Accessing your GP practice


All GP practices in Sefton are open and continuing to provide services, as they have done throughout the pandemic. They are also seeing a rise in demand which is higher than ever before meaning they are treating and dealing with a record number of patients - please be patient and kind to staff.

Please contact your practice by phone or online to begin with. You will be assessed and offered a phone or video appointment, or a face-to-face appointment if there is a clinical need and it is safe to do so.

Receptionists are there to help get the right professional to see you as soon as possible. To help them do this they may need to ask questions about your condition. Please be assured they treat your information in same strict confidence that medical professionals do.

The majority of common conditions can be assessed and diagnosed by your doctor or other healthcare professional by telephone or video consultation. We understand that these ways of being seen can be unfamiliar but they are necessary to keep you safe.

Everyone accessing or visiting healthcare facilities must continue to wear a face covering and follow social distancing rules to keep our most vulnerable patients and staff safe.

Do not visit your GP if you have coronavirus symptoms or are self-isolating. Follow the advice on the NHS website here.

GP practices are seeing a rise in demand for their services more than ever before and are working hard to help everyone in Sefton, so please be kind and patient with your GP staff. We ask for your support during this very busy time for practices.

You can read our FAQs on accessing your GP practice here and on the image below. 

Click here to read a poster on accessing your GP and why GPs are still working differently with some frequently asked questions. 

 

How your GP practice is working

Watch the below video to see how GP practices are currently working with a walk through of a day in the life of a GP with Dr Pete Chamberlain. 


Watch the below video and click through the YouTube playlist to meet other members of the practice team, including a local practice nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner and a practice pharmacist. 

 

Four ways to seek healthcare advice

  1. Visit your GP practice website and complete a confidential online form during normal opening hours to request advice or treatment. You will receive a response as soon as possible, usually within two working days. Online forms should not be used for very urgent medical problems.
  2. Call your practice to arrange an appointment. You will usually be assessed by a health professional or a member of the practice team on the telephone first, with face-to-face care arranged if clinically needed. If you have a preference about how to access care you can discuss it with your practice.
  3. For urgent issues or out of hours, you can also call the NHS on 111 or go online to seek NHS advice nhs.uk
  4. Download the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions and get health advice.

Contacting your GP remotely

Read some top tips for making the most of your video and telephone appointments here.

You can also read a guide on video consulting with the NHS here.

You can also watch the below video for more information:

 

Attending a face-to-face appointment

If you are asked to come into the surgery for a face-to-face appointment, please remember to wear a face covering.

Measures are in place to keep you and the staff safe from infection during your visit to the surgery. If you have a disability or condition which means you cannot wear a face covering or cannot communicate with someone who is wearing a face mask, or require other adjustments before your appointment, please let the surgery know ahead of your arrival.