+ How do I register?

If at all possible, we request a patient registration form in advance of your first appointment, so that we have some medical background for you. We reserve the right to request confirmation of your identification. As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, please do not be offended if we request confirmation of your parental authority to act for a child at point of registering, or reconfirmation of the same at any point in the course of their treatment with Winchester GP. You may complete our registration form either in word or via secure online form, according to your preference.

+ What does the appointment fee include?

Appointment fees cover the consultation time, and include any standard examinations or procedures that may be carried out by our doctor in that time. Our fees also include standard administration that arises from your consultation (such as writing prescriptions, referrals, sick notes). If you require extensive paperwork to be completed, for example to claim from an insurer, we may charge an administration fee. Appointment fees are payable at the point of booking. We are unable to reserve appointments that have not been paid for.

+ What is the cancellation policy?

You may change or cancel your booking up to 24 hours ahead of your appointment. Cancellations in this time will be refunded minus a £10 administration fee. Within 24 hours of your appointment Winchester GP operates a strict no refund policy for all appointments, whether subscriber or pay as you go. This enables us to keep overall fees to patients as affordable as possible, whilst adhering to industry standard payment terms for our clinicians. Please do not book if you are not happy to adhere to this.

+ Do you guarantee the outcome of my appointment?

All of our services are subject to consultation with the doctor and we cannot guarantee what their findings or the outcome of the appointment will be. Where our doctor does not feel that your desired outcome is appropriate they will explain why and endeavour to find a mutually agreed onwards plan. The consultation fee remains non-refundable.

+ What length of appointment should I book?

Our minimum standard appointment length is 20 minutes. Whilst this might seem long compared to other services, please bear in mind that our doctors like to practice holistically, and they will need to review your medical history as well as your current concerns, to ensure that we are treating you safely. In certain circumstances we request a minimum of 40 minutes, such as for initial menopause consultations, lifestyle medicine consultations, anything involving mental wellbeing, and for initial appointments where your medical history is more complex. No one likes to feel rushed, so if you are in any doubt, please do not hesitate to contact reception so that they can advise you further. Our doctors endeavour to run to time as a courtesy to all of our patients, so if your appointment is overrunning, they may request that you book a further paid appointment.

+ How much do blood tests cost?

Aside of the consultation fee, the main costs relating to your care might relate to blood tests (pathology) and imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT etc.). You doctor will always explain which investigations they recommend, if any, and why each one will be helpful. Please do not hesitate to ask if you require clarification. Blood tests are priced according to your specific requirements, and the price is entirely dependent upon which tests are recommended. We charge you the cost price of each blood test, plus an administration fee. Your doctor will give you guidance on cost, and you are never obligated to undertake any investigation with us.

+ How do I access private scans/X-rays?

If we recommend imaging, we will refer you on to one of our private hospital partners. Fees for imaging will be paid directly to the private hospital in question and vary by provider. We do not earn commission or any other form of income from making imaging referrals to private hospitals.

+ Do you see emergencies?

If you are in any doubt as to your immediate safety, we urge you to contact NHS emergency services directly. We do not have A&E facilities. Our receptionists are not all medically trained and can only advise on the availability of our services, and not offer advice. If, upon consultation, our doctor determines that you require emergency care in the NHS, they will of course aid and advise you in accessing this.

+ Do you provide wound care or dressing services?

Our doctors are able to inspect and treat wounds for infection using prescription antibiotics. However, we do not offer a wound care, suturing, management or dressing service. In some cases, it may be more appropriate for you to attend a minor injuries unit or access a nursing led service. If you are in any doubt as to which service to access please call reception in the first instance, and we may offer to review remotely first to ascertain the most appropriate pathway for you.

+ Do you guarantee appointment availability?

We appreciate that you will often wish to be seen promptly, and endeavour to manage our availability to facilitate this. However, we do not use agency doctors, only our hand picked practitioners, and ask for your understanding in periods of unforeseen high demand, or in the rare event of a doctor being unexpectedly indisposed.

+ Will you refer me to a specialist?

Our doctors are highly skilled and experienced as General Practitioners, and many issues can be resolved by them. In other cases, we may suggest a specialist referral, as part of our commitment to get you the best possible treatment. If you already know the practitioner you wish to see, we are happy to facilitate, and if not we are happy to advise and use our trusted network of consultant colleagues. We do not have direct access to consultants’ diaries, and will refer you to the care of their secretary for appointment booking. NB: Please note that we routinely refer on to specialists for the following procedures: joint injection, minor surgery, travel services.

+ Will my private insurance cover my treatment with Winchester GP?

This will depend upon your individual policy wording, so we advise you to check with your insurer prior to undertaking any treatment that you would like to claim for.

+ Will you issue repeat prescriptions?

We are happy to issue repeat prescriptions for you, if required. For our subscriber patients there is no charge for this service. For non-subscriber patients there is a £15 charge per prescription issued. It is our responsibility to ensure that your prescriptions remain safe and appropriate for you. Your doctor will assess each request and advise whether a review is needed, either by phone or in person, before issuing the prescription. Any consultations required will be chargeable. Please give at least 48 hours to turn around repeat prescription requests. Please also be aware that medication supply issues are beyond our control, and as such you might wish to allow more time to source medications such as HRT preparations.

+ I use my NHS GP, can I use Winchester GP too?

Absolutely! Winchester GP encourages you to keep your NHS registration, and will promptly provide you with all the records we hold on you, so that they can be transferred to your NHS record, if you so wish.

+ Is your service confidential?

Confidentiality underpins the integrity of the doctor patient relationship. Our service is governed by the strict standards of confidentiality set by the GMC (General Medical Council). We are entirely independent, and in keeping with GMC regulation, will only share information with other providers when you give us permission, or when legally compelled to do so. If we issue a prescription, GMC guidance states that we should share this information with your regular GP, if this is not our practice. We will seek your permission before doing so. Patient information is processed within the practice for the purpose of providing direct care. You may request a copy of our confidentiality policy by emailing reception@winchestergp.com.

+ What about data protection?

Winchester GP adheres strictly to current data protection regulation in the UK. For those registered with us as patients, we hold data on the basis of ‘vital interests’ and hold that data for the recommended period from the Information Governance Alliance in July 2016 of 10 years after the death of the patient or for 100 years if it is not known whether the patient is deceased. If you are not a patient but have requested information, we will only contact you if you have specifically requested to hear more from us. Further, should you wish to be removed from our list and have details of the information we hold, we are happy to provide either service free of charge and within one week.

+ What ongoing training do Winchester GPs receive?

Winchester GP is committed to exceeding the continuing professional development (CPD) recommendations of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and our doctors undertake annual appraisal and are revalidated by the General Medical Council in exactly the same way as their NHS colleagues. All of our practitioners are hand picked for their genuine passion for general primary care medicine, and work diligently to remain at the leading edge of their field.

+ I'd like to learn more, do you have a patient information leaflet?

Our website is the most complete and up to date version of our services and we encourage you to use it as your primary resource for information on our services. If you need information in a different format please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email and we will endeavour to assist, including sending information in hard copy form, if desired.

+ How do I make a complaint?

We consistently strive to deliver best-in-class service and care. However, if our service has fallen short in any way, of course we would want to know and rectify the situation. Our patient feedback form is available 24/7 online. Alternatively please email your concerns to reception@winchestergp.com or call in on 01962 776010 and we will endeavour to help. You may also request a copy of our complaints procedure at any time.