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Hub Appointments With GP's & Other Health Care Professionals

If you're a patient with a chronic, complex or long term condition then in order to ensure your continuity of care it is important that you are seen by your GP here at the surgery.However, patients with non-chronic problems may get an appointment with a GP or other health care professional far more quickly or at short notice at one of the community hubs.

Monday to Friday 6.30pm - 8.00pm at Parkview Medical Practice

Saturday 8.00am - 12.00 at St Mary's Health Centre

Sunday 9.00am to 12.00am at Briarwood Medical Centre

The service offered is for pre-booked appointments and also a limited amount of appointments which are bookable on the day.Please note that once hub availability is full, you may be directed to an alternative service.

In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and/or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.

Sickness Certificates/Fit Notes

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

Your employer can ask you to confirm that you've been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. This is called self-certification.

If you're sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will probably ask for proof of your illness. Most employers ask for a fit note from your GP.

However, this will also depend on your employer's company policy on sick leave (or sickness absence). This policy should tell you how many days you can be off sick before you need to provide proof of illness or a fit note.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)