Patient Charter - You and Your General Practice

A Patient Charter is a clear agreement between the practice and its patients. It sets out what you can expect from us in terms of care, access, and respect, and what we ask from you in return to help us provide safe, fair, and effective services. The Charter helps everyone understand their rights and responsibilities, making sure care is delivered in the right way for both patients and staff.

Accessing Your GP Practice from 1 October 2025 

You can find a direct link to the Patient Charter here:  Patient Charter – you and your general practice

How to Contact Us

We are open Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.30pm.

During these hours, you or your carer can contact us in the way that suits you best by:

• Visiting the practice
• Calling the practice
• Contacting us online via our website or the NHS App

Arrangements between 6.00pm and 6.30pm

From 6.00pm to 6.30pm (Monday to Friday), telephone cover transfers to our out-of-hours provider, Practice Plus Group (PPG).

If you contact the practice during this time, your call or message will be answered by Practice Plus Group. They will assess your needs and involve a clinician where required. If further care is needed, including a face-to-face appointment, this will be arranged through the out-of-hours service.

Our Beaumont Villa site remains staffed until 6.30pm. Please press the bell on arrival and a member of staff will assist you.

Online consultations remain open until 6.30pm. However, if you have an urgent GP need, you must contact us by telephone so your care can be managed safely and promptly.

What happens when you contact us? 

When you contact us (by phone, online, or in person), we may ask for some details. This helps the practice team decide what is best for you based on your health needs. 

You will always receive a response within one working day. This may be: 

  • Guidance to visit a pharmacy or another NHS service 
  • An appointment that day or on another day 
  • A phone call that day or on another day 
  • A text message with advice 

Important to know 

  • We provide around 500 GP appointments every day. But once these are booked, they are gone. There are only so many appointments available.
  • The charter guarantees that you can contact us and get a response. It does not mean that you will always get a GP appointment.
  • In line with the charter, we will not ask you to “call back tomorrow.” If we do say this by mistake, please accept our apologies. What we really mean is: “We are full today.” In these cases, we will always offer advice on other same-day options that may be available, such as NHS 111, an Urgent Treatment Centre, or A&E.

Going Above and Beyond 

We are proud to do more than the NHS requirement to support our most vulnerable patients. For certain groups, we offer unlimited access to both urgent and non-urgent requests: 

  • Children (under 18 years old)
  • Housebound patients
  • Care home residents 
  • Patients with learning disabilities
  • Patients receiving palliative care 
  • Pregnant women 

Even if you cannot be seen immediately, rest assured that this group will always be prioritised. Our aim is to make sure the people who need us most are always looked after.