Many minor illnesses can be managed by over-the-counter remedies and are of short duration. Please can we ask that you have tried to self-manage (include link to ‘Choose the right service’ page) your illness before you try to book an appointment.
Our phone line can be very busy, please could we politely ask that we prioritise our mornings for patients wanting to make appointments and other queries, like test results be saved for the afternoon when it is less busy.
For our Care Navigators to be able to direct you to the most appropriate clinicians, they need to ask you a few questions about why you are calling us. All information given to our reception or clinical team is treated in confidence.
These are the types of appointments we offer as a practice
Urgent on the day appointments
If you need an emergency appointment you will be signposted to the correct clinician such as a GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Paramedic. Your appointment will be a telephone call first and if the clinician wants to see you face to face, they will make you a face to face appointment.
Emergency appointments are available every day during practice working hours and the amount available depends on how many clinicians are available.
Routine Doctor’s appointments
Routine doctor’s appointments are available two week in advance. We have telephone calls and face to face appointments available.
Nurse’s appointments
You can book an appointment to see a Nurse 2 weeks in advance. They are face to face appointments but can be a telephone request if needed and appropriate.
Long term condition review appointments
All patients with a long-term condition should have an annual Long Term Condition review. The first part of this is with a health care assistant who will take monitor your condition and carry out a few tasks such as taking your blood pressure etc. The second part is with the Nurse who will go through your results with you.
To help manage your health condition please click here
Extended Hours appointments evening/ weekend
There are face to face and telephone appointments available in the evening and on a Saturday here at The Richmond Hill Practice and Yarnspinners in Nelson.
Doctor’s appointments
Nurse appointments
Healthcare Assistant appointments
The Richmond Hill Practice – Monday/ Wednesday and Friday 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Yarnspinners – Tuesday/ Thursday 6:30pm – 8:30 pm and Saturday 9am -5:30pm
There are also face to face acute respiratory appointments available at St Peters Centre in Burnley with a Gp.
- Cough
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
The following services are available during the opening hours (8.00am to 6.30pm) are:
Core Services
- General management of medical conditions
- Health promotional clinics and advice
- Emergency care if appropriate
- Referral for other services, if appropriate
- Urgently required care for temporary residents
- Extended hours
Services Offered
- Cervical screening (Smears)
- Contraceptive services (Implanon & Coil fitting /removal)
- Vaccinations and immunisations
- Maternity services
- Electrocardiograph (ECG)
- Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)
- Sexual Health
- Phlebotomy (blood clinic)
- Coronary Heart Disease Monitoring
- Respiratory/Asthma Monitoring
- Diabetic Disease Monitoring
- Childhood Immunisations
- Minor Surgery procedures)
- Influenza vaccinations
- Drug Misuse Clinic
- Dietician
- Mental Health Worker
- Help Direct
- Stop Smoking
- Mental Health Worker –
- Young Minds Parent Helpline
- Age Concern
- Well Women & Well Man Clinics
- Care Co-ordinator
You are welcome to have a trusted friend or relative accompany you to your appointment if you wish, to offer moral support or if you feel you might not be able to express what you need clearly, to the doctor or nurse, alone.
If English is not your first language, we can also arrange for an interpreter to accompany you at your appointment; please provide as much notice as possible if this is required.
For intimate examinations, you will be offered the choice of having a trained member of staff present at the examination. Occasionally the clinician may also request this service; this is called chaperoning. It might not always be possible to arrange a staff chaperone at short notice, however if we cannot allocate a chaperone when you or the clinician wish one to be there, we will discuss this with you and can reschedule your examination to another time, if appropriate.
If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to fill in a travel assessment form. Once you have filled this in and handed it into the surgery, please give us a call a week later to see which vaccinations you need and if so make an appointment with the nurse.
The form will help the Nurse understand which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.
It is important to fill in the travel assessment forms as soon as possible- at least 6 weeks before you travel – as an appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations if needed. These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.
Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS
If you are planning on travelling to another country it is really important to check the government website for recent travel updates. We would also recommend accessing the foreign and commonwealth website to ensure it is safe to travel to your destination and that you take out comprehensive insurance. It’s important to check with your provider to see whether your policy is covered according to government recommendations.
Foreign Travel Advice - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Passports, travel & Living abroad - https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad
Stay safe & Healthy abroad - https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home
Travel Health Advice - https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/
A carer is someone who provides unpaid, often intensive support to family or friends who could not manage without that support. They could be caring for a relative, partner, friend or neighbour who is ill, frail, disabled, or has mental health or substance misuse problems.
Anyone can be a carer - our youngest registered carer is aged just 6, and a persons caring role can sometimes last for decades.
Some carers can care for more than one person, some carers have a disability or illness themselves and some have a paid job alongside their caring role. If you are a carer you are just as important as the person you care for. Help and support is available for you!
Many carers don’t see themselves as carers and it takes them an average of two years to acknowledge their role as a carer.
Get in touch
If you are a carer we encourage you to let us know, please advise us if you are a young carer (under 18 years of age).
When you inform us you are a carer, we will update your records as soon as possible to show that you are a carer and we will also update the record(s) of the person or people who you are caring for.
More information
All about being a carer - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/
Carers Link Lancashire - https://www.carerslinklancashire.co.uk/
Find out about support and benefits for carers including carers assessments, support, respite care and help for young carers.
Find out more - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/support-and-benefits-for-carers/
The NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) provides an easy way for patients to choose their first hospital or clinic appointment with a specialist. Bookings can be made online, using the telephone, or directly in the GP surgery at the time of referral.
For more information about booking as a patient
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/book-an-appointment/
Waiting for clinical opinion, treatment or surgery