Appointments

Online Appointment Booking

Since 1st April 2015 we have been offering a limited number of nurse and doctor appointments each day that can be booked online via SystmOnline. For you to be able to do this you must be registered with SystmOnline and have received from the Practice a username and password.

The appointments will be released up to 4 weeks in advance and will then be released to book by telephone if not taken by the day of the appointment.

You will also be able to view your Summary Care Record – this allows you to see all the key details from your Electronic Health Records including; allergies, drug sensitivities, acute medication issued in the last 12 months and current and past repeat medication.

If you would like to register for Systmonline you can collect an application form from the surgery or download one here.

You MUST provide a form of photo ID for us to be able to validate your account. For more information contact the surgery on 01159 325229 and ask for Ryan.

You must be 16 or over to register with SytmOnline. If you would like to register your child then you need to provide your own details and we will give you additional access rights to manage your child’s medication/appointments.

SystmOnline Statement of Intent

The On Day Service

GP surgeries in Ilkeston have changed the way in which you are seen for urgent, same day appointments. These changes are being made to ensure that all patients that need to see a GP or nurse on the day will have the opportunity to.

What do these changes mean?

This means that Littlewick patients who require an on the day appointment will be seen by a nurse or doctor with The On Day Service. These appointments will still be held at Littlewick.

These appointments will also be available to patients registered other general practices in Ilkeston. This does not mean your care is being transferred to Littlewick Medial Centre

How will the new service work?

Contact the surgery as normal. A member of our reception team will ask what is wrong as per our surgery protocol.

If appropriate, you will be given a time to attend an appointment with a nurse or doctor from The On Day Service.

Why are we making these changes?

Using this service will effectively make more appointments available to our patients for urgent problems. This will in turn open up more routine, pre-bookable appointments to see a GP at your registered surgery.

We understand that it may take some adjusting to, for both patients and staff, and so we ask for your patience whilst we work to improve your care

Erewash Extended Hours Hubs

Local GP practices are working together to offer patients better access to appointments in Long Eaton and Ilkeston through our Erewash Extended Hours Hubs- that means we are able offer appointments at a time which is most convenient for you either at Long Eaton Health Centre or Ilkeston Community Hospital;

You can now book appointments in the evenings and at weekends from Monday – Friday 6.30pm – 8.00pm and Saturday and Sunday mornings the service is also available on Bank Holidays.   Appointments can be cooked via reception in the usual way.

Chaperone

At Littlewick, we understand that intimate examinations can be stressful and embarrassing for patients. As a result, all patients have the opportunity to have a chaperone present during their examination.

Before any examination, the clinician will explain the procedure clearly and will then ask if you would like a chaperone.

If for any reason, a chaperone is unavailable but you have requested one, you may be asked to rearrange the examination for another time.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

Do you really need to see a Doctor?

At Littlewick we have two Advanced Nurse Practitioners that are qualified to prescribe and treat most minor ailments.

These appointments can be booked up to 24 hours in advance.

Minor Ailments include:

• Asthma / COPD
• Acute Back Pain
• Chest Infections
• Constipation
• Cough
• Ear Ache / Infection
• Emergency Contraception
• Eye Infection
• Foot Pain
• Gout
• Minor Injuries
• Minor Muscular Conditions
• Sore Throat / Infection
• Skin Conditions / Infections
• Tonsillitis
• Urine Infections
• Plus other conditions lasting less than one month

Home Visits

Owing to an increasing demand for home visits within our surgery, we have found it necessary to remind patients of our policy. Please note this has been done with guidance published for GP's across Derbyshire by the Local Medical Committee and Derbyshire GP Taskforce.

The NHS does not provide an automatic entitlement for home visits.

The update is needed to ensure that patients are seen in the best place for their medical needs. With advances in medicine, and the equipment available in GP surgeries, the surgery is often a more appropriate place to be seen to allow more effective diagnosis of your medical problem.

We also need to consider that in the time taken for one home visit, 3 or more patients can be seen in surgery.

• Home visits are usually only available if you are bed bound or terminally ill.
• A visit maybe be considered if you have suffered a worsening of a previous medical condition - such as an exacerbation of your previously stable lung condition that has made you bed bound.
• It is important to note that the surgery has a wheelchair available for use by patients who struggle to walk distances.
• Visits are not available for people purely because of a lack of transportation to the surgery.
• Children can be most accurately assessed in surgery and given emergency treatment if required and almost never require a visit.
• Please aim to request visits prior to 10am to allow for effective organisation of surgery time.
• Emergency appointments are always available at short notice and may avoid an unnecessary home visit.
• All visit requests will need to be discussed with the on call GP via a telephone call back in the first instance.
• Please note that visiting is at the discretion of the doctor based on clinical need, and surgery attendance may be advised instead.
• Visiting may not completed until the afternoon.
• If you think you may need an urgent or early visit, please make this clear to the receptionist.

To request a home visit, or for further queries, please contact the surgery on 0115 932 5229.

How to Request a Sick Note/Fit Note

For the first seven days of any illness you should self certify if you need any time off work. This is a form available from your employer or the Department of Work and Pensions website.

After seven days absence from work you will need a fit note (which replaces the sick note). It is a form that we will give you when your health affects your ability to work.

What has changed?

The fit note allows us to provide you with more information on how your condition affects your ability to work. This will help your employer to understand how they might be able to help you return to work sooner

The changes mean that we can:

• advise when you may be fit for work with some support
• suggest common ways to help you return to work
• give information on how your condition will affect what you can do

What stays the same?

The fit note can still be used as evidence for why you cannot work due to illness or an injury. You still will not need the fit note as evidence until after your seventh calendar day of sickness.

If you need to apply for benefit, the rules and processes have not changed. If we recommend that you 'may be fit for work' you can still apply for benefit.

The requirements for the payment of Statutory Sick Pay have not changed. if we recommend that you 'may be fit for work', and you and your employer agree that you should remain off work, you should still get Statutory Sick Pay.

Understanding your fit note

When we provide you with a fit note we will advise you on one of two options. Either you will be 'not fit for work' or you 'may be fit for work'.

'Note Fit for Work'

We will choose this option when we believe that your health condition will prevent you from working for a stated period of time.

'May be Fit for Work'

We will choose this option when we believe that you may be able to reutrn to work while you recover with some help from your employer.

We may include some comments which will kelp your employer understand how you are affected by your condition. If appropriate, we can also suggest one or more common ways to help you return to work.

This could include:

• a phased return to work -where you may benefit from a gradual increase in your work duties or working hours, for example after an operation or after injury

• altered hours - allowing the flexibilty to start or leave later, for example if you struggle travelling in the 'rush hour'

• amended duties - to take into account your condition, for example removing heavy lifting if you have had a back injury

• changes to your workplace - to take into account your condition, for example allowing you to work on the ground floor if you have problems going up and down stairs

Discussing your fit note with your employer

If we indicate that you 'may be fit for work', the fit note will give your employer the information needed to begin a discussion on whether you can return to work.

If it is possible for you to return to work, you and your employer will need to agree:

• how this will happen

• what support you will receive and for how long

• how your pay may be affected if you return to work on different hours or duties

Sometimes it may not be possible for your employer to make the changes required to help you return to work. If this is the case, you will not be able to return to work until you have further recovered. You can use the statement as if we had advised you were 'not fit to work'.

You will not need to see your doctor for a new fit note.

Disagreements with your employer about returning to work

The Department of Work and Pensions provides guides for employers and employees.

If you do not agree with employer on when and how you will return to work, you should explain to them why you disagree. There may be issues which your employer was not aware of when they made their decision.

If you are a member of a trade union you may want to ask your union representative to help you with this conversation. Alternatively, you might want to seek support from a local advice centre, for example a Citizens Advice Bureau.

If your employer requires more information about your health to make a decision about your fitness to work they can write to us with your consent requesting more information. We will charge your employer for this report.

Statutory Sick pay

Statutory sick pay is money paid by employers to employees who are away from work due to illness. If you have been off work for four days or more in a row, please fill out a copy of the form below and give to your employers.

Statutory Sick Pay form

Test Results

After having a test, please wait between 7-10 days before phoning the practice for results.

When you do ring, our receptionists will be able to tell you if the results are normal. If the results are not normal your doctor will make a plan and the receptionist will make the telephone or face to face appointment they recommend to discuss this further.

Training Practice

Medical Students / Nursing Students / GP Registrars 

We have a particular interest in training the doctors and nurses for the future. Some of the GP Registrar and student consultations may be videoed or recorded, with the patient's consent, for training purposes only. 

If you do not wish to be seen by a registrar or medical student, please inform a member of the reception team. This will not affect your treatment in any way.