Contact us with Accurx
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called Accurx.
Accurx allows you to complete a short online form about your symptoms or query which will be triaged by one of our clinicians or lead admin.
Use Accurx to
- book an appointment to discuss a new or ongoing medical problem
- discuss some test results
- get a skin lesion or rash checked
- get some travel advice
- get some contraception or HRT advice
- request a home visit
- book a ‘special appointment’
- joint injection
- contraceptive coil change
- contraceptive implant change
- discuss my medication as I think it needs changing
- ask for some medication that I haven’t had before
- ask for some medication that I have had before but isn’t on my repeat prescription
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- phone us on St Chad’s 01761 413334 or Chilompton Branch Surgery 01761 232231 or Somerton House Surgery 01761 412141
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.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- phone us on St Chad’s 01761 413334 or Chilompton Branch Surgery 01761 232231 or Somerton House Surgery 01761 412141 for routine nurse procedures (eg. smear test, B12 injection, hormone injection or dressing change), routine annual reviews (eg. diabetes checks) or book a medical examination (eg. DVLA/ fostering/ work/ travel)
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or SystmOnline to book an appointment, screening test or blood test
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.
Enhanced access
We offer extended access appointments outside of the usual opening times, these appointments are for those patients unable to attend during normal working hours.
Cover is provided by BDUC from 6pm to 6:30pm.
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
Making the most of your appointment
To find out about how you can make the best of your appointment please visit the NHS website where they have useful tips to help you.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
To cancel your appointment:
- phone us on St Chad’s 01761 413334 or Chilompton Branch Surgery 01761 232231 or Somerton House Surgery 01761 412141 during opening times
Even if you cancel with a short amount of time to go there is a good chance someone else will take your slot so please let us know.
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.
BANES Emergency Medical Services (BEMS)
Responsibility for your care when the surgery is closed now rests with B&NES Primary Care Trust.
These hours are 6:30pm to 8am, Monday to Friday and at the weekends.
The service provided involves local doctors and nurses working from Paulton Hospital. Appointments can be booked by calling NHS 111.
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 reserved for the following groups of patients:
- the terminally ill
- the housebound
- patients who are severely ill and cannot be mobilised
Asking for a home visit does not guarantee you a visit. If you feel you need the doctor to visit, please try to ring before 10am.
The doctor will phone you first to check the nature of your problem and assess the need for a home visit. It may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or it may be more appropriate for us to ask the district nurse to visit, or for you to go to hospital.
The receptionist will always ask you the nature of the problem to aid the doctor to decide the urgency of the visit. If the situation changes while you are waiting for the doctor to phone or visit, then please ring the surgery again.
We cannot undertake home visits for reasons of convenience or lack of transport. From experience, we are aware that relatives, neighbours or friends are often willing to help out, and with our new same day access system we can see you the same day at the surgery if needed. At the surgery, we have access to all of your records and there are ideal facilities to examine and treat you more effectively and efficiently.
In the past, GP’s were able to do routine follow up home visits, but sadly due to increasing demand and time pressures this is usually no longer possible.