Appointments

Thank you for your feedback following the launch of our new online system called GP Triage.

Please note GP Triage is available from 8am to 6:30pm from Monday to Friday and new appointments are added daily. 

Please take a moment to read all the options provided by GP Triage carefully, to ensure you select the most appropriate option for your needs. 

Displayed on this page are some helpful patient information leaflets to guide you through the new system and help you choose the most appropriate option for your needs.

 Please take a moment to read our patient information leaflet, which explains how to request an interpreter when using GP Triage and helps us ensure you receive the support you need.

We want to ensure that language is never a barrier to accessing the care and advice you need. If you require an interpreter, please follow the guidance in the leaflet.

We offer GP follow-up appointments to support continuity of care.

This option bypasses GP Triage and does not assess the urgency of your symptoms. Please read the patient information leaflet below to understand when this option should be used.

GP Triage assesses your symptoms to determine how urgently you need to be seen.

If your request is assessed as urgent, you will be offered an available appointment to book directly through the system. 

If all urgent appointments have been booked, you will be advised to call the surgery (select option 6) to speak to our Navigation Team.

A Patient Navigator will take details of your symptoms and pass your request to the appropriate clinician for review, who will advise on the next steps.

We are committed to making our services accessible to everyone and recognise that some patients may need additional support or reasonable adjustments to access their care.

If you have a disability, communication difficulty or any other needs that may make accessing our services more challenging, please let us know. We will work with you to make appropriate adjustments wherever possible.

This may include:

• Arranging an interpreter for your appointment.

• Providing longer appointments where additional communication support is needed.

• Supporting patients with hearing, visual or learning difficulties.

• Offering assistance to patients who find using online services difficult.

• Making reasonable adjustments for patients with physical disabilities or mobility difficulties.

When using GP Triage, please make sure you tell us if you need an interpreter or have any additional communication or accessibility needs. This helps us arrange the right support before your appointment.

We also encourage continuity of care, so where possible, we recommend seeing the same GP or healthcare professional for ongoing health concerns.

If you need help using GP Triage or would like to discuss any adjustments, please call the surgery on 0117 9663149 and speak with our Navigation Team (select option 6).

Our aim is to ensure that everyone can access the care they need in a way that works for them.

Pharmacy First is an NHS service that allows community pharmacists to assess and, where appropriate, prescribe treatment for certain common conditions without you needing to see a GP.

The service is free to NHS patients in England and can provide a quicker and more convenient way to get treatment for some common conditions.

We may refer you to a local pharmacy through Pharmacy First.

More information about Pharmacy First can be found on the NHS website.

Pharmacists are qualified health professionals who can offer advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses, including:

• coughs and colds

• sore throats

• tummy problems

• aches and pains

They can also advise you about medicines you can buy without a prescription.

You can also access an online pharmacy service offering video consultations with a pharmacist and delivery of treatment to your home:

Online pharmacy service – video consultations and home delivery

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. Most have a private consultation room where you can discuss your health needs confidentially.

Find a pharmacy

If you can no longer attend your booked appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer it to another patient.

To cancel your appointment:

• Cancel through your NHS App.

• Reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message.

• Call the surgery on 0117 966 3149 and select Option 6 to speak to our Navigation Team, who can cancel your appointment for you.

To change or rearrange your appointment:

If you are no longer able to attend your booked appointment and need to rearrange it, please call the surgery on 0117 966 3149 and select Option 7 to speak to our Triage Team, who will be able to assist you.

Home visits are available for patients who are housebound or medically unable to attend the surgery. We ask that patients attend the practice wherever possible, as we have better facilities and equipment available to assess and treat you.

Patients who are housebound can still use GP Triage to request an appointment with a GP. Please select ‘Appointment Booking’ and follow the questions to provide details of your symptoms. GP Triage will assess the urgency of your request. The practice will then contact you to advise you of the outcome and arrange an appropriate appointment.

Home visits are based on clinical need and are not offered simply because attending the surgery is inconvenient or transport is difficult. If you have mobility or accessibility needs, please let us know so we can discuss any reasonable adjustments that may help you attend.

We understand that circumstances change and sometimes you may be unable to attend your appointment.

However, please let us know as soon as possible if you can no longer attend, so we can offer your appointment to another patient who needs it.

A missed appointment is recorded as a Did Not Attend (DNA). This includes when you:

• Do not attend a face-to-face appointment.

• Do not answer a scheduled telephone appointment after we have tried to contact you twice.

• Are not at home for a planned home visit.

Unfortunately, the number of missed appointments at our practice remains high. Every appointment missed without notice is a missed opportunity for another patient to receive care. This reduces the number of appointments available and can increase waiting times for everyone.

We appreciate that unexpected situations arise, and we are not asking you to attend an appointment you can no longer make. We simply ask that you let us know, even at short notice, so we have the opportunity to offer it to someone else.

If you repeatedly miss appointments, we may contact you to discuss any difficulties you are experiencing and whether we can offer additional support.

Read our Did Not Attend (DNA) policy

Bedminster Family Practice is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:30pm, excluding bank holidays.

When the surgery is closed, please do not wait until we reopen if you need urgent medical advice or treatment.

What to do when we are closed

For urgent medical help that cannot wait until we reopen:

• Visit NHS 111 online (for patients aged 5 and over).

• Call 111 (available for all ages).

NHS 111 will assess your needs and advise you on the most appropriate care, which may include an out-of-hours GP service.

For minor injuries, sprains or suspected broken bones:

You can attend the Urgent Care Centre at South Bristol Community Hospital.

• Address: South Bristol Community Hospital, BS14 0DE.

• Opening hours: 8am–8pm, seven days a week, including bank holidays.

• Telephone: 0300 124 6260.

For life-threatening emergencies:

Call 999 immediately if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. Examples include suspected heart attack, stroke, severe breathing difficulties or major bleeding.

If Your Problem Can Wait

If your health concern is not urgent and can safely wait until the surgery reopens, please use GP Triage during our normal opening hours to submit your appointment request.

Please remember: When the surgery is closed, our Navigation and Triage Teams are unavailable. If you need urgent medical help, please use NHS 111 rather than waiting for the practice to reopen.