Our aim is to ensure we provide safe, quality care to all of our patients. We ask that you give as much information as you feel able to, in order to assist the prioritisation of our patients who have the highest clinical need. We offer a varied appointment system and try our best to meet your individual needs.
Contact the surgery online
We offer an e-Consultation service and if you have access to the internet this is, by far, the easiest way to submit your health queries to us and for a clinician to review your needs. Whether it’s an ailment or an admin query.
NHS App
Download the NHS App, or open the NHS website in a web browser, to set up and log in to your NHS account. Owned and run by the NHS, your NHS account is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services online, including appointments, prescriptions and health record.
We also support SystmOnline for appointment requests. Simply log in and select an option.
Not registered for online services yet. You can register online.
Coronavirus – Update
Please do not book a GP appointment or attend your GP Practice if: you think you might have coronavirus
- in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus
- you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service – that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.
Can another Healthcare Professional help?
Do you need to see the GP?
Sometimes the GP is not the most appropriate Healthcare Professional to deal with your ailment. Please see the information on see a Doctor or Healthcare Professional, which might help you decide whether a GP appointment is truly necessary or whether it might be better for you to see a Pharmacist, Optician, Dentist or other Healthcare Professional. You can even self-refer for some services without seeing your GP.
For real life-threatening emergencies such as those below – RING 999
- Chest pain (suspected heart attack)
- Suspected stroke
- Suspected meningitis
- Anaphylactic shock (severe allergy)
- Heavy bleeding or deep lacerations
- Fluctuating levels of consciousness or completely unconscious
- Difficulty breathing or stopped breathing with a change in colour
- New seizure, fit or uncontrollable shaking
For immediately serious conditions such as the following, GO TO Emergency Department (A&E) IMMEDIATELY
- A fever and lethargic (drowsy) child
- A feverish and floppy (unresponsive) infant
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain
- Accidental or intentional overdose of medication
- Trauma (including falls) and possible broken bones or road traffic accident
Your appointment at the Practice
- Please make one appointment for each member of the family who needs to be seen
- We try to keep to time but please be patient if someone before you takes longer than planned
- Appointments are normally ten minute slots, so if you have a complicated problem, or more than one problem, please ask for a longer appointment
- It is Practice Policy to allow patients to choose whichever Doctor they wish to attend in the Practice
Please help us
If you are not able to attend your appointment please let us know in time so that the time can be used for someone else. If you are late for an appointment you may be asked to re-book. If you are not seen you will not be able to rearrange your appointment until the next working day-except in the event of an medical emergency that requires immediate attention.
Missed Appointments and DNA’s
Missed Appointments Policy
Appointments are in high demand with doctors and nurses. Currently we lose approximately 25 appointments per week because patients do not turn up and do not let us know. This is equivalent of 4 hours of doctors/nurses time.
We do understand that due to circumstances beyond a patient’s control that you are sometimes unable to attend. However, we ask patients to let us know as soon as possible so we can reallocate that appointment to another patient. This is possible even at very short notice so it is important that you telephone the practice to cancel as soon as you can. If you are registered for our on-line booking appointments system, you can also cancel your appointment using this system.
We can help by sending you a text reminder of your appointment 24 hours in advance – please ensure we have your correct mobile number if you wish to use this service.
Due to the increasing numbers of patients failing to cancel appointments, we have implemented the following policy:
If a patient fails to attend a pre-booked appointment on more than one occasion in the previous six months, an informal warning letter will be sent to the patient, advising them that a further occurrence could risk removal from the Practice.
If the patient does not attend again i.e. a total of three occasions in a twelve month period, we reserve the right to remove that patient from our list. Each case will be discussed at a Partners’ Meeting and we will write again to patients in these circumstances to let them know the outcome of these discussions
Do you feel frustrated when you cannot get an appointment?
Every year wasted appointments cost NHS £162 million. This can cause serious delays in treatment for other patients.
Appointment for urgent, on the day care
If you call the surgery because you feel that your symptoms are urgent and need on the day attention, Our Care Navigator team are specially trained to help you get the most appropriate treatment as quickly as possible. In order to do this, they may need to ask you some questions. Please give as much information as you feel able to so that they can offer you an appointment with the most appropriate clinician, this may not be a GP. We employ a variety of Clinicans to meet the needs of our patients.
Each GP appointment is for 10 minutes. If you feel you may require a longer appointment please advise the patient services team.
Nurse Appointments
Our practice nurses and health care assistants offer a variety of appointments daily to support patients with long-term conditions (such as diabetes and asthma) as well as minor illness and wound management. The team have varied skills and specialisms, so please discuss your needs with the patient services team to help us to provide you with the best care.
Extended Practice Opening Hours
We are open from 7.30am until 7pm on Tuesdays of each week. We provide early morning and evening appointments in our extended hours clinics for workers and schoolchildren.
Additional information
Can I bring someone to accompany me to the Appointment?
We are generally very happy for patients to bring with them a carer, relative or even a friend. This often helps, particularly when they know you well and it allows them to tell us any observations they would make about you, which can help us in undertaking our assessment. Ultimately this will lead us more quickly to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore help you more.
Also, having someone with you means they can prompt you to ask questions that you may have forgotten, and after the appointment they can help in reminding you what was discussed.
Occasionally we might ask for them to leave but this would be unusual.
If you require interpretation services please contact us in advance of you appointment and we will arrange this.
Giving Consent for Treatment
You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
Your valid consent (agreement to the course of action) is needed for the treatment that’s offered to you before any physical examinations or treatment can be given. If you haven’t given your consent, you can accept or refuse treatment that’s offered to you.
It’s important to be involved in decisions about your treatment and to be given information to help you choose the right treatment. When making treatment choices, you’ll often discuss the options with your doctor or another healthcare professional.
GP Extended Hours
What is the GP Extended Access Service?
The Extended Access Service has more appointments with GPs available in Harrogate, making it easier for you to get an appointment at a time that suits you, including evenings and weekends.
When are these appointments available?
Appointments are available from 8am–8pm Monday – Friday, 9am – 12 Noon Saturday and 9am – 11am Sunday. Appointments must be booked in advance.
Who can access these appointments?
Anyone registered with a GP practice in Harrogate.
How do I book an appointment?
Contact your GP practice in the usual way to request an appointment. If there is no appointment available at your practice, they may offer you an appointment with the GP Extended Access Service, if this is right for you.
If urgent care is required please call ‘111’ for further advice. If your need is life threatening, please go to A&E or call 999.
For support with the management of minor ailments, please contact your local pharmacist or visit the NHS UK or NHS A-Z of Conditions
Will I see my own GP and/or nurse?
You will be seen by experienced GPs and nurses, but it is unlikely that you will be seen by your own GP or nurse. If you would prefer to see your usual GP or practice nurse, please book an appointment with the practice during normal opening hours.
Will the GP I see have access to my medical record during my appointment?
Your medical record will, with your consent, be available to the GP that sees you, to ensure that they have the information they need to give you the best possible care. Notes of your appointment will be sent back to your own GP practice electronically to ensure that your record is up-to-date. An appointment with this service will be just like an appointment at your own GP practice.
Where do I go for my appointment?
The service is located within;
The Mowbray Square Medical Centre
Harrogate
HG1 5AR
If you have a suspected infectious disease
Please inform reception if you suspect an infectious disease, as this will enable us to deal with it appropriately during your visit to protect you, other patients and staff.
Interpreter
If you require an interpreter to attend with you when you see your Doctor please notify the care navigator team at time of booking your appointment and they will arrange this for you.
Text Reminder Service
We have a texting service which allows you to recieve confirmation and reminders about your appointments.
To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.
Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.
Urgent and emergency care services
Which Doctor?
As a patient, you are registered with the practice, not an individual GP. You can make an appointment with any of the Doctors at the practice. As medical records are now computerised, all Doctors, at any site can access your details. If you prefer, you can make an appointment with a Doctor of your choice. You may need to wait longer to get an appointment with a specific Doctor of your choice, as they may be in high demand at the time.