The Beacon Medical Centre

Who should I see?

Find out who is best suited to help you

Appointments

We try to keep our GP appointments for patients with more serious health problems. General practice is facing huge demands and we really do want to provide high quality health care to those who need us.

Before you book an appointment to see a doctor please consider whether if it is really necessary, we have lots of information about self care and would encourage patients to look at this first.

If you do need an appointment, it might be more appropriate and efficient to book with a practice nurse or a member of our extended clinical team. You can now book appointments with our clinical pharmacists and physiotherapist.  They can help you with a wide range of medical problems and will liaise with your GP where  necessary.

If you are unsure who would be best suited to deal with your problem, our patient care navigators can help you decide which the right person is for you to see.

Self care

If you have a cough, cold, headache or other minor ailment try treating yourself at home first. Find out more about treatments for common minor ailments.

Please remember that self-care for common conditions can help free up our GPs’ time, making it easier to get an appointment when you have a more serious condition.

Your pharmacist can help too

Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals and can give you confidential health advice for a range of common illnesses and complaints.

Don’t wait for a GP appointment for coughs, colds, aches and pains. Just give your local pharmacy a call or drop in – there’s no need to make an appointment.

Your pharmacists can also help you decide if you need to see a doctor or nurse.

Click here for more information about how pharmacies can help you.

NHS 111

111 is the free NHS non-emergency number.

You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation.

Call 111 if:

  • you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency
  • you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
  • you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
  • you need health information or reassurance about what to do next

Click here for more information about how NHS 111 can help you.

A&E

A&E is for life-threatening accidents and emergencies only. Before you go there, ask yourself, “Is it a real emergency?”

If not, please consider using other local health services before you visit A&E.

Date published: 17th February, 2017
Date last updated: 9th June, 2020