Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery if they can, where we have the appropriate equipment and facilities available to offer the best treatment, we do appreciate this is not always possible.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind when requesting a home visit and be prepared for the receptionist to ask details about your medical condition to enable the doctor to offer you the most appropriate care.

You can phone main reception on 01273 685588 to request a home visit, we ask patients or patient representatives to call before 11am if they require a visit the same day. If you call after 11am these visit requests will be referred to the duty doctor for the day. It may not be possible for the GP to visit you that day unless it is deemed medically urgent, this determination will be made by the GP making the visit.

Here are some things to be aware of when booking or having your home visit;

• A receptionist will need to take information from either the patient or a patient’s representative about the reason for the home visit to relay to the doctor.
• A doctor may call you prior to the visit to make arrangements for entry or to discuss your medical condition further before making a visit.
• It is important to make sure you have an up to date contact number on our system so a GP can get hold of you.
• It is important that you are able to answer the door when the GP arrives or have someone with you who is able to let the GP in.
• Unfortunately it is not often possible to be very specific with the times of GP home visits – they are usually done between the doctor’s morning and afternoon clinics, between 12.30am and 3.30pm, except in exceptional circumstances.

You can also be visited at home by the Community/District Nursing team or the Home Phlebotomy Service (for the taking of blood samples) – you will need to be referred for these services by your GP.

You should also receive a home visit by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years of age.