GP Surgeries

Your local GP practice provides a wide range of health services, including medical advice, vaccinations, examinations and treatment, prescriptions for medicines, referrals to other health services and social services.

There are a range of professionals who can look after you. You may be offered an appointment with one of the new roles in general practice such as an advanced nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, or clinical pharmacist rather than a GP.

This appointment may take place face-to-face in your practice, on the telephone, via video call, or sometimes in another local community setting.

Before you make an appointment to see your GP, think about what other services might be able to help.

• go to a pharmacy for advice and treatment for minor conditions.
• go to your local minor injury unit or urgent care centre for treatment of strains, sprains and flesh wounds.
• call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk if you have an urgent medical problem, but you’re not sure what to do.
• visit a sexual health service for testing for sexually transmitted infections and contraception advice.

You do not have to make an appointment or register for these services.

GP online services

You can usually contact your GP surgery using a secure and confidential online form on their website.

You can use the form to let a GP know about any symptoms you’re having, ask a question or follow up about something. This could be either about your own health or on behalf of someone you care for. Your GP surgery will use the information you give them to make sure you get the right help.

You can access the form via your GP surgery’s website. Do not use an online form if your medical problem is urgent.

You can find out more on the NHS England website.

NHS App

If you’re a patient at a practice in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

The App can be used to:

• get your NHS COVID Pass – view and download your COVID Pass for travel abroad
• get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it
• order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to
• book appointments – search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments
• get health advice – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments. You can also answer questions to get instant advice or medical help near you
• view your health record – securely access your GP health record, to see information like your allergies and your current and past medicines. If your GP has given you access to your detailed medical record, you can also see information like test results and details of your consultations
• register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision
• find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning
• view your NHS number – find out what your NHS number is.

The NHS App is free to use and owned by the NHS so you know your personal data is always secure.

The NHS App is for people aged 13 and over who are registered with a GP practice.

If you already use online service at your own practice you can continue to use this, and use the NHS App as well.

You can download the NHS App on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.