Bell House Medical Centre

 

Part of Medics PCN

We aim to make people feel better        

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Appointments and Pharmacy First

PATIENTS REQUESTING URGENT CLINICAL REVIEWS NEED TO CONTACT THE SURGERY BY PHONE FOR ASSISTANCE

 

PLEASE CHECK IN FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT EITHER USING THE CHECK IN SCREEN OR SPEAKING TO THE RECEPTIONIST AT THE DESK


PLEASE BE AWARE – IF YOU ARE MORE THAN 9 MINUTES LATE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT, IT IS THE DOCTORS DISCRETION WHETHER THEY SEE YOU OR YOU WILL NEED TO REBOOK AN APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE TRIAGE FORM.

Appointments - Via Triage Form (Admin for Routine Appts) (GP Only)

GP appointments can only be booked through the online forms. Please state on the form the reason for the appointment, anything you have done/taken for the issue, the duration of the issue and any preferred clinician. Once the form is completed, within 1 to 2 hours the triage doctor will look at it and the triage team will contact you. Please make sure the number on the triage form is correct when the triage team call.

DO NOT request an urgent appointment through the admin triage form as this is looked at and gotten back to within 2 to 3 days, so any urgent appointment requests may not be checked immediately.

If any patients are elderly or vulnerable or do not have internet access, please contact the reception team from 8am Monday-Friday for their assistance completing the form. Doors open at 8:00am Monday – Friday to speak to reception but please be aware they cannot book any appointments directly over the phone or at the desk.

Nurse appointments can still be booked over the phone or at the reception desk.

Medical Emergencies

If you have a medical condition you feel would cause harm if left untreated before the next available appointment, you can either phone 111 in surgery hours or by going to NHS 111 online. They triage your condition and refer you to the most appropriate clinician, whether it be us, A&E, dentist, urgent care centre or advice can be given over the phone.

If you are referred by 111 to the surgery, reception will contact you. They will book you into a sit and wait appointment with the next available doctor, asking you to come down for a specific time to sit and wait to be seen by the doctor. The doctor will only treat the emergency condition in the consultation. They will not issue sick notes on an emergency basis.

Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First in Luton

Pharmacy First is a service provided by pharmacies where you can get advice and treatment for minor health problems without needing to see a doctor. Here’s how it works:

  • Walk-In Service: You can visit the pharmacy without an appointment.
  • Qualified Advice: Pharmacists are trained to give advice and can provide treatments for a range of conditions.
  • Medicines: They can also provide or recommend over-the-counter medicines to help with your symptoms.

Seven Common Conditions You Can Get Help With

  1. Coughs and Colds

    • What It Is: Common viral infections that cause coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose.
    • Pharmacy Help: The pharmacist can suggest remedies like cough syrups, decongestants, or lozenges to ease your symptoms.

  2. Sore Throat

    • What It Is: Pain or irritation in the throat that can make swallowing uncomfortable.
    • Pharmacy Help: They can recommend throat lozenges, sprays, or pain relief tablets.

  3. Headaches

    • What It Is: Pain in the head that can be caused by tension, dehydration, or other factors.
    • Pharmacy Help: You can get advice on over-the-counter painkillers and tips on managing headaches.

  4. Digestive Problems

    • What It Is: Issues like heartburn, indigestion, or constipation.
    • Pharmacy Help: The pharmacist can suggest antacids, anti-diarrheal medicines, or laxatives depending on your symptoms.

  5. Minor Skin Conditions

    • What It Is: Conditions like eczema, rashes, or acne.
    • Pharmacy Help: They can recommend creams, ointments, or other treatments to soothe and manage skin issues.

  6. Allergies

    • What It Is: Reactions to allergens that can cause symptoms like sneezing, itching, or rashes.
    • Pharmacy Help: The pharmacist can suggest antihistamines and other treatments to relieve allergy symptoms.

  7. Aches and Pains

    • What It Is: General pain in muscles or joints from everyday activities or minor injuries.
    • Pharmacy Help: You can get advice on pain relief creams, gels, or oral painkillers to manage the discomfort.

Why Use Pharmacy First?

  • Convenient: No need to wait for a doctor’s appointment.
  • Expertise: Pharmacists are trained to handle many minor health issues.
  • Quick Solutions: You can get immediate advice and treatments to start feeling better faster.
 

If you have a minor health issue, visiting a pharmacy that offers Pharmacy First can be a quick and effective way to get the help you need.

Medical Students

We have medical students from Cambridge University who spend 2 weeks, 4 times a year with us as part of their training. You may be offered an appointment with our students. These appointments are 20 minutes, 10 minutes with the students and the supervising doctor will join the consultation for the final 10 minutes. Students also do joint surgeries with the doctors in the practice. You will be told when booking your appointment if this is going to be with a student or if it is a joint surgery with a student. Please do not book these appointments if you would prefer not to have the student present during your consultation.

Practice Nurse & Health Care Assistant Appointments

These are available to be booked up to 13 weeks (8 weeks for HCA) in advance. These appointments are not available to be booked through the online triage form as we have to allocate longer times for different appointments. Our reception team will ask the reason you are booking an appointment so they will know whether to book with our nurse or HCA (Health Care Assistant). They will also know the length of time needed for the appointment or if a doctor also needs to be booked ie for Minor surgery.