Services Available

Reception is open from 8:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday. (closed lunchtimes 12.30pm - 1.30pm)

Surgery appointments are available on weekdays from 09.00 to 17.00 and can be booked at reception or by telephone.  We would encourage during the pandemic that your initial contact is by telephone. 

General Clinic Times: 09.00 – 11.30  Telephone Triage by doctor, Face to face appointments that are only bookable by the doctor 14.30 - 17.00.                  

All consultations are by appointment only.

If you call for a doctor's appointment in the morning you will  be offered a telephone 'triage' appointment by the reception staff. They will take your name and telephone number and a brief outline of the reason why you need an appointment.   A doctor will then ring you as soon as possible.  Please be patient as it may mean that they are unable to call until the end of the morning or early afternoon depending on demand. 

Telephone triage and telephone consultations aim to improve access to care. As the number of patient contacts in general practice steadily rises and the nature of healthcare becomes increasingly complex, it is perhaps not surprising that many practices view triage as a way of safely managing the increasing demand while also meeting patients’ understandable desires for a timely response to their requests for urgent healthcare. The purpose of triage is to ensure that the patient is referred to the most suitable clinician for the appropriate level of care within an acceptable period of time.

If, during your telephone triage appointment, the doctor would like to see you , they  will ask you to attend the practice at an assigned time in the afternoon. 

If you are a temporary resident (less than 3 months) or a holiday maker in Dunoon, you may call the surgery if you need medical assistance during our opening hours.  We will endeavour to fit you in to see a doctor or nurse, but there are two other surgeries in Dunoon who may be able to help you if all our appointment slots are full.

Nurse Clinics
The practice nurse and HCA hold morning and afternoon clinics. They are mainly bookable as they were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.They can help you with: 

• Blood tests • Blood Pressure Monitoring 
• Minor injuries • Travel Advice
• Wound dressings• Smoking cessation • Health promotion
• Contraception, Sexual Health and Cervical smears 

You may referred to the Community Treatment Room and Assessment Centre (CTAC) for any of the above procedures as part of the new GP contract arrangements from 2018.

Home visits are at the discretion of the doctor. They are available to help patients who are too ill or too frail to come to the surgery. Requests for these should be made before 10am if possible, except in emergencies.

Please do not use the Accident and Emergency department of the hospital during the hours that the practice is open, unless you have had an accident or have a medical condition which requires emergency treatment.  If you require to see a doctor or a nurse please phone the surgery for an appointment or advice. The surgery is responsible for your healthcare during working hours; the accident and emergency department is not an extension of the GP's surgery.

Closure Times

Reception is closed at lunchtime from 12.30 -13.30. If you require urgent medical attention please telephone the surgery, where there is a doctor on call for emergencies.

We have "Protected Learning" afternoons each year, when the surgery is closed from 1pm for staff training.  

The practice has 10 Public Holidays per year when the surgery is closed.  The next date is Monday 25th September 2023 

Carers

Carers provide unpaid care by looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner. 1 in 8 people in Scotland are carers and each situation is unique. You may be caring for someone constantly – perhaps your elderly parent, or your disabled child. You may be helping someone out on a regular basis e.g. checking on them every day or picking up prescriptions. You may also be juggling the demands of family life, a job, or education with your caring role.

 If you are providing unpaid care (whether or not the person you care for is a patient in this practice), please let us know. Being aware of your caring responsibilities helps us to provide a better service to you as a patient and to the person you care for and we may be able to refer you for a Carer's assessment. For example, we can:

We can help:

• provide an annual health check and, if appropriate, an annual flu immunization to ensure you are as healthy as possible to look after your loved one.

• arrange appointments at times that fit in with your caring responsibilities.

• organise a repeat prescription service direct to your pharmacy.

• provide you with information on ways you can access practical and emotional support in your caring role.

Our practice values the unique and significant contribution made by unpaid carers. We are committed to supporting and working in partnership with you, and providing the best care and support to unpaid carers and those they look after. 
  

Emergency calls outwith working hours and at weekends are dealt with by Highland Health Board NHS 24.            Telephone: 111 for assistance or visit their website at www.nhs24.com