Contact us with Accurx
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called Accurx.
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday):
- phone us on 01257 442475
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance:
- phone us on 01257 442475
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or SystmOnline to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
When you call the surgery to book an appointment, you might notice our administration team will ask you certain questions about how we may be able to help you. This means our admin team has been trained to make sure they can assist you to find the best service for your needs, so you can receive the correct care, faster.
To find our more visit our care navigation page.
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 you get help sooner.
If you arrive late, but still within 10 minutes of your appointment time at the Chorley Surgery, we will still try our best to see you. But you may have to wait. One patient’s lateness can affect many other patients who have arrived on time. You have a duty to attend your appointment on time and to take into account the time it takes to travel, park and book in at reception. If you are more than 10 minutes late you will be marked as ‘did not attend’ and you will need to make a new appointment.
One problem per consultation
We have a ‘one problem per consultation’ policy. We kindly ask that all patients try and stick to our ‘one problem per consultation’ policy. The main reason for this request is for clinical safety.
We know that getting an appointment with the doctor is sometimes difficult and that some patients ‘save’ their problems and present them to the doctor at the same time, with or without a list. We also know that the clinician may run late. All of this increases the tendency for patients to present multiple problems to their doctor/ANP at one consultation.
Each appointment is only 10 minutes long. Ten minutes is not a lot of time, even for just one problem, e.g., 1 minute to get to the doctor’s room and sit down, 3 minutes to tell a history, 3-4 minutes to perform a targeted examination, 2 minutes to explain, advise and treat. There is no time left in the ten minutes to write up notes, fill out forms, dictate referrals or speak to other team members for advice.
Presenting the clinician with multiple problems means that there is a real increased risk that mistakes will be made and things to be missed as the clinician may be inclined to rush, particularly if other patients are waiting.
One of primary care’s main purposes is to detect serious diseases early.
Presenting multiple problems to the clinician, not all of which may be serious increases the difficulty of this task – it is like finding the ‘needle in a haystack. Doctors cannot see huge numbers of patients with multiple problems and continue to practice safely and effectively. A stressed doctor will struggle to be a good and safe doctor.
We do consider that GP appointments are a limited resource and we would kindly ask that such a service be used with care and consideration.
Therefore please do not be offended if the doctor asks you to rebook for your other problems. We are working in your best interests to keep you safe. We would always encourage patients to book double appointments if there are multiple problems that need discussing.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- using the GP online system: SystmOnline
- phone us on 01257 442475 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
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
Home visits
The Chorley Surgery offers home visits by doctors and nurse practitioners to patients who are terminally ill, housebound or who are severely ill and cannot be moved. Otherwise we request patients attend appointments in The Chorley Surgery on Gillibrand Street. Our facilities there allow us to provide a higher level of care and helps us see more patients throughout the day.