Contact us with eConsult
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called eConsult.
Please note that this cannot be used for making antenatal appointments and can only be used for certain types of nurse appointments.
Urgent appointments
We ensure we have a limited number of urgent or emergency appointments available to book on the day only. These may either be with a GP or an advanced nurse practitioner. Patients who require to be seen urgently, on the day are not able to specify a particular clinician.
- phone us on 01242 223 810 at 8:30am
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We have a nominated duty doctor who will deal with queries relating to genuine emergencies immediately.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- phone us on 01242 223 810
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or SystmOnline to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
Sixways Clinic does not offer a walk in appointment service. All patients must have a booked appointment.
Improved access appointments
Evening and Saturday morning clinics
As a member of practice of Cheltenham Peripheral Cluster we are also participate in the provision of Improved Access Appointments via a shared rota. This gives patients an opportunity to book an appointment with a general practice each weekday, Monday to Friday, 6:30pm to 8pm and Saturday mornings from 8:30am to 12:30pm.
Records are shared across the practices with adherence to strict IT Governance and Confidentiality rules and a signed Information Sharing Agreement has been signed and approved by each practice Named Improved Access Lead and approved by each practice Caldicott Guardian.
The Cheltenham Peripheral Cluster consists of 5 GP practices:
- Leckhampton Surgery
- Cleevelands Medical Centre
- Sixways Clinic
- Stoke Road Surgery
- Winchcombe Medical Centre
Patients from cluster practices are managed under our current registered regulated activities and consulting GP responsibility agreement.
We also have access to appointments on a Saturday afternoon and Sunday via the Gloucestershire wide extended access scheme. Within Cheltenham these are available at Overton Park Surgery. These appointments are booked via the practice as per our normal process.
Latecomers
Our policy is to ensure that as far as possible latecomers do not affect the appointment times of subsequent patients who have turned up on time. If you realise you are going to be late for your appointment please telephone ahead to let us know. We will endeavour to fit you in later in the surgery although it is likely you will have to wait a while and may not be seen until the end. You always have the option to re-book.
If you turn up at the surgery, late for your appointment, you will not be able to book in electronically and will need to present yourselves at reception. If you are still within your appointment slot the receptionist will give you the option of waiting until the end of the surgery or re-booking your appointment.
If you are later than your appointment slot you will not be seen and will have to re-book. If, exceptionally, you consider your need is urgent be prepared to give the receptionist some details and she will contact the doctor to see if you can be seen. At the doctor’s discretion you may then be seen at the end of the surgery.
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 01242 223 810 during opening times
- by texting CANCEL in response to your appointment reminder text
Missed appointments
Missed appointments cost the NHS over £13 million per annum. Please inform us if you cannot keep your appointment, so it can then be offered to another patient.
Text reminders
You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care. We also send text reminders about pre-booked appointments. These are sent via text to the mobile telephone number that we have recorded for you on our system. If you do not wish to receive text alerts from the practice please let reception know. Please also let us know if you change your mobile number so that we can update our records.
New data protection regulations (GDPR)
Under the new 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 contact reception.
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.
Home visits
Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:30am.
You may only request a home visit if you are housebound. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.
You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.
This service is not available to non-registered patients.