Appointments

Our Appointment System

This information will help you understand how to make appointments that work well for you and fit with what we can offer.

We have recently introduced Patchs, our online e-consult system, which uses AI technology to help triage appointment requests.  We are now moving to a ‘total triage’ model, and this means that all requests for appointments will need to be made via this online system. Therefore, we will no longer accept telephone requests for appointments or walk-in requests, and in these circumstances a member of our care navigation team will assist you. 

To book an urgent, same day appointment, please use our online PATCHS platform before 1pm – the system opens at 7.30am daily. If you do not have access to the internet, please call the practice on 0161 998 2503, and one of our receptionists/care navigators will be happy to help you by submitting an appointment request on your behalf; this will involve them going through the form with you over the phone, and requiring you to answer questions around your need for an appointment.  Please note that we have limited number of urgent appointments per day.

Our appointment system works in the same way, whether you wish to book an urgent same day appointment or whether your request is for a routine matter.  You will then be given the most appropriate appointment available based on the nature of your problem; this may include being signposted to other local services.  Our reception team are here to help and will always try to accommodate your requests, where possible. 

Appointment Types:

We have set out below the different types of appointments that we offer which should meet the needs of the majority of our patients:

• Routine appointments – these are booked up to 4 weeks in advance and are used for a new but not urgent problem or for  follow-up to ongoing problems (for further information, please refer to ‘Making an appointment’ section below)
• Urgent appointments – these are for medical issues that are regarded to be more urgent. You can call the Practice number on 0161 998 2503 to request an urgent appointment. We may need to send you to a different doctor (see enhanced access section below) or direct you to 111 for help.
• Nurse appointments – our nursing team are able to deal with a variety of medical problems including monitoring long term health conditions, vaccinations, and smears.
• Mental Health Practitioner appointments – these longer appointments are delivered by our mental health specialist to understand your needs and direct you to the most appropriate treatment.
• Physio Appointments –  these longer appointments are delivered by a physiotherapist who will assess your problem and may request further investigations such as x-rays or scans, refer you for specialist treatment or support or provide you with a plan.
• Home visits – these appointments are restricted to patients who are housebound and unable to attend the Practice; please contact the Practice online (using the Patchs link above) or if you feel it is urgent, please call the Practice on 0161 998 2503 for further information on how to request a home visit.
• Telephone appointments – these are used for patients who are unable to attend the Practice or if the problem does not require a face-to-face interaction; these appointments help save time for both patient/clinician. Routine and urgent appointments can be by telephone.

In addition to our Practice appointments, you may be offered other medical services which are provided by external providers:

• Enhanced Access – we may offer you an enhanced access appointment with a GP or Nurse provided by a local provider if you are unable to attend the Practice during our general operating hours of 8am – 6.30pm. These appointments take place in the evenings and on weekends, and are either held here or at one of our neighbouring practices. 
• Pharmacy First Service – you may be advised to visit your local pharmacist who can now provide advice and treatment on the following seven conditions:
• 1. Sinusitis for adults and children aged 12 years and over
• 2. Sore throat for adults and children aged 5 years and over
• 3. Acute otitis media for children aged 1 to 17 years
• 4. Infected insect bite for adults and children aged 1 year and over
• 5. Impetigo for adults and children aged 1 year and over
• 6. Shingles for adults aged 18 years and over
• 7. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women aged 16 – 64 years

Making an appointment:

There are several ways in which you can make an appointment at the Practice:

• By phone on 0161 998 2503 – our phone lines open at 8am; due to the high volume of calls, you may have a lengthy wait to have your call answered. Please only telephone the practice if you are unable to use Patchs and one of our receptionists/care navigators will be able to support you with this process.

• Patchs (request an appointment online) – for routine appointments or queries via the online link on our website or text; problems are triaged by our team of clinicians who will advise of appropriate action. Requests are reviewed throughout the day, and you may be subsequently contacted with the offer of an appointment, or your query answered with a text message. Do not use for urgent issues.

• In person – the Practice reception opens at 8am; in line with our total triage approach, one of our receptionists/care navigators will support you by facilitating an appointment via Patchs for you

Please understand that the receptionists and clinical staff are trying to meet the needs of thousands of patients, each of whom is very important. Although we want to offer personal, patient-centred care, we are often stretched to the limit. Please try to be understanding if things are not completely to your satisfaction.

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Cancelling & Rescheduling Appointments

If you can’t make it to your appointment, please call us at 0161 998 2503 to cancel or change it. You can also cancel through a link in your appointment reminder. Sometimes people don’t show up for their appointments without telling us. This means someone else could have used that time. By cancelling or rescheduling, you help us see more patients and reduce wait times. Please think of others when you can no longer attend or need a rescheduled appointment.

Text Message Appointment Reminders

Please click here to fill in our online form if you would like to sign up to receive text message reminders from the surgery. Please ensure there is an up-to-date mobile number on your record to receive a text message appointment reminder.

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Alternative Options

NHS 111 is a free-to-call, non-emergency, medical helpline operating in England. The service is part of the country’s  NHS telephone triage and advice services.

Available 24 hours-a-day, the NHS 111 Service is intended for ‘urgent but not life-threatening’ health issues .

Provided nationwide, you are able to pick up the phone at any location in England and Scotland and ring 111 and receive the same level of care. The service is available for urgent healthcare assessment and you will be directed to the most suitable local service for your needs. If you are unsure which healthcare service you need to visit, the NHS 111 service will signpost you to the most appropriate care for your condition, for example, GP,  local pharmacy, Walk-in-Centre, community-based services, A&E or an emergency ambulance response

Online Services

Using online services such as the NHS App or Patient Access allows you to book and manage appointments as well as access a range of NHS services.