Surgeries
Visits to the doctor and practice nurse are by appointment. These can be arranged by telephoning 028 3752 1450.
Appointments with the doctors are arranged via the telephone triage system. Should you require an appointment with a doctor please contact the surgery on : 028 3752 1450 on the day the appointment is required between the hours of 08.30am and 10.30am. You will be asked to leave some details with the Receptionist dealing with your call. A health care professional will phone you back to discuss the problem and an appointment will be arranged if required. Receptionists may also deal with queries or direct you to other appropriate health professionals or services.
**Please note that during times of extreme pressures, and where we are experiencing a very high volume of phone calls, telephone triage may end earlier than 10.30am **
Patients aged over 75 can request a review appointment if they have not been seen by a medical professional in the last 3 years.
PLEASE NOTE THAT AFTER 10.30AM ONLY URGENT MEDICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CANNOT AWAIT ASSESSMENT UNTIL THE NEXT WORKING DAY WILL BE DEALT WITH.
Patients are asked not to arrive at the surgery without telephoning to speak to a health care professional first. This allows medical staff to triage the urgency of the problem and ensure a suitable time for an appointment.
Appointments with the practice nurses can be made in advance by telephoning 028 3752 1450.
Please ALWAYS check in at reception on your arrival, either with a Receptionist or via the Automated Arrivals System. Reception staff are at hand to answer any queries you may have.
Please inform us if you are unable to keep an appointment. Failure to attend appointments may result in removal from practice list.
Appointments are for 10 minutes duration.
Please be mindful that not all Doctors or Nurses work full time within the practice and you may wait to see the practitioner of your choice.
Repeat Prescriptions
48 hours notice is usually required for repeat prescriptions.
We no longer accept requests for repeat prescriptions by telephone as this increases the risk of mistakes occurring and can block more urgent incoming calls.
You may use the right hand side of your computerised prescription order to re-order your drugs. Just tick the name of the appropriate drugs required, then you, or your representative, can leave this in the box at the surgery or post it to us. You can also order by letter to the surgery, including your name, address, date of birth and list of drugs you require.
You can also request a repeat prescription by direct email to:
[email protected]
Please include your name, address, date of birth and a list of the drugs you require.
***Please note that this designated email account is used for ordering prescriptions ONLY, any other requests should be telephoned into the surgery in the normal manner.***
If you are on long-term medication, you can order your repeat prescription online via Patient Access on our website. You will need to contact the surgery in person to obtain a patient ID before you can use the site for the first time. Photographic ID will be required for all patients wishing to use the online ordering service, and these must be collected in person by the patient only prior to being able to use Patient Access.
You may see note attached to your prescription asking you to attend for an annual medication review. Please telephone the morning triage to arrange this.
Certain items, for example, treatment for coughs, cold, sore throats, head lice, thrush, hay-fever etc are available to buy in your local pharmacy or may be offered under the Minor Ailments Scheme. Please check with your Community Pharmacist.
Home Visits
Please telephone the surgery before 10.30am if requesting a home visit. Home visits are reserved for patients who are medically unfit for travel. A doctor will always speak to you on the phone first to determine whether a home visit is the best option for your care.
Out Of Hours Emergencies
In the event of a medical emergency outside of surgery hours, please telephone the Southern Area Urgent Care Service on 028 3839 9201. A receptionist will take your details and a practitioner will phone you back. They will decide whether you need to come in to the Out of Hours Centre. Please do not arrive at the Centre without consultation with the Out of Hours Doctor first. Home visits are only for those medically unfit to travel.
Training Practice
We are a Training Practice for doctors in General Practice, you may be offered an appointment with one of those doctors. From time to time, their surgeries may be videoed for training purposes, with your prior consent. Medical students may sometimes be present, again with the patients consent.
Treatment Room
Nursing staff are available from 8:30am – 1pm & 2pm – 6:00pm. The Treatment Room Nursing Team provides a comprehensive service which includes blood & urine tests, wounds & dressing, ECGs, injections, suture removal and monitoring of patients on Warfarin treatment. Attendance at the Treatment Room is by arrangement with the GP. Patients should not self refer to the Treatment Rooms.
- Warfarin Clinic – Tuesday afternoons from 2:00pm
- Dressing Clinic – By appointment with Treatment Room
For test results, please telephone Reception on 028 3752 1450 between 1:30pm – 2:30pm daily. It is your responsibility to contact us for your results, and results will be given out to the patient only, unless you have provided us with written consent stating otherwise.
Reception Staff
Our Reception Staff assist in the efficient day to day running of the practice and support the services we provide. When you telephone or call to the surgery a Receptionist will ask you for some details. Reception Staff have been trained to make these enquiries so that we are able to help you in the most appropriate way. Strict confidentiality is maintained by all our staff in relation to all patient information. Please advise Reception Staff of any change to your personal details, so that your records can be updated. Reception Staff are here to help you, however their job is very demanding and they are often very busy, so please be patient, we will try to help. Verbal abuse or threatening behaviour towards staff will not be tolerated.
Practice Nurse
Sr Lynda Coleman & Sr Shauna Rafferty are available by appointment for general health check-ups weight reduction, smoking cessation advice, smear tests, iucd checks and family planning advice. They also hold regular clinics for the management of asthma, diabetes, COPD, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. Our seasonal flu vaccine clinic is held annually. Eligible patients will be advised, in advance, by letter.
Baby Clinic
Each Friday. 9:00am – 10:30am Injections
Attended by Health Visitors, a doctor and Practice Nurse. This clinic deals with scheduled child health checks & immunisation; sick babies should NOT be brought to the baby clinic, but should contact the Triage GP by telephone on : 028 3752 1450 between 8.30am – 10.30am. A Health Visitor will be in attendance at the Baby Clinic between 10.00 – 11.00am for consultations with parents.
District Nursing Staff
Our District Nursing Staff will visit patients who are in need of nursing care and are unable to travel to the surgery.
Ante-Natal Clinic
Each Thursday 10:30am – 12:30pm
This is a Midwife-led Ante-Natal Clinic staffed by Trust Midwives. Please make an appointment in advance at reception.
Minor Surgery
Dr McClung, Dr Marshall & Dr Moore perform minor surgery by prior appointment. Please ask to speak to a doctor any day between 8.30 – 10.30am to discuss this.
Patient Comments & Complaints
If you have a comment or concern regarding the provision of service at Abbey Court Surgery, please speak to the Practice Manager, Joanne Clarke, or address this in writing. We can supply you with a form to help you do this. If you are not happy with our response to your complaint, you may refer your complaint to the N.I. Commissioner for Complaints (The Ombudsman). They are based : Progressive House, 33 Wellington Place, Belfast, AND CAN BE CONTACTED ON : 028 9023 3821. These details and other relevant information are available in our Complaints Leaflet, available at the reception desk. You may also contact the Health & Social Care Board HQ, 12-22 Linenhall Street, Belfast on : 0300 555 0115 for advice.
Rights & Responsibilities
These apply to both the patients and the Practice. You will be shown respect & courtesy at all times. We expect practice staff to be treated similarly The Practice operates a Zero Tolerance Policy with regard to aggressive behaviour either physically or verbally towards staff. Patients who display offensive or threatening behaviour towards doctors and staff will not be tolerated and may be removed from the practice list permanently, and may have to register with violent patients scheme.
Practice Area & New Patients
Patient living within a 6 mile boundary of the Practice are eligible to register. Patients seeking registration with the Practice should provide Reception Staff, in person at the Reception Desk, with their details, where you will be provided with a registration pack. Patients entering the UK for the first time will be asked to to contact the NINES (NI New Entrants Scheme) on : 028 3756 1370. They are based at South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon and they process GP registrations for new entrants to NI.
Access to Patient Information
Your medical records are held in the strictest confidence. Information is not passed on without your consent, unless within the confines of the NHS,by legal requirement, or is in the public interests, ie. if the patient or others are at risk or harm. Medical records are computerised and registered under the Data Protection Act 2000. The practice is compliant with the requirements of GDPR legislation which came in to effect on 25th May 2018. Please see the privacy statements section for further information on how we manage your data. Should you wish to access your medical record, please contact the Practice Manger.
