Information

Appointments

Patients should telephone during normal opening hours for an appointment. Or, you can book appointments online via Patient Access or by using the mobile phone app MyGP.

You may telephone to speak to a doctor or a nurse for advice or test results. If they are not immediately available, they may call you back. You can also request messages to be sent to you via SMS text.

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Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10:00 if you require a home visit.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Teaching

In addition to providing general medical services the practice also undertakes continuing education and training of health care professionals working at the practice and teaches medical students from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

Repeat Prescriptions

For repeat prescriptions please leave a message at 017687 80125 at any time. For queries, please telephone 017687 80124 to speak to our dispensary. (Please try to telephone between 10:00 and 17:00)

Please allow 2 working days following your request for repeat prescriptions. If your need is more urgent, please let us know and we will do our best to meet your requirements.

You can order your repeat prescription directly through this site. You must register with reception before you can use this service. Once you have received your letter, click on the link above and follow the instructions.

We are permitted to dispense medications to all those patients on our list who live more than one mile from the town centre. You may have your prescription delivered to your local shop/post office if you live in or around Braithwaite, Rosthwaite or Threlkeld.

Repeat prescriptions can be delivered to any of the chemists in Keswick for those patients to whom we cannot dispense. The dispensary is open from 08:30 until 18:00 on weekdays (it is best to collect your repeat prescriptions during lunchtime or late afternoon in order to avoid the busy surgery times).

SecureRequest Repeat Prescription

Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions

Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines. Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

NHS charges

These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

  • Prescription (per item): £9.00
  • 12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £104.00
  • 3-month PPC: £29.10

If you will have to pay for four or more prescription items in three months, or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website

Test Results

Please call between 11:00 and 15:30 to enquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times. Reception staff are unable to tell you your results but will be able to arrange a nurse to call back or book a doctors appointment.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice. It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if your are advised to do so.

Blood Tests

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

  • assess your general state of health
  • confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
  • see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child’s hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

X-Ray

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website

Visiting Patient Information

Click here to view Visitor Patient Information

Click here to view Temporary Residents Procedure

Dental Pain

You need to see a dentist for your dental pain.
If you are registered with a dentist and it is currently within their working hours, then contact your dentist to arrange an emergency appointment. If this is not possible or you are not registered with a dentist then contact the emergency dental service Dental Direct on 01228 603900.

Emergency assessment and treatment is provided at various centres, but you must not attend without an appointment.  Ring:
Dental Direct – North Cumbria – 01228 603900
Dental Direct – South Cumbria01539 716822

Symptoms to watch out for:
If you develop any of the following symptoms it may indicate a spreading dental infection. This is potentially life threatening and needs to be treated by a dental or maxillofacial surgeon without delay:

Raised temperature                                                               Redness and swelling around the eye
Rapid heart rate or breathing                                              Difficulty with speaking, swallowing and breathing
Difficulty opening the mouth due to pain or spasm       Low blood pressure
Raised tongue from floor of the mouth or drooling        Dehydration

Why GP’s do not give antibiotics for dental conditions
Simple toothache is often due to pulpitis caused by dental decay or a failed filling. This does not respond to antibiotics and requires management by a dentist.
Dental abscesses respond well to incision and drainage, root treatment or removal of the tooth and therefore it is important to arrange prompt dental treatment. Antibiotics do not prevent the development of severe complications from a tooth abscess, although they may be prescribed by a dentist as part of your treatment.
As GP’s, we are not covered by medical indemnity (doctor’s insurance) for treating a dental problem because it is classed as being outside the scope of our practice.

Self-referral for Physiotherapy

Patients are able to self refer themselves for physiotherapy. To access this service please complete the form below and return it to the address at the bottom of the form.