Opening times, making appointments and what to do when we are closed

Waterfoot Group of Doctors
Cowpe Road
Waterfoot
Rossendale
BB4 7DN
Tel: 01706 253300

News:

Appointments
To make an appointment, ring 01706 253300. The phone lines are open on weekdays from 8a.m to 6.30 pm. Your request for an appointment may be dealt with by one of our reception staff who will help you to make an appointment with the appropriate clinician

Cancelling your Appointment
If you are unable to attend an appointment with one of the doctors or nurses, please telephone or use the link at the bottom of this page to cancel your appointment.

Out of Hours
To contact a doctor out of hours ring 01706 253300. Your call will be automatically transferred to an NHS Direct receptionist who will take basic details and then transfer you to a triage nurse. Wherever possible your enquiry will be dealt with over the phone and you will be encouraged to see your own doctor or nurse during normal surgery hours.

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'

Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts from Cancer Research UK say.

Non-stick pan 'cholesterol link'

Scientists are concerned that exposure to chemicals used in non-stick frying pans could raise cholesterol levels in children after finding a link.

Bipolar 'not linked to violence'

People with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent unless they abuse drugs or alcohol, a study suggests.

Diabetes drug advice 'not heeded'

A type two diabetes drug is still being prescribed in the UK two months after it was recommended for withdrawal, BBC Panorama learns.

Junior medics 'leaving training'

Nearly one in four junior doctors drop out of their NHS training after two years, figures show.

Gum and heart link 'breakthrough'

Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease.

Reading Arabic 'hard for brain'

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

'No evidence' implants are toxic

Tests on a type of breast implant filled with an unapproved gel have shown no evidence they are unsafe, UK experts say.

Research into age-related illness

Edinburgh scientists are attempting to find the trigger which leads older people to develop dementia.

Clue to egg flaws in older women

British scientists say they are closer to knowing why older women trying to fall pregnant are more likely to produce abnormal eggs.

Yahoo Health

FDA relents from midodrine withdrawal plan (AP)

AP - Federal regulators have backed off a plan to remove a Shire PLC low blood-pressure treatment from the market after warning in August that the drug has not been proven effective.

Picking right blood pressure medicine challenging (AP)

AP - It's hard to predict which pills will best lower which patient's high blood pressure, but researchers are hunting ways to better personalize therapy — perhaps even using a blood test.

Cholera outbreak in Cameroon 'worst in 20 years' (AP)

AP - UNICEF says more than 300 people have died in the West African nation of Cameroon from the country's worst cholera outbreak in 20 years.

WHO wants faster, more flu vaccine production (AP)

CVS employee Mambo Muntanga, left, receives a flu shot from nurse practitioner Susan Brown, Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, in Rockville, Md. It's flu-shot season again, and for the first time health authorities are urging nearly everyone to get vaccinated — and people 65 or older even can choose to try a new high-dose version. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

AP - The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday.

Expert warns of complacency after swine flu fizzle (AP)

Robert Webster, chairman of the Department of Virology and Molecular Biology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., attends the Options for the Control of Influenza conference in Hong Kong Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010 in Hong Kong. Webster urged health authorities around the world to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadlier than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

AP - A leading virus expert urged health authorities around the world Sunday to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak.

Cholera kills 41 in Central African nation of Chad (AP)

AP - Health officials in Chad say an outbreak of cholera in the Central African nation has killed at least 41 people.

Lack of Sleep May Be Linked to Childhood Obesity (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Infants and preschoolers who don't get enough sleep at night are at increased risk for later childhood obesity, a new study suggests.

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 3, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Non-stick cookware may boost cholesterol: study (AFP)

Exposure to chemicals used to make non-stick cookware and which are found in microwave popcorn may raise blood cholesterol levels in children, a study says.(AFP/DDP/File/Thomas Lohnes)

AFP - Exposure to chemicals used to make non-stick cookware and which are found in microwave popcorn may raise blood cholesterol levels in children, a study says.

MedPage Today

Sitting at Work Not Hazardous to Your Health (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Adverse health outcomes including cancer and cardiovascular disease can't be blamed on prolonged occupational sitting, at least not until additional clarifying research is done, a systematic review concluded.

Low-Carb Diet is Better When Rich in Veggies (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Eating a low-carbohydrate diet in which more fat and protein sources come from plants than animals may be protective against death, researchers say.

Parental Depression Common After Birth of Children (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- More than a third of mothers and a fifth of fathers experienced at least one episode of depression in the 12 years after the birth of a child, British researchers found.

Childhood Obesity Woes Linked to Too Little Sleep (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Late bedtimes may exact a hefty price by contributing to childhood obesity, results of a prospective longitudinal study showed.

'Magic Mushrooms' Possible Tx in End-Stage Cancer (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- The active ingredient in "magic mushrooms" -- psilocybin -- may be useful to treat the anxiety and stress associated with end-stage cancer, researchers suggest.

Nonstick Cookware May Raise Kids' Cholesterol (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Kids who eat food cooked in nonstick pots and pans may have higher levels of LDL cholesterol, a large cross-sectional study found.

Males at Greater Risk of Cognitive Impairment (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Mild cognitive impairment may be more common in men than in women, a new study shows.

Investigation Reveals More Woes for Rosiglitazone

On July 15 (MedPage Today) -- a day after the FDA completed two days of hearings on rosiglitazone (Avandia) -- a British advisory commission on drugs concluded that the product should be withdrawn from the market, according to an investigation conducted by BMJ.

Washington Week: Insurance, State Actions Top News

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Several studies highlighting insurance issues were released this week, including one on federal programs for kids and two others focused on employer-provided medical coverage.

FDA Approves New Eye Pressure Drop Formulation

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The FDA approved a new formulation of the drug bimatoprost (Lumigan) in a 0.01% solution as a first-line treatment to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Opening Hours

Appointments

Home Visits

OPENING HOURS AND SURGERIES

The surgery is open from 8.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

There are also extended opening hours to facilitate commuters and those at work locally. These are strictly for pre booked appointments only.

Extended opening hours: Tues 6.30pm to 8pm

Fri 7.15am to 8am Sat 8.30am -10.30 am

Please bear in mind that surgery times vary for each doctor from day to day and not every doctor is available all the time. The majority of appointments are booked on the day they are required, although pre-booked appointments can be arranged under certain circumstances.

NIGHT/WEEKEND CALLS/BANK HOLIDAYS

Your practice takes part in an out-of-hours arrangement which provides EMERGENCY COVER

between 6.30pm and 8.00am on weekdays
at weekends from 6.30pm on Friday until 8.00am on Monday
all day on bank holidays.

To contact a doctor out of hours ring 01706 253300. Your call will be automatically transferred to an NHS Direct receptionist who will take basic details and then transfer you to a triage nurse. Wherever possible your enquiry will be dealt with over the phone and you will be encouraged to see your own doctor or nurse during normal surgery hours.

However, in situations where the problem won’t wait, you may be offered an appointment at one of the local Primary Care Centres where you will be able to see a local GP but not necessarily your own doctor. For patients who are not well enough to leave their homes, the call will be passed on to the emergency duty doctor who will visit the house.

PLEASE NOTE: If possible, please try to contact us during the day. Out-of-hours calls are STRICTLY for EMERGENCIES only!

Appointments

To make an appointment, ring 01706 253300. The phone lines are open during normal working hours Mon to Friday 8a.m to 6.30pm.You can prebook an appointment with a doctor up to seven days in advance.Your request for an appointment will be dealt with by one of our reception staff who will help you to make an appointment with the appropriate clinician. You may request to see any doctor, but we do encourage you to follow through your current health problem with the same doctor where possible.Normally, you will be offered the earliest appointment with the doctor of your choice. If the doctor is fully booked, we will try to offer you an earlier appointment with another doctor. If you feel you need to be seen URGENTLY, please tell the receptionist and we will arrange for the duty doctor to contact you on the same day.

Appointments for nurses can be prebooked several weeks in advance.

It is also possible to book appointments online. Further details and registration forms are available from reception.

Click Here to book/cancel your appointment online.

Cancel Your Appointment

If you no longer need the appointment you have made to see the doctor please CANCEL by phoning 01706 253300. Cancelled appointments can be offered to other patients so please let us know as soon as possible. Appointments wasted by non-attenders are an expensive use of your doctor’s time.Your co-operation is appreciated.

Home Visits

You may request these by phoning 01706 253300 between Monday - Friday 8.00 - 10.00am.

The doctor or nurse may be able to visit you at home if you are too ill to visit the surgery. If you do require a home visit please telephone us before 10.00 a.m

Requests received after 10.00am should be for urgent problems only. After this time the doctors may be out of the surgery and consequently routine home visits may have to wait until much later.

Please note: home visits are really only for those who are too elderly and frail to come to the surgery, or for those whose illness is so severe they cannot leave the house. Wherever possible, we do ask you to come to the surgery. In the time taken on one home visit the doctor can see four patients at the surgery.

Practice Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct