the doctor.
If you would like to speak to a doctor on the phone, please could you advise the receptionist by completing our ask reception a question form. This form will take the necessary details to be passed on to the doctor. We will ring you back on the same day.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Patient Access
- use our cancel an appointment form
- phone us on 01925 221457 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
Please only ask for a home visit if it is strictly necessary and you are genuinely too ill to come to surgery.
If you feel a home visit is required, please give the receptionist full details: the address, telephone number and the nature of the illness. You can do this by completing our contact the practice form. When the condition does require a home visit, please try to give notice before 10am on the day the visit is required.
A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.
House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.
Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the practice.