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WEEKEND,
EVENING and NIGHT CALLS
Out-of-hours medical services are provided by Fylde Coast Medical
Services. This is a locally based organisation contracted by
Blackpool PCT to provide medical care outside routine hours solely to
patients in the Fylde Coast Area. FCMS can be contacted on 01253
305895. The service provides telephone advice, consultations
at the primary Care Centre (on Whitegate Drive, and on Saturday mornings
in St. Annes) and when necessary, home visits. They employ a range of
professionals to help you, including specialist nurses and pharmacists.
HOME VISITS
Please only request home visits if you are too ill to come
to the surgery. It is now generally recognised that patients with most
illnesses can be safely moved in order to receive medical care. If you
feel particularly poorly, tell the receptionist beforehand, and she
will ensure you are not asked to wait in the waiting room.
The Health Service does not provide transport but friends, relatives,
neighbours and taxis usually make personal travel possible and we can
offer the best care for all our patients at the surgery.
If you think you need a doctor to visit, telephone the surgery on 01253
345328 before 10.30 a.m.
Please explain to the receptionist what is wrong so that the more urgent
calls can be given priority. The doctor will probably phone you to see
if you can be helped more quickly, and if a house call is the best way
to help you so that the rounds can then be planned.
TELEPHONE
CONSULTATIONS
We encourage patients to make use of the phone to speak to
the doctors. You can usually leave a message and the doctor will return
your call. Wherever possible please tell the receptionist the nature
of your call, since many of the doctors work part-time and there may
be a delay in calling you back. Remember also that advice of a general
nature can be obtained 24 hours a day from NHS
Direct on 0845-4647
RESULTS
OF TESTS
The doctors review the results of all the tests carried out by the practice.
These results (except pregnancy tests) will be given out over the telephone
by the reception staff or an appointment given if appropriate. If telephoning
for results, please call after lunch (when the phones are less busy)
APPOINTMENTS
The practice operates an appointments system with surgeries held at
different times of the day. The receptionists will try to offer you
an appointment time to suit your personal needs, although this may not
be possible if your usual doctor is unavailable at the time you require.
You may make an appointment with any of the doctors, not just the doctor
with whom you first registered.
There are always appointments
reserved for SAME DAY EMERGENCIES and we would request
that you 
honour this arrangement
and accept a routine appointment if your needs are not urgent. The receptionist
will usually arrange in the first instance for you to see our nurse
practitioner Sr Evonne Key . She is able to assess, diagnose and manage
a wide range of conditions. She is able to prescribe for most common
illnesses.
The doctor may also be
able to offer you advice on the phone to help give you the quickest
and most appropriate help with your problem. Many of our patients find
this facility convenient and effective. URGENT/EMERGENCY
appointments will be allocated to the duty doctor who may not be the
doctor you would usually consult.
Appointments may be made by telephoning 01253 - 345328
or by calling at the surgery during opening hours, or for routine bookings
through the internet via
this secure link (you must pre-register at the surgery in order
to use this service). Please
call after 10am for routine appointments and enquiries. It
helps to keep the phone lines free before 10am for urgent requests
and home visits.
Should you be unable to keep an appointment please try to let us know
as soon as possible. Every week, appointments are wasted when patients
fail to attend. If you let us know in advance, someone else can be given
your appointment time. You can cancel an appointment by phone 24hrs
a day: in surgery hours ring 345328 and choose option 1; out of
hours ring 336598 to leave a message
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