Patient Access
Routine Appointments
You can request a routine appointment in the next 14 days by:
- Completing an online form
We will respond within 2 working days when we are open. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm - Phone Lower Green Health Centre – 01902 444550
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm - Phone Wood Road Health Centre – 01902 444550
Tuesday to Thursday, 8am to 12.30pm - Visiting the surgery and speak with a receptionist
We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm - Using the NHS App to book a screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with. We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
Appointments may be made by telephone, online or in person without prejudice and regardless to when you were last seen. Patients have a right to express a preference as to which doctor they wish to see. The practice will endeavour to accommodate preferences; however that doctor may not always be available, if this is the case then you will be seen by your named GP.
The practice will remind you of any appointments via text message, for more information please speak with reception.
Urgent Appointments
You can request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) by:
We will respond within 48 hours when we are open. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm.
- Phone
Monday to Friday, please call at 8.00 am
- Visiting the surgery and speak with a receptionist
We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm. When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with. We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or health professional to help you.
Telephone Appointments
Our GPs are allocated time slots throughout the week for telephone appointments; please speak with reception if you require an appointment with a specific doctor.
Hospital and Clinic Appointments
The practice uses the E-Referrals / ‘Choose & Book’ referral system which is a national service that for the first time combines electronic appointment booking with a choice of place, date and time for a patients first appointment with a specialist. Using this service to book hospital and clinic appointments the patient receives a service that is more tailored to the needs of the individual.
The practices Choose and Book team are more than happy to deal with any queries relating to this service and is contactable through both Lower Green and Wood Road surgery receptions.
Your Appointment
However you choose to contact us we may offer you a consultation:
- By phone
- Face-to-face at the surgery
- On a video call
- By text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means the doctor or nurse can help you sooner.
We usually provide a telephone appointment and then offer a face-to-face appointment if needed. However, if you prefer a face-to-face appointment, please tell us.
If you need help with your appointment, please tell us:
- If there’s a specific doctor, nurse or another health professional you would prefer to respond
- If you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- If you need an interpreter
- If you have any other access or communication needs.
Online Booking for GP Appointments
By providing this service we hope to make booking a GP appointment more convenient, particularly, but not exclusively, for those patients who can’t telephone the practice during normal working hours.
We hope that by patients booking online, it will free up telephone time for those patients who prefer to continue to use the telephone to book their appointments.
If you are interested in on-line booking for your GP appointments, please contact our Reception staff who will advise you how to apply for registration for this service.
Chaperones
We are committed to maintaining professional standards. For certain examinations during consultations an impartial observer, called a chaperone, will be required.
This impartial observer will be a practice Nurse, Health Care Assistant or chaperone trained receptionist who is familiar with the procedure and be available to reassure and raise any concerns on your behalf. If a chaperone is unavailable at the time of your consultation, then your examination may be re-scheduled for another time.
You are free to decline any examination or chose an alternative examiner or chaperone. You may also request a chaperone for any examination or consultation if one is not offered to you. The GP may not undertake an examination if a chaperone is declined.
The role of a chaperone:
- Maintains professional boundaries during intimate examinations.
- Acknowledges a patient’s vulnerability.
- Provides emotional comfort and reassurance.
- Assists in the examination.
- Assists with undressing patients, if required.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you are cancelling an appointment for the same day, please contact the surgery as soon as possible so that your appointment can be offered to someone else.
If you are cancelling an appointment for another day, please cancel your appointment by:
- Phone
– Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm - Visiting the surgery and speak with a receptionist
– We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.30pm - Cancel Via the NHS App
- Replying ‘Cancel’ to SMS text message Reminder
When we are closed
NHS 111
If you are very unwell and you cannot wait until the surgery has opened, please call NHS 111 by dialling 111, and they will be able to advise on the care that you need. They can organise emergency services or an ambulance if needed. The NHS 111 is staffed by fully trained advisers supported by experienced nurses, pharmacists, and doctors. The NHS 111 service is available if you require urgent medical help, but it is not a life-threatening situation.
Unity Hub – Extended Access Service
We are a member of the Unity Hub which enables us to offer extended access to appointments for our patients outside of our surgery hours.
Unity Hub operates from Pennfields Medical Centre, Upper Zoar Street, Wolverhampton WV3 0JH
Unity Hub provides appointments for our patients:
- 6.30pm – 8.00pm weekdays
- 8.00am – 2.00pm Saturdays & Sundays
- Bank holidays 9.00am – 12 noon
Appointments for these sessions can be booked either in advance through the surgery or on the day by calling 01902 446688 (Pennfields Medical Practice).
Late Night Pharmacies
As qualified healthcare professionals, community pharmacists can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.
If symptoms suggest it’s something more serious, pharmacists have the right training to make sure you get the help you need. For example, they will tell you if you need to see a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional.
All pharmacists train for 5 years in the use of medicines. They are also trained in managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice.
Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.
Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.
You can find out your nearest open pharmacy on the NHS.uk website. Once you have searched for the location, you can select ‘only show pharmacies open now’ if you are searching outside of usual business hours.