Appointments

PLEASE DO NOT book an appointment or attend either the surgery, pharmacy of hospital if you have any of the following:-

- A high temperature, persistent cough or are living with someone who has these symptoms

• If you have the symptoms, then please isolate for 7 days.
• If you live with someone who has these symptoms, then please isolate for 14 days.
• If your symptoms, worsen, please visit the NHS 111 website online. Only call NHS 111 direct if you cannot get online or are advised to do so by the online service.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have anything of any serious or urgent concern via telephone

Phlebotomy, nurse dressing, child immunisation as well as other routine appointments continue to be offered as safely as possible. They can be booked up to 1 week in advance by calling the surgery.

The above advice will be reviewed on a regular basis and may need to change. We will aim to keep you updated of any changes at the earliest possible.

Finally, can we kindly request you to be patient with us and polite to our staff. Our telephone lines are going to be extremely busy. We fully appreciate that this is a very stressful time for our patients. We are here to help, but we are working under extreme pressures with reduced staff numbers, and we would ask that you consider this when you call us.

Many thanks for your co-operation

Constable Country Medical Practice.

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:00.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

It is important that you inform the reception staff if you are unable to attend your appointment, this will allow that appointment to be offered to another patient. If you fail to notify the Practice that you are unable to attend, you will be sent a letter informing you that you have defaulted from your appointment. Persistent defaulters maybe removed from the list.

You can also complete our appointment cancellation notification request form. This can only be used if your appointment has been arranged for more than 24 hours in advance. (excluding weekends and public holidays). You can also text to cancel your appointment.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

Evening and weekend appointments are available at Constable Country Medical Practice or at an NHS service nearby. Appointments can be made until 8pm on weekdays and between 9am and 5pm on Saturdays.

You will be able to discuss your health concern with a GP, nurse or other health professional and also make routine appointments for vaccinations, health checks and screenings.

These appointments can be booked with our reception team.

Visit the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex website to learn more about the different health care professionals working in GP surgeries:

suffolkandnortheastessex.icb.nhs.uk/gp-roles