One Problem – One Appointment

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Polite Notice

****One Appointment – One Problem****

Sometimes, a patient’s various symptoms can all relate to the same problem.

This is why it is very important at your appointment to tell our clinician about all the different symptoms you are experiencing, to help them to advise on a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

This is also the reason that we are not strict around discussing different issues with our clinicians.

We would not like to think that a patient felt that a second symptom was a second problem, and therefore could not be discussed at your appointment.

However, where your symptoms relate to different problems, please ask the receptionist for a double appointment, or 2 separate appointments if a double appointment is not available.

The reason for this is that our clinicians are contracted to 10 minute appointment slots.

During your 10 appointment our clinician will

* listen to your concerns

* ask questions to determine the problem

* Organise prescriptions, tests results and referrals as necessary

* Finally, the clinician will need to add a comprehensive consultation note to your medical record regarding all that has been discussed, carried out and organised during your appointment.

10 minutes is very little time to carry out all that is required.

If you do attend your appointment with several issues to discuss – on occasion, patients will bring a list of concerns, particularly if they haven’t been to see us for a long time – your clinician will politely advise you that they are only able to discuss one issue, and will ask you to book another appointment.

This can naturally cause frustration, which unfortunately is often directed at the clinician.

However, the clinicians are following practice policy, and ensuring that their surgeries are not delayed, and patients are not kept waiting longer than necessary.

Thank you for taking the above into consideration when you need to book an appointment; and thank you for you continued support.