Appointments

Requesting an appointment

To request an appointment, phone us on 01953 607607, Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm. If you are unable to phone us, visit the surgery and speak to a receptionist during our opening hours.

You can also seek help using our online forms. This can be particularly helpful if you have a non-urgent problem that could be managed without an appointment. Please note this is for non-urgent requests only and our turnaround time in 48 hours.

When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.

We will use the information you give us to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse, or health professional to help you. Often there will be another service that can manage your problem better than the practice. Our teams are training in care navigation to signpost you to the most appropriate service for your care.

Get help without an appointment

ADHD / Autism referrals You can usually get a referral without a GP appointment. Please see ADHD and Autism Referrals.
Pharmacy First You can go straight to a pharmacy if you have any of the following conditions. The pharmacist can provide you with antibiotics or other prescription-only treatment, if this is needed.

Ear infection in children aged 1-17
Sore throat in adults and children aged 5+
Infected insect bites in adults and children aged 1+
Impetigo in adults and children aged 1+ Shingles in adults aged 18+
Sinusitis in adults and children aged 12+
Urine infections in women aged 16-64 
Depression, anxiety, poor sleep and other mental health problems Refer yourself to the NHS Talking Therapies service. You will get an initial consultation by phone within a few days. 
Joint, back or muscle problems Contact the Norfolk & Waveney Community Musculoskeletal Service for problems with your muscles, joints or back. You will be assessed by a specialist physiotherapist, podiatrist or occupational therapist.  The service aims to offer the full range of treatment required for your problem, with no GP appointment required. This is not just physiotherapy: the service provides an expert diagnosis, including x-rays, ultrasound and MRI scans if necessary. They can perform injections. Patients requiring further help can be seen by a more senior practitioner within the service or referred to an Orthopaedic surgeon. 
Weight loss Get a free 12 week course of weight loss support through Slimming World or Your Health Norfolk. Refer yourself through the Norfolk County Council website. If your Body Mass Index is over 35 then we may be able to refer you for Tier 3 weight management, which includes weight loss injections such as Wegovy or Mounjaro. Please see Oviva: Tier 3 weight management. If you think you are eligible for a referral, please contact the practice. We can normally arrange a referral without needing a GP appointment. 
Blood pressure check Any pharmacy will be happy to check your blood pressure for free. They will send the result to us. 
Contraceptive pill You can go to a pharmacy to get the pill for free. There is no need for an appointment with a GP or nurse. 
Sexual health If you want testing for sexually transmitted infections, or advice on contraception, contact iCash. 
Prostate cancer screening Men aged 45 and over can have a PSA blood test at the practice to check their prostate. Please read the practice’s information sheet on PSA screening to decide whether you want the test. If you want the test, contact us to book a blood test. No GP appointment is needed unless you have symptoms of a prostate problem, or the result of the test is raised. 

Your appointment

However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:

  • by phone
  • face to face at the surgery
  • by text

Cancelling or changing an appointment

To cancel your appointment:

  • use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
  • use SystmOnline
  • phone us on 01603 746 683 (Beechcroft Surgery) or 01603 663 363 (Old Palace Medical Practice), Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm. You can leave a voice message cancelling your appointment.
  • follow the link in your appointment reminder text message

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.

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

The practice provides a home visiting service for terminal care patients and the completely housebound.

Alternatively, request a home visit by phoning your usual surgery number. We ask that all requests are received by 10:30 am.

Your details will be taken. You may be advised by our trained reception staff that your problem is best served by attending the local Accident and Emergency department at the James Paget Hospital or the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital or in the case of life-threatening emergency, we will call an ambulance on your behalf.

You might be called back by our on-the-day team prior to being visited.

A home visit may be provided by a nurse practitioner, emergency care practitioner or doctor.

Please remember that other patients are usually able to attend surgery for the full range of facilities.

Please only request a home visit when necessary.

– Children can be safely brought to the surgery. It is not dangerous for a child with a fever to be brought into cooler air for transport to the surgery; in fact, this can help them feel better.

– Most patients will benefit from examination in the full surgery facilities, where there is easy access to extra investigations such as heart traces (ECG), blood and urine testing.

– It is not harmful for patients with fever, or who have pain, to take pain relief medication before seeing the doctor. This won’t mask or hide anything important, and being comfortable and cool can help the clinician make the best assessment of a patient.

– Remember that each of our surgeries has disabled parking, and in each case, patients can be dropped off within a few feet of the door. A wheelchair is normally available on each site for assistance.

– We offer some evening appointments which can be used where transport is a problem, or our staff can assist in booking a convenient time when a relative may be brought to surgery, e.g. the first appointment of the day.