GPs treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment. You can do this by booking an appointment.

Booking an appointment

You should be able to book or change an appointment at your GP surgery:

• Online using e-consult services, where your practice will contact you for an appointment or to give advice. Find out more about how to start using online services
• by phone
• in person, by going into the surgery and talking to the receptionist

In some GP surgeries, you may also be able to have a consultation online or over the phone. Speak to your GP surgery for more information about online and phone consultations.

Call your GP surgery if you need an urgent appointment. If your GP surgery is closed, a recorded message will tell you who to contact.

Before booking an appointment, it may be useful to ask yourself whether there are other NHS services that can also help you, where you don’t need an appointment.

• pharmacy services (see below)
• Call NHS 111 if you have an urgent medical problem, but you’re not sure what to do.
• Visit 111.nhs.uk for urgent medical advice for people aged 5 and over only.
• Visit a sexual health service for testing for sexually transmitted infections and contraception advice.

Enhanced access

You can now see a GP or nurse on:

• weekday evenings between 6.30pm and 8pm
• Saturdays and Sundays

Call your GP surgery or use their online services to book evening and weekend appointments. You may be able to get an appointment on the same day.

You may be offered an appointment at:

• your GP surgery
• another local GP surgery
• another local NHS service

Temporary resident

If you are not registered with a GP but need treatment, you can either call 111 or register at a GP surgery as a temporary resident.

To register as a temporary resident in England, find a nearby GP surgery who will give you a Temporary services form GMS3 to complete. You can register as a temporary resident if you plan to live near the GP surgery for up to 3 months. After 3 months you will have to apply to register with that surgery as a permanent resident.

The GP retain the right to not accept you as a temporary patient, but if you would like to contest it, speak to the surgery’s practice manager.

NHS Health Check

If you are between 40 and 74, and you don’t have a pre-existing condition, you will be contacted to get an NHS Health Check at your GP. This is a useful way to spot early signs of some dangerous diseases and conditions.

In the Health Check, you will be asked some lifestyle questions such as drinking or smoking habits, your height and weight will be measured, and your blood pressure taken. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself against conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, dementia, diabetes, and more.

Complaints

If you want to make a complaint against your GP, contact your practice manager.

You can also contact the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB), which deals with NHS practitioners in Camden and surrounding boroughs. Please note: you cannot contact both the Practice Manager and the ICB about the same complaint, in accordance with the 2009 NHS Complaints Regulations.

Website: https://nclhealthandcare.org.uk/about/advice-compliments-and-complaints/

Email: nclicb.complaints@nhs.net

Telephone: 020 3198 9743