Everest House Surgery uses a GP led triage system to ensure that patients receive access to the correct type of appointment in a timely manner. Same day appointments are for urgent medical problems and not for repeat prescriptions, sick notes, or routine referrals.
Please consider whether there are any other services that might be more appropriate before you contact the practice to request an urgent appointment. For example, you can contact your pharmacy about minor health problems; they will be able to answer any questions about your medicines and treatment. The NHS App, website and NHS 111 system are also available to guide you to alternative, appropriate sources of advice.
We understand that not all patients are comfortable in sharing information with other members of practice staff, we assure you that all our team are highly trained and treat all information in the strictest confidence. The information you give will be passed to our triaging clinician who will then advise on the appropriate course of action. This may be an urgent on the day appointment or it may be a referral to the community pharmacy consultation service, an appointment with one of our paramedics or even an appointment with another of our allied health professionals such as our first contact physiotherapist.
The practice also has access to minor illness and injury services at St Albans hospital and a limited number of appointments at another local surgery.
How to book an appointment?
We assess and triage all patient requests for an appointment based on clinical need. This is to ensure that patients get the appropriate care that they require. Patients with an urgent need or patients that wish to book a routine appointment are all asked to complete an eConsult form providing their GP with the clinical information needed to assess their symptoms. Online forms are available from 8am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday.
If you are unable to complete an eConsult please contact the practice on 01442 500 164, where our staff will be happy to assist you in completing a form.
Important: Important
Requests received before 5pm will be reviewed on the same working day.
After 5pm your request will be reviewed the next working day.
For routine or admin requests, such as sick notes or repeat prescription queries, we aim to respond within 3 working days.
Do not use this form for emergencies. If you need urgent help, please call your GP practice. If we’re closed, visit NHS 111 online or call 111. In an emergency call 999.
As we operate named GP lists all eConsult forms, other than those requiring on the day attention, are sent to your own GP for review. They will then contact you to provide you with an appointment or advise you of a treatment plan based on the information submitted in your form. If you are having trouble accessing the NHS app or Patient Access, please make sure you are registered for online services.
An eConsult form can also be used for administrative requests. This form provides the GP with a lot of the information they will need to provide advice. We have a limited number of blood test appointments available to book online, these appointments are for bloods which have been requested by the GP.
Nurse appointments
Due to the complexity and variety of nursing appointments, we are unable to offer these online. If you require a nurse appointment, please ring the surgery on 01442 500 164 and book via our reception team.
Self book appointments
We would like to make our patients aware we are now offering the option to self book for some appointments. For our patients who are due routine checks/reviews with our practice nurses or healthcare assistants, such as blood pressure checks, blood tests or routine health checks for diabetes, asthma reviews and smears we will be sending them a SMS (text message) inviting them to book an appointment via a link included in the message. Patients still have the option to call us on 01442 500 164 and book should they prefer.
This will enable our patients to book a face to face appointment in a selected clinic specific to the review they have been invited to attend, without having to ring the surgery and wait in a call queue. Hopefully this will enable our patients to access the appointment they need much quicker and with ease.
How our triage system works
Patients requesting an urgent on the day appointment will be put onto the GP triage list. To do this, the receptionist will need to ask you a series of questions. Based on this information, the GP will decide on the type of appointment that should be offered to you, or, if an alternative is better suited i.e. a prescription for antibiotics. A member of our administration team will either text or call you with the GPs decision.
Emergencies
If the patient is suffering from any of the following dial 999 immediately:
- Severe chest pains, sweating, clamminess, pain radiating down left arm
- Unconscious/collapsed
- Turning blue
- Head injury
- Bleeding profusely
- Weak and floppy with a rash (especially if child)
Pharmacy First
Please visit our Pharmacy First page to find out more about this service.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- via eConsult
- Follow the link in your appointment reminder text message. Please note that not all appointments receive a reminder message
- phone us on 01442 500 164 during opening times
Please give us as much notice as possible so that the appointment may be used for another patient.
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Home visits
Requests for visits should be made before 11am by calling reception. The receptionist will need to ask for some details relating to the illness. Please consider the need for a home visit, as in most cases care is provided more quickly and effectively in the Surgery where a more complete assessment is possible.
Home visits are intended for the housebound and those clinically unable to travel. We are not obliged to visit because you have transport problems. Please bear in mind that we can see 3 to 4 patients in the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit. All requests that may involve a home visit are referred to the doctor available at the time.