Frequently Asked Questions

What are your opening times?

The medical practice is open between 8.00am and 6.30pm on Monday to Fridays.

We do offer appointments outside of these hours on Monday and Wednesday - see below. 

How do I register with the practice?

Just bring along your medical card and complete a registration form and health questionnaire. Don't worry if you have no card - our reception staff will still register you and organise a full health check. Once registered you may see any of our doctors, but you may prefer one particular doctor so that you can receive a more personal service.

You may download the registration form, complete it and either bring it in or email it to us.

Click to download the registration form.

How do I arrange to see my doctor?

Our appointments are offered between the following times:

Mondays       8.00am to 8.00pm

Tuesdays       8.00am to 6.30pm

Wednesdays  7.00am to 8.30pm

Thursdays     8.00am to 6.30pm

Fridays         8.00am to 6.30pm

We aim to give you an appointment within 48 hours, we also offer appointments up to one month in advance. Just ring 699999 and we will arrange things for you.  Our reception staff are trained to triage - which will direct you to the appropriate service or member of clinical staff.

You may also use the on-line appointment booking service on the internet at  www.access.e-mis.co.uk   24 hours a day, five days a week.

To use the on-line service you will need to request information from our receptionist to allow you register on the site for access.

Can I speak to a Doctor instead of having an appointment?

We offer telephone consultations with the GP. You make an appointment as usual giving the telephone number of where you will be when the doctor rings you. Obviously the symptoms or reason for the consultation should not need you to be examined.

You may leave a message for the GP or nurse at any time of the day and this will be posted in their message box. If you need them to respond to the message - please give contact details and state the urgency.

If you need to speak to a GP or nurse on the telephone - the receptionist will arrange this for you by taking your details and arranging a suitable time for them to ring you back.  

Do you have any special services for children?      

Every day Monday-Friday at 11 a.m we have a half hour "no appointments necessary" surgery for children 12 years old and under. All the doctors and our nurse practitioner see the children at this time, so there is usually very little wait - on most days everyone is seen by half past eleven. Of course, if there is a childhood epidemic going on things can take longer - but our special children's half hour does mean that at the Birchwood Medical Practice your children don't have to make an appointment when they are ill!

There are baby changing facilities in the patient toilet and baby clinic.

Is it easy to get a repeat prescription?       

Yes. Just tick the appropriate medication on your computer slip, and hand it or send it into the practice.  If you prefer you can telephone on Lincoln 699999 and order through the receptionist or you can leave your order on our dedicated prescription answer phone 01522 501111.   You may also email your requests to us at prescriptions.bmp@lpct.nhs.uk.  Please provide your full name and patient number, which you will find at the top right hand side of your repeat slip.

The prescription will be ready for collection from the reception desk after 24 hours, unless you have ordered an item that is not on your repeat medication, this may take a little longer to process, please allow 48 hours.

We will send your prescription to you if you give us a stamped addressed envelope.

The local pharmacies can provide a free collection and/or delivery service - please discuss this arrangement with the pharmacies - you may need to allow longer for their service.

Is the practice equipped for disabled patients?                    

The Birchwood Medical Practice and the health centre facilities which includes, the Alliance Pharmacy, health visitors, district nurses, podiatrist, speech therapist, physiotherapist and dentist - are under one roof, so there is no awkward travelling from one building to another.

Automatic doors and disabled toilet facilities with panic alarms are built into the health centre and there are no steps.   A baby changing table is available in our waiting room toilet.

For the elderly and disabled we have special couches in the treatment rooms and in some of the doctors rooms to provide comfortable examination facilities.

You will find in the waiting room high back chairs and there are handrails are fitted down the corridors to the consulting rooms.  

There are dedicated parking bays for the disabled outside the main entrance of the practice.

A portable hearing loop is available on request.

A wheelchair can be provided for use inside the health centre and to travel to and from the car park.

How do we get a home visit?

We believe that most problems are better dealt with at the surgery if at all possible, but we are always pleased to see our patients at home if they are too ill or infirm to visit the surgery. All we ask is that requests are made before 10 a.m. if possible.

Are there some things we have to pay for? 

Yes.  We offer some services which are not available on the NHS – for example HGV medicals, Yellow Fever vaccination, insurance medicals and administrative matters like signing passport photographs.  The doctors charge a fee (as recommended by the British Medical Association) for these services.   The receptionists will advise you in advance if you request a service for which there is a fee and a tariff  of sample fees is displayed in reception.