Appointments

Parklands Surgery operates a total triage system which is overseen by our doctors. Requests for an appointment, be they by telephone or AccuRx are added to a triaging list. Twice daily, this list is reviewed by our doctors who determine the level of urgency that the patient’s concern needs to be dealt with. 

The advantage of this system means that those patients with a more pressing concern will be consulted with earlier than those with a less urgent concern, rather than everyone being dealt with on a first come first served basis. 

A second advantage is that there is no longer the need to rush to make an 8.30am telephone call; calls made throughout the day will be added to the triaging list and they will be prioritised according to the condition rather than the time the call was made.

Doctor triage

If you wish to see a doctor urgently, the receptionist will take your details and some information about your condition. The information will be passed to the duty doctor who will telephone you back depending upon the urgency of your need. You may receive telephone advice from the duty doctor or be given an appointment to see one of the doctors at the surgery. This system of triage enables the patients with the most urgent needs to be seen as a priority and for all patients to be dealt with in the most appropriate way. If you feel your matter is particularly urgent, please tell the receptionist that this is the case.

Nurse and paramedic practitioner triage

Some of the nurses and paramedics at Parklands Surgery are able to prescribe medication and so many minor illnesses can be dealt with by one of these qualified nurses. You may be offered an appointment with the triage nurse or paramedic on duty for that day. If they are unable to help, they will contact the duty doctor.

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 you get help sooner.

For your own protection and safety, a qualified chaperone will be present during an intimate examination. If you require a chaperone for any other reason, please ask your doctor.

View our chaperone policy

Buddy system

When doctors are on holiday or study leave, a locum doctor may be employed to cover their work. Each doctor has a nominated ‘buddy’ doctor within the practice, who is responsible for looking at the absent doctor’s results and post. If your regular doctor is on holiday, please try to see your buddy doctor if possible.  

You can find out what days each doctor is at the surgery on our staff pages

Please tell us:

• if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other 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

The surgery is open, for pre-booked appointments only, as follows: 

Tuesday

• 7am to 8am – Nurse Clinic
• 7:30am to 8am – GP Clinic
• 6:30pm to 7pm – GP Telephone Clinic

Wednesday

• 7am to 8am – Nurse Clinic
• 7am to 8am – Blood Tests
• 7:30am to 8am – GP Clinic
• 6:30pm to 7pm – GP Telephone Clinic

Whilst these additional pre-booked appointments are available for all patients, our preference is for them to be used by those in fulltime employment; we therefore request that our other patients try to book elsewhere in the week whenever possible.

The practice is also part of the GP Access Hubs scheme. Further information is available on this service below.

In conjunction with other local surgeries, GP and nurse appointments are now available during the evening and at the weekend for Parklands’ patients.

This means that urgent appointments are available up to 8pm during the week, and during clinics on a Saturday and Sunday. This aims to improve access to GP appointments and help local people to get the help and support they need.  

About the service

The service is run by ‘Innovations in Primary Care’ (IPC), a not-for-profit company owned by local GP practices. The appointments will be available at local GP access hubs, run from GP surgeries as listed in the table below; they will offer both routine and urgent appointments with a doctor, nurse or healthcare professional.

How to use the service

You will be able to attend clinics at any of the locations listed below. 

Parklands’ patients book into the GP Access Hubs via our reception team at Parklands Surgery and you may be offered an appointment at one of the hubs at the weekend if you call NHS 111 for urgent health advice and support.  

The teams will see new illnesses when you urgently need to see a health professional, and offer planned appointments such as family planning and smear tests that can be hard to arrange whilst at work or when you are caring for family or a loved one.  

The teams will have access to your medical records, with your consent, and any care they provide will be added to your notes so your GP at Parklands Surgery can continue any ongoing care.

GP access hubs timetable

Monday

• Cathedral Medical Group
• Witterings Medical Centre

Tuesday

• Cathedral Medical Group
• Southbourne Surgery

Wednesday

• Cathedral Medical Group
• Selsey Medical Practice

Thursday

• Cathedral Medical Group
• Parklands Surgery

Friday

• Cathedral Medical Group
• Parklands Surgery

Saturday

• Fracture Clinic St. Richard’s Hospital
• Witterings Medical Centre (once per month)

Sunday

• Fracture Clinic St. Richard’s Hospital
• Witterings Medical Centre (once per month)

Due to GP and nurse shortages, clinics may not always run on the days and at the locations shown above

For injuries or illnesses that are urgent but not life threatening you can use an Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC), walk-in centre or Minor Injuries Unit (MIUs). It is best to call NHS 111 first to book an appointment at the UTC based at S Richard’s Hospital (located in the accident & emergency department).