Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- phone us on Cinderford Surgery 01594 820820 or Ruardean Surgery 01594 820820 or Westbury Surgery 01594 820820
Urgent appointments are booked with our urgent care team.
Same day appointments should only be booked where you feel urgent care or advice is needed. Please telephone the surgery as soon as possible and ask our receptionist for a same day appointment.
You will be asked for brief symptoms, as this ensures our receptionist signposts you to the most appropriate person for your needs.
If you do not feel you need to be seen you can request a telephone appointment to obtain urgent advice. If you telephone and we are fully booked for the day, you will be asked to call 111 for advice.
Your same day appointment time is approximate and you will be seen as soon as possible but on our busiest days you may need to wait for a member of the urgent care team to see you.
Please note accidental injuries are not dealt with at the surgery as we do not have Accident and Emergency, Minor Injury Unit, X-ray facilities and resources.
Patients suffering accidental injuries rather than illnesses should always attend their nearest accident and emergency or minor injury unit for specialist treatment.
Routine appointments
You can request a routine appointment in advance during opening times.
We will respond to requests within 2 working days.
You can also:
- phone us on Cinderford Surgery 01594 820820 or Ruardean Surgery 01594 820820 or Westbury Surgery 01594 820820
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or SystmOnline to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
- use our nurse or healthcare assistant appointment request form and we will respond within 4 working hours
Telephone lines are at their busiest between 8:30am and 11am each day. We suggest that you book appointments by registering for online services. If you are unable to book online please telephone the surgery after 11am to book ahead for a routine appointment.
Important: Remember
Monday is our busiest day for incoming calls.
The receptionist will ask you a few questions in order to help with your enquiry as efficiently as possible.
For continuity of care we encourage you to book with your usual doctor. Some of our doctors work part-time and their appointments are taken up more quickly, resulting in longer waiting times.
You have the option to book to see a different doctor if you wish.
Appointments can be booked up to 4-6 weeks in advance unless a doctor is already fully booked on a current appointment rota.
A standard appointment with a doctor is 10 minutes long. If you feel this is insufficient for your needs, please ask the receptionist to book you a 20 minute appointment.
Please use our automated check-in point to book in for your appointment when you arrive.
Routine appointment times
The Cinderford Medical Centre
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 12pm, 2:50pm to 5:40pm
Ruardean
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 12pm
Westbury Surgery
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 12pm, 2:50pm to 5:40pm
Improved access service
The GPs of the Forest of Dean have been offered an opportunity to take part in a project to improve patient access to primary care services for the residents of the Forest of Dean.
Extra GP and nurse clinics will be held during normal hours, and additional appointments will also be offered at one of the Forest of Dean Surgeries between 6:30pm and 8pm on weekdays and on Saturday mornings.
Patients registered with any GP Surgery within the Forest of Dean will be able to have an appointment at these extra clinics.
The aim is to make it easier and more convenient for patients to see a GP or nurse by providing more appointments at certain surgeries across the Forest of Dean. These are known as improved access appointments.
Patients can book to be seen regardless of which Surgery they are registered at.
These appointments can only be offered to patients registered with a Forest of Dean Practice. To book one of these appointments please contact the practice.
Missed appointments and late arrivals
If you cannot attend, or no longer require an arranged appointment please inform us as soon as possible, we can then offer your appointment to another patient.
A feature of our telephone system is an option to leave a message during both opening and closing hours to cancel unwanted appointments.
On average 130 appointments are missed with doctors each month, a similar number are also missed with practice nurses. This results in an average of 50 hours of wasted surgery time monthly and can create a longer than necessary wait for an appointment.
Our clinical team have pre-booked appointments and may not be able to see you if you are more than 5 minutes late. A few patients arriving late will cause surgeries to run heavily behind time.
Please show courtesy to other patients, arrive ahead of your appointment and allow for the possible need to queue at reception.
Text message reminders
You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care.
Data protection regulations (GDPR)
Under the data protection regulations we will continue to contact patients via text messages regarding the delivery of care if they have provided consent to do so.
If practices are sending messages about recommended treatment for the management of a specific health issue, then this is defined as providing appropriate care for patients, not marketing purposes.
If you would like to opt out of any future contact via text messaging, then please let us know.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- using the GP online system: SystmOnline
- phone us on Cinderford Surgery 01594 820820 or Ruardean Surgery 01594 820820 or Westbury Surgery 01594 820820 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
Home visits are at the discretion of the doctor and are intended solely for patients too ill or frail to undertake a journey. The doctor may ask if you can come to the surgery, as the facilities and equipment for examination, investigation, treatment and referral are all to hand.
If you are too ill to attend surgery, a request for a home visit should be made before 11am, as most home visits are carried out over the lunch-time period.
Our nurse practitioner or a doctor may initially telephone you to help ensure those with the most urgent medical needs are given priority with their visit and if necessary will obtain directions to your home.