Appointments
Doctor Appointments
Appointments may be made by:
– telephoning 01982 552207 (Builth Wells)
– by calling at the surgery
If you cannot keep an appointment, please inform us as soon as possible.
If you are unsure as to whether you need an appointment and whether it is urgent, you can discuss this with the receptionist in confidence so that you can be guided through the system.
If you present with an urgent medical condition you will be seen that day.
If you have forms to be completed, bring these to the surgery and ask to speak to reception as an appointment is often not required.
Nurse Appointments
Many patients with chronic conditions are seen by appointment through nursing staff. Appointments are made through reception or directly via the nurses and doctors.
New Patients
The Practice covers an area of over 500 square miles
The Practice area includes:
Builth Wells & Llanwrtyd Wells
Newbridge On Wye
Howey
Hundred House
Cilmery
Builth Road
Beulah
Garth
Llangammarch Wells
Erwood
Aberedw
Boughrood
Painscastle
New Patients can register if they live within our Practice Area
A Registration Form will need to be completed and this is available from receptions at both Builth Surgery and Llanwrtyd Branch Surgery.
It is advisable to register at Llanwrtyd Branch Surgery if you live in or towards Beulah or Llanwrtyd Wells.
At registration, you will be allocated a treating doctor. When you need an appointment always try to see this doctor if possible, staying with one doctor should improve the quality of care you receive. It is important that you are aware when this doctor is available for consultations.
The doctors see patients by appointment.
Patients should be aware that the Practice does undertake the teaching and training of health care professionals or persons intending to become health care professionals (eg medical students).
Sick Notes
It is not recommended that you attend your doctor for sickness certification alone.
Your GP is only required to issue a certificate if your absence from work through sickness lasts more than seven calendar days.
Do you need a doctor’s certificate in the first seven days of an illness?
No illnesses that last less than one week are usually minor and self-limiting and you may not require a visit to a doctor.
What do you need?
For the first 4 days of any illness, you do not require any form of certification. (It is for you to decide if you are fit to work.)
For the next 3 days (including Saturdays and Sundays) you can fill in a self-certification form (SC2 which is available from your employer).
After the first 7 days you may need a doctor’s certificate and will have to attend or phone the doctor to get a “Statement of Fitness for Work” (known as a sick note, fit note or “Med 3”).
What are private sick notes and do you need one?
Some employers or insurance schemes will ask you to provide a private sick note. The surgery will charge you a fee to provide you with a “sick note” (currently £10). Sick notes are usually not necessary for the first week of any illness.
FEES
A list of current fees is available on request
The Practice does not complete passport applications.
Due to change in insurance liability the Practice is no longer able to complete sports medicals. Patients should seek advice from their sporting organisation for a reputable body to perform these. We are able to facilitate this process by providing a short medical summary with current information to patients on request.
Dental
Dental problems are managed by dentists
Your doctor has no specific training in dental problems
Please contact your dentist with dental problems
It is your responsibility to ensure you are registered with a dentist
For help with dental problems and registration, contact:
NHS Direct Wales Tel: 0845 46 47
Powys Local Health Board Tel: 01874 711661
Concerns
If you have a concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know.
We operate a Putting Things Right procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with concerns. Our system complies with national guidelines.
We would like to reassure you that raising a concern will not be taken negatively, or adversely affect the care you receive.
Who should I talk to about my concern?
If you feel able to do so the best place to start is by talking to the staff who were involved with your care and treatment. They can try to sort out your concern immediately. If this doesn’t help or if you do not want to speak to staff who provided the service, then you can contact the Practice Manager.
Who can raise a concern?
If this is something that has happened to you, you can raise the concern yourself. If you prefer, a carer, friend, relative or local CHC can represent you but you will be asked to agree to this.
How soon should I tell someone about my concern?
It is best to talk to someone about your concern as soon as possible after the problem happened but you can take up to 12 months to let us know. If a longer time has passed but there are good reasons for the delay, tell us anyway, as we may still be able to deal with your concerns.
Concerns should be addressed to the Practice Manager.
Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the Practice Manager to discuss your concerns. She will explain the concerns procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your concern.
What happens next?
We will
• Let you know that we have received your concern with 2 working days
• Ask you if you have any particular needs that we should be aware of in dealing with your concern
• Investigate your concern
• Let you know what we have found and what we are going to do about it.
In most cases, let you have a final reply within 30 working days of the date when we first received your concern (weekends and bank holidays excluded). If we can’t reply to you in that time we will give you the reasons why and let you know when you can expect to receive a reply.
If your concern has been looked at by us and you are still not happy with our response, you can contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales:
Telephone: 0845 601 0987
Email: [email protected]
Abuse
65,000 violent incidents occur every year against health professionals and staff
We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our employees against verbal and physical abuse
Patients and visitors are asked to treat our staff with the same courtesy and respect that they themselves expect when they visit our premises.
We will not tolerate physical abuse against our staff and we will always prosecute anyone who carries out such attacks on our staff.
Verbal abuse, harassment or racism, whether this is person to person or over the telephone, will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in the strongest possible manner.
We will support our staff in any action which they may wish to take in response to such abuse or harassment.
We have the right to ask the Local Health Board to remove patients from the practice list if they are violent in any way towards staff or any other persons on practice premises.
All incidents will be reported to the police.
