Appointments

Appointments phone number: 01475 705604

Please call the number above to book an appointment with a doctor or a nurse.

Text alert service

Never forget an appointment time again with our TEXT ALERT SERVICE. Please update your mobile number with reception staff. Please note this service is available for patients aged 18 and over.

Urgent cases are seen on the day you call. You can receive advice from our triage nurse who can advise you on how quickly you should be seen by a doctor. She can also advise if it may be better for you to be seen by another health professional in the practice.

If your condition is not urgent, we would aim to have you see a doctor within two working days. You can ask to see a particular doctor for your appointment but you may have to wait longer. If you don't need an appointment within 2 working days, you can book up to 10 working days in advance.

Telephone Consultations

You can book a telephone consultation with a doctor or nurse. He or she will ring you at an agreed time on the telephone number you have given. Please be available as this is a scheduled call and the doctor may not be able to call at another time.

Video Consultations

You can book a video consultation with a doctor or nurse. Near the appointed time, you can enter the virtual waiting room by clicking on the link below.

Interpreters

We can arrange interpretation and translation services for patients who do not speak English or if you require BSL interpretation. Please let us know when making your appointment. You can arrange an interpreter yourself if you need to speak to NHS 24. 

Interpreting Services

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else. You can cancel by phoning the practice on 01475 705604 or typing "cancel" when you receive the reminder test.

Home Visits

We are happy to visit patients at home if they are housebound or if their illness prevents them from attending the surgery. However, there are better facilities at the surgery for examination and treatment. Most ill patients, particularly children, can travel to the surgery without any harm.

If you are unable to come to the surgery, please telephone 01475 705604 before 09:00 to discuss whether a home visit is required. Be prepared to give details about the patient and the nature of the problem as the receptionist will need to gather a brief discription to forward on to the GP. This information is treated confidentially. The receptionist will pass the details to a doctor so that the urgency of the visit can be properly assessed.

You can also 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.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Training Practice

The practice is an accredited training practice. This means that fully qualified “doctors in training” work within the practice for up to a year. Some of these doctors are in their final year of training to become General Practitioners; others are less experienced but have always completed at least one year in hospital since qualifying. All these doctors are fully supervised by the GPs in the practice. Dr Dooley & Dr Page are responsible for the training.

Consultation Recording for Training Purposes

This is a GP Training Practice attached to the NHS Education for Scotland Specialty GP Training Programme.

We are keen to support the training of new GPs and also to develop the skills of our existing GPs and other staff. As part of this, clinicians working in this practice might make recordings of their consultations with patients to help them improve their consultation skills as well as their ability to talk to patients.

The recording will only be used for teaching and training purposes, usually within the practice building between trainer and trainee, although sometimes teaching sessions may be held outside the practice in a group setting where the recording may be viewed by other trainers and trainees.

Your consent will always be requested by the receptionist before your consultation is recorded. You will need to sign that consent form again afterwards to say that you are still happy. You can also withdraw your consent at any time following this, either verbally or in writing. The recording will focus on the communication between the doctor and patient and will not record examinations where your body clothing needs to be removed.

If you would rather that your consultation is not recorded, please tell the receptionist. This is entirely your choice and will not affect your health care in any way.

Please also refer to our practice privacy notice which tells you how we manage your personal information when you make contact with us or use one of our services.

The contact details for the Practice’s data protection officer are:

Dr M MacPhie, Port Glasgow Medical Centre, Dubbs Place, Port Glasgow, PA14 5UD.