Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit. On most occasions one of the doctors will be available for advice.. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

If there is a need for a home visit a GP, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or the community nursing team may visit you as appropriate. Below is a guide which is kept at the surgery for reference 

Home Visit Policy

 Home Visits are reserved for the following groups of patients: –

• Terminally ill
• Would come to serious harm if moved
• Patients who are severely ill in bed / bedbound

Please request visits before 10 00 hrs  whenever possible. Reception staff will ask the reason for the visit. The necessity and urgency will be assessed by the Duty Doctor, Nurse, or Paramedic. On occasion another member of the team may be deemed more appropriate to visit e.g., district nurse, phlebotomist etc... You cannot insist that a GP visits you at home.

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

GP's are not obliged to visit a patient if they have assessed the patient's clinical need on the telephone and found them to be suitable for an alternative method of healthcare.

As long as a GP has provided a plan for a patient (which may be an appointment the same day, a future day, telephone advice or attendance at another healthcare site such as A&E and this is communicated to the patient then the practice will support any such decision made.

The following ARE NOT valid reasons to perform a home visit: –

Transport issues for the patient It is not the GP practice responsibility to arrange transport, or to perform home visits because the patient has difficulty arranging or funding transport. In these circumstances patients should seek transport help from relatives, friends, or taxi firms.

Childcare issues for a patient. If a patient has difficulty arranging for someone to care for their children whilst attending appointments, the patients are welcome to bring their children to the surgery.

Poor mobility. Whilst it is understood that having poor mobility is inconvenient and unpleasant, GP surgeries are designed to cater for patients with restricted mobility. We have ramps and our reception team are happy to help. If patients can attend appointments at other healthcare settings, then they should also be expected to attend appointments in GP surgeries. If patients are able to attend social events, family gatherings etc . outside of their home  then they should be expected to attend appointments at Gildersome Health Centre.

An unwell child .It is in the best interest of the child to attend the surgery where they can be properly assessed and treated. The clinician can make a more informed clinical judgment when seeing the child in surgery. If a parent believes that the child is too unwell to travel to surgery and is a medical emergency, then it would be advisable for them to seek help from the emergency services by calling 999.

We thank you in advance for respecting our policy and helping us to care for you and our other patients.