How we deliver care at Riverside Surgery

At  Riverside Surgery we firmly believe in the paramount importance of providing face-to-face consultations with our patients, as opposed to solely relying on triaging over the phone. Our commitment to personalised and compassionate care drives us to prioritise in-person interactions, as they foster a deeper understanding of our patient's medical concerns and enable us to offer comprehensive diagnoses and treatment plans.

Face-to-face consultations allow our experienced healthcare professionals to observe not only the physical symptoms but also the emotional and non-verbal cues that may play a crucial role in uncovering underlying health issues. This approach enables us to build a stronger patient-provider relationship, instilling trust and confidence in the care we provide.

While we acknowledge that telephone triage can be efficient in certain situations, we believe it should be utilized as a complementary tool rather than a primary means of patient assessment. Our practice is committed to utilising technology responsibly, incorporating telemedicine when appropriate, but always ensuring that our patients have the option to be seen face-to-face whenever possible.

By prioritising in-person consultations, we strive to deliver the highest standard of medical care, ensuring the well-being of our patients and addressing their medical concerns with the attention and expertise they deserve. The physical presence and interaction at Riverside GP Surgery not only enhance the accuracy of diagnoses but also contribute to a more holistic and patient-centred approach to healthcare.

Appointment for a GP

Patient access has transformed considerably since the start of the pandemic and the way patients contact the surgery has changed to ensure safety for patients and staff. Our phones lives are open from 08:00 until 18:30 and reception takes calls throughout the day. The front desk will be manned from 08:30 am. 

Please note, that if you are offered a telephone appointment, GPs will attempt to call you twice. If the call has been missed after the second attempt, you will NOT be offered a further telephone call for that day and will need to call back the next working day to book another appointment.

 We will try our best to offer an appointment with a preferred Clinician but on occasions, this may not be possible due to capacity or annual leave.

Nurses Appointments

Booking an appointment with a Nurse

We have a team of experienced nurses in the surgery who can manage the following: 

  • Asthma and COPD Reviews
  • Diabetic Reviews
  • Immunisations
  • Family Planning and contraception reviews
  • Cervical screening and women's health
  • Lifestyle advice and Health Promotions
  • Hypertension and Cardiovascular reviews

Pre-bookable Appointments (Telephone Call)

These are routine appointments and are available to pre-book in advance and can be booked over the phone.  Some of these appointments can be dealt with over the telephone and the Receptionist will advise you if you need to come to the surgery.

Home Visits

Under their terms of work, doctors are required to consider home visits for medical reasons only.

Who is eligible for a home visit?

Doctors will only visit patients in their homes who are:

  • Bedbound
  • Terminally ill or
  • Would come to serious harm if moved.

Who is not eligible for a home visit?

  1. Insufficient funds to pay for transport to the surgery
  2. Children, young people and anyone mobile.
  3. Social reasons for convenience.
  4. Other help is more appropriate.

If you think you qualify for a home visit, please ring before 10:30 am.

All visit requests will be medically assessed to check if appropriate.

For further information about the reasons behind the need to rationalise home visiting please click here.

Cancel an appointment

Ensuring timely communication with the reception staff regarding any inability to attend a scheduled appointment is of utmost significance. This facilitates the opportunity to offer the appointment slot to another patient, optimising our healthcare service delivery. In the event of failure to notify the Practice about the inability to attend an appointment, a formal letter will be dispatched, notifying the patient of the appointment default. It is imperative to note that repeated instances of defaulting may necessitate the removal of persistent defaulters from our patient list.

Signposting for Patients

DENTAL

We do not offer or provide any form of dental care. We will not see or treat any form of dental or gum problem.  If you are experiencing dental pain or you’re worried about a mouth ulcer that isn’t healing after two weeks, or perhaps you lump your mouth that you’re concerned about then you should contact your dental practice straight away.

Contact 111 if you are not registered with a dentist who can advise on issues relating to this. 

Swansea Bay University Health Board does run a service for urgent dental problems, where people are in pain or have facial swelling. This service provides limited care.

This service is only available for people who do not have a regular dentist, those who have a regular dentist should contact their dental practice directly (The only exception is if urgent symptoms arise at a weekend or bank holiday when a patient who has an NHS dentist cannot access their services).

To access this urgent dental care service, if you don’t have a regular dentist, please ring 111. Be aware that lines can be very busy, and Monday mornings in particular, so please be patient.

OPTICIANS 

Did you know that your local opticians can offer you far more than vision checks, glasses and contact lenses?

If you have an eye problem that needs urgent attention, please contact your local optician, as they have the expertise and specialist equipment to help you.  Most opticians have optometrists who are part of the Eye Health Examination Wales Service. If you have a problem with your eyes like red eye, flashing lights or floaters, you can go there instead of your GP, and it won't cost you anything. Optometrists in Wales also offer a Low Vision Service, so you don't have to go to a hospital to be assessed.

For more information visit: http://www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk/home 

Other services available

We offer a range of services which you can be signposted to from Riverside Surgery. Please contact the receptionist who can book you an appointment. This includes:

  • Audiology – for all ear problems for patients over the age of 16
  • Physiotherapy – can be booked via receptionist or after speaking to a GP
  • Social prescriber/Primary Care Mental Health Nurse - for mild/ moderate stress problems – via GP/Nurses