Appointments         (01425) 272203

You can call to book appointments on Monday to Friday at any time between 8.30am to 5.45pm, after which our telephone line automatically diverts to the emergency out-of-hours team.

Appointments with doctors are available to book from 8.30am to 6.00pm on weekdays and there is an extended service for working patients until 7.15pm on selected evenings.

If you would like a same day appointment, please try to call us before midday.

We will of course prioritise genuine medical emergencies at any time during our opening hours.

You can book ahead appointments several days in advance either to see your preferred doctor (subject to availability) or have that doctor call you by phone.

In most circumstances, the doctors prefer initial consultations to be by telephone and will call you back as close to the appointed time as possible.

You can book this some days in advance for a time that will fit your daily routine. You can leave your home, mobile or another phone number for the doctor to call.

If you would like a same day appointment, then the duty doctor for the day will call you back that day. Usually the call back will be within a couple of hours.

It is helpful if you let us know of urgent problems before midday, if possible, so that the duty doctor has time to sort things out for you.

It is difficult to give an exact time for the duty doctor to call you back, because that doctor needs to respond to patients according to their clinical priority in the first instance.

About speaking to doctors on the telephone:

Many problems can be resolved over the telephone, but if it is decided that you need to see a doctor after all, then that can be booked ahead for a mutually convenient time with your preferred doctor (subject to availability), or on the same day with the duty doctor, if that is the better option for you.

If you would like your problem dealt with on the same day, then the duty doctor will always call you first to make those arrangements, because it allows the doctor to take into account how sick you are when organising urgent appointments.

If you are sure that speaking to the doctor on the telephone will not help, please let the receptionist know this and appropriate arrangements can be made.

You will always be able to see the duty doctor today, if needed.

You can always book ahead to see or be phoned by your preferred doctor directly, or via the duty doctor if you need advice in the meantime.

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies are dealt with as soon as they are apparent, according to need.

However, we advise that you –  Dial 999

in the event of life-threatening emergencies, such as:

• chest pain
• collapse
• possible stroke
• heavy bleeding
• severe breathlessness
• injuries possibly resulting in broken bones or concussion

This triggers an immediate paramedic response and can be life saving.

Children

There is a walk-in children's surgery in addition to the usual appointment system.

It runs between 4.00pm and 4.30pm and no prior appointment is required: just turn up!

Working patients

Working patients may request book ahead appointments outside the normal business hours and can be accommodated within the Extended Hours System*.

This allows the Medical Centre to remain available between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on two evenings each week, and one Saturday morning each month.

Extended Hours System* in conjunction with the Dorset Primary Care NHS Trust.

Mudeford Surgery

Appointments with doctors are booked in the same way as for the Highcliffe Medical Centre.

Weekday appointments with a member of the nursing team are available daily between 9.00am and 12.30pm.

Home Visits               (01425) 272203

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you are asking for 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 Health Centre.

Test Results      (01425) 283240 or 283241

Please call between 2.30pm and 4.30pm to inquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice.

There is no need to phone as all results are reviewed by a doctor who will contact you should it be necessary, however if you would like confirmation of the results for your own peace of mind it is your responsibility to ring in.

Blood Test Appointments

Please be aware there there are a very limited number of appointments for blood tests at the surgery and we try to reserve these for patients who are unable to get to Christchurch hospital.

Christchurch Hospital phlebotomy department is open from 9am to 3.30pm - please try to avoid the early session unless you are attending for a fasting blood test.