Routine and acute illness appointments
We offer several ways to contact us depending on whether your problem is routine or urgent. Please read the sections below to make sure you get the right care as quickly as possible.
Patients requesting urgent clinical appointment or reviews should do so by attending the practice in person or by phone. Acute or urgent appointments are for problems that need medical advice on the same day.
Examples include:
- Sudden illness or worsening symptoms
- Infections (e.g. fever, chest, urine, skin)
- Severe pain
- New symptoms that cannot wait
How to contact us for urgent problems:
- Call the surgery as early as possible in the day
- Your request will be triaged by a clinician
- You may receive:
- A same-day phone call
- A same-day face-to-face appointment
- Advice or referral to another service
Please describe your symptoms clearly so we can help you appropriately.
Routine appointments are for problems that are not urgent and can safely wait a few days.
Examples include:
- Long-term condition reviews (e.g. asthma, diabetes)
- Medication reviews or repeat prescription queries
- Ongoing symptoms that are not getting worse
- General health concerns
- Fit notes (sick notes)
- Preventive care and health advice
How to book a routine appointment:
- Online: Book via our online system or NHS App
- By phone: Call the surgery during opening hours
- In person: Speak to our reception team at the desk
We will respond to online requests the same day. You may also contact 111 for advice, or 999 in an emergency.
You can also request an appointment (Monday to Friday) during opening times by calling our reception team 01242 519049. Our reception team may advise that you complete an online triage form, as this helps us fairly prioritise problems and ensures patients get the right care, from the right person, at the right time. If you cannot complete an online form, our team will be happy to do this for you; just let them know.
New improved access appointments
Five of your local Cheltenham GP surgeries are now working together to provide additional GP appointments for all their registered patients. They have called this group of practices the Cheltenham Central Cluster. These appointments will be available to you and your family up until 8pm, Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings.
These daily appointments are pre-bookable and will be available at the following locations:
- Overton Park Surgery
- Wilson Health Centre
Urgent appointments may also be available on Saturday afternoon and all day on Sunday in central locations in Gloucester and Stroud.
Where and who will see me?
- All of our appointments are with a GP
- With your consent, they will have full access to your medical records, so you can be assured they will be aware of any ongoing condition
- If you do not wish to share your records you will need to let your practice know, but this could limit the appointments available to you
- The clinic will be in two central Cheltenham locations to ensure equity of access for all patients
- All appointments are open to patients registered at any of our five surgeries
How do I make an appointment?
You may wish to consider some of these other options for advice before you ring your surgery for an appointment:
Alternatively, please contact your registered surgery who will offer you the best option to meet your needs, including these new ‘Improved Access’ appointments.
Please note there will be no telephone access to your normal surgery after 6:30pm on weekdays or at weekends.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- using the GP online system: SystmOnline
- phone us on 01242 519049 during opening times
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.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
If you are too ill or frail to get to the surgery and need a visit at home, please call the surgery on 01242 519049 before 10:30am if possible. The receptionist will ask you for a few details to allow the doctor to assess the urgency of the case. Whenever possible, patients will be encouraged to attend the surgery. This saves the doctor time and therefore allows more patients to be seen.
It is not possible to visit all our patients immediately after hospital discharge and a visit is rarely required after routine surgery. However, if you are still feeling unwell or not making satisfactory progress, please let your doctor know.