Home Visits

Chest pain, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness are emergencies please dial 999 for these symptoms

Requesting a Home Visit

Requests for home visits must be made by calling 0117 957 6470 before 10.30am. Visiting will normally take place after morning surgery if deemed appropriate. Please only request home visits if you are incapable of attending the surgery. If you are able to attend hospital appointments then you will also be expected to attend the surgery.

Whenever possible, try and come into the surgery as facilities here are far better for examination and treatment.  It helps us to judge the urgency of the call if you describe the symptoms.  The receptionists are trained to deal with your call so do expect to be asked. All information is confidential. The doctor may telephone prior to, or instead of, visiting. Visits requested later in the day that are for the housebound, but are not urgent, will not be seen that day.

Children

Sick children will always be seen as soon as possible if brought into the surgery; it is not appropriate to wait for a visit. We rarely visit children at home as a responsible adult should be available to bring them to the surgery.

Our home visiting policy is based on RCGP guidelines. You cannot insist that a General Practitioner (GP) visits you at home.

A GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and no other member of the clinical team would be more appropriate to see you. A GP can also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

Due to increasing demand GPs can no longer automatically visit any patient who requests a home visit. All visits must now be triaged and dealt with according to clinical needs.

GPs are better able to assess patients in the surgery where they have access to specialist equipment, good lighting and examination facilities and therefore it is always the preferable site for any consultation.

GPs having to visit inappropriate house call patients are delayed from seeing those patients who are in genuine need of for medical attention and therefore this poses an unacceptable clinical risk.

GPs are not responsible for ensuring that a patient has financial means or transport to attend the surgery. GPs are not obliged to visit a patient if they have assessed the patient’s clinical needs on the telephone and found them to be suitable for an alternative method of healthcare.

Kingswood Community Transport offer transport to the surgery telephone 0117 961 6016