We understand that sometimes it may be difficult for you to come to the surgery for medical care. However, we want to ensure that you receive the best possible care in the most efficient manner. This leaflet is intended to provide you with guidance on when it may be appropriate to request a home visit from a clinician at our practice.
Emergency situations: Dial 999 immediately
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, and loss of consciousness are emergencies. Please dial 999 for these symptoms without delay.
Definition of housebound
- If you are confined to one room of your house due to illness, often with carers attending to you numerous times throughout the day, you may be considered housebound.
Requesting a home visit
- Home visit requests should be made before 11am whenever possible. This allows our clinicians to plan their day accordingly and minimise disruption to our appointment system.
- Reception staff will ask for the reason for the visit. The necessity and urgency will then be assessed by a clinician.
- Please note that you cannot insist that a clinician visits you at home. A visit will only be arranged if the clinician determines that your medical condition requires it.
Assessment process
- Prior to any home visit, a clinician will call you back to assess your problem. This enables us to prioritise visits according to clinical need.
- Please understand that if a home visit is deemed appropriate, you will be visited by a clinician, not necessarily a GP.
Invalid reasons for home visits
- Transport issues: It is not the responsibility of the GP practice to arrange transport for patients. Please seek assistance from relatives, friends, or taxi firms.
- Childcare issues: If you have difficulty arranging childcare, you are welcome to bring your children to the surgery.
- Poor mobility: Our surgery is equipped to cater to patients with restricted mobility. Ramps, lifts, and assistance from our reception team are available.
- Unwell child: It is in the best interest of the child to be assessed and treated at the surgery where clinicians have access to better facilities and can make informed clinical judgments.
Conditions that do not usually require home visits
- Common symptoms in children, adults, and senior citizens can usually be managed at the surgery. If you are fit enough to visit other healthcare settings or perform daily activities, you can come to the surgery for medical care.
Quality of medical care
- Providing medical care at home can be challenging due to non-ideal clinical conditions. Our surgery is equipped with better facilities for examination and treatment.
- Home visits are time-consuming and may delay care for other patients. Please help us by visiting the surgery whenever possible.
Terms of service
- General practice is not an emergency service. It is the doctor’s decision whether a home visit is necessary based on the patient’s medical condition.
Contact information
- If you have any questions or concerns regarding home visits, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us provide the best possible care for all our patients.