Appointments

There is an appointment system in operation at our surgery. Please note: one patient per appointment per condition.

The majority of appointments are available on the day, though we do reserve a small amount of appointments that you can book up to two weeks in advance. For on the day appointments ring at 08:00 to book either a morning or afternoon appointment. After a Bank Holiday the next working day appointments will  be Book ON THE DAY only. Please telephone at 08.00 for these.

URGENT cases will always be accommodated. You may see any doctor in the practice. Children under 16 years should always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Reception

They are here to help you in any way they can and have a difficult job to do. They are fully trained and bound by strict rules of confidentiality. They make appointments, organise repeat prescriptions and take requests for home visits. The reception staff are an invaluable part of the health care team who will handle your enquiries and advise you of the services we offer.

Practice Information

Disabled Facilities

At the Merritt Medical Centre, reserved car parking spaces for the disabled are marked near the front door. Wheelchair access to the building is via the front entrance. Patient services are provided at ground floor level; however, a lift is provided to access the first floor. A disabled patients' WC is provided near the front entrance. If access proves difficult to any of our disabled patients, we would be happy to consider any suggestions for improvement.

Parents with Young Children

We have baby changing facilities and a quiet room is normally available for breastfeeding mothers although we have no objections to breastfeeding in the waiting room.

If you or your child has a rash or other infectious complaint we have a separate waiting area (please inform the receptionist on your arrival).

Medical Students

Our practice is a teaching practice. We are fortunate to have medical students attached to our practice for short periods. If you do not wish to have the student present during your consultation, please inform the reception staff prior to seeing the doctor.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 11:00 if you require a home visit.

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 surgery.