new prescription for medicine

A doctor is contactable during the normal working weekday using the surgery telephone number: 01564 823182.

 NHS 111

In the case of urgent need when the practice is closed, please call NHS Direct on 111. 

 The ambulance service

If your query is related directly to a life-threatening or emergency situation, you should telephone 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.

  Hollyoaks Medical Centre is constantly striving to improve the services we provide to you, and we welcome any comments or suggestions that can help us to do so. 

 How to complain?

We hope that we can sort most problems out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If you wish to make a formal complaint, please do so AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - ideally within a matter of a few days. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily. Please address your complaint in writing to the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately.

You can keep healthy by:
 Not smoking or getting help to stop
 Drinking no more than 14 units (female) or 21 units (male) of alcohol per week
 Taking regular exercise
 Eating a healthy diet
 Seeing your dentist regularly
 Following your doctor’s advice when taking any prescribed medicines
 Keeping any appointments at the surgery or at the hospital.
Many patients will see a doctor or nurse regularly but others will not. Patients over 75 years who have not seen a doctor or nurse at all within the last 12 months, or patients between 17 and 75 years who have not seen a doctor or nurse at all within the last three years are encouraged to request a consultation for a review of their health.

 You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or at our reception or on the HMRC website.
 If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).
 It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.
 You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.
Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'
 The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.
 For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced).

When you take your test you will be told how long it will take before the results are returned to the practice. To obtain your results, please telephone the surgery on 01564 823182 between 2pm and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Please be prepared to identify yourself, saying what the test was and when it was carried out.

We cannot always give full results over the phone. If the result requires further discussion, we will offer you an appointment. Due to our confidentiality and data protection policies, we will only give results to the person who has had the test.

If you think you may need a new prescription for medicine, please make an appointment with the doctor.
Repeat Prescriptions
 You can order a repeat prescription via this website using our secure online form.
 For house bound patients only can order a repeat prescription via telephone.
 Please allow at least 48 hours after submitting your request before collecting your prescription from the surgery or your chosen 
 Please tell us of any changes to your repeat prescription list made at the hospital or if you stop any medication by yourself.
 Do not stockpile unwanted drugs at home – return them to your chemist.

 We can only accept new patients who live in our practice area.
 You can register by completing a registration form (GSM1) which can be downloaded here. When you register, we will ask you to make an appointment to see the practice nurse (or doctor if you are on regular medication) for a new patient health check. This will ensure that our records are accurate and all routine checks to promote your health and wellbeing (such as blood pressure/smear tests/mammograms) are up-to-date.

 We ask our patients to visit the surgery if at all possible, as our doctors can see several patients at the practice in the time it takes to make a single home visit. Home visits are only offered to patients who are unable to get to the surgery for medical reasons. Reception staff will take details from patient and a doctor will phone to assess the need for a visit.

To request a home visit, please:
 Call the surgery on 01564 823182 before 10.30am.
 Be prepared to tell the receptionist about your condition so we can prioritise the most urgent cases and arrange the most appropriate course of action.
 Ensure the surgery has up to date details of your address and telephone number.

 Where normal appointments are not available you may be offered a telephone consultation with a doctor or nurse.