Due to the current situation we are carrying out mostly telephone consultations.  You can make an appointment for this by ringing the surgery and you will be given a time that a GP will contact you.  We are offering urgent on the day appointments but also some routine appointments (48hrs in advance) at present.  Video Consultations are also available if you would prefer this option.

Video Consultations

We are now offering Video Consultations.  If you would like to conduct your doctor appointment over video please let the receptionist know when you make your appointment.

Appointments

There are many conditions that does not require a GP appointment. Please check out our Pharmacy, Physiotherapy & Eye Conditions Tabs before contacting the surgery, it could save you time.

Consultations are by appointment and can be booked in person at reception, over the telephone or online via the link at the top of this page. All routine appointments can be booked after 9am each weekday these are accessible to not only our receptionists but online patients also(these are no longer limited), so please logon to your MHOL account to book.  We also offer some Nurse and Health Care Assistant appointments online.

For urgent medical conditions appointments will be offered on the same day from 8am. The doctors at the practice have asked their reception staff to ask patients for a brief description of why you wish to be seen, this will help both the receptionists and the doctors to help you get to the correct service if required. Please do not be offended, this is being introduced in all practices across the country and is very much something that Welsh Government feel will help patients to access the correct services and to be seen as quickly as possible.

For non-urgent conditions, appointments will be given within 7 day with the first available doctor. Whilst we will always try to give you an appointment with your doctor of choice please understand that this is not always possible.

We will endeavour to see all patients within 30 minutes of their appointment. If we are unable to do this, an explanation will be given on request.

Consultations are for 10 minutes duration, if you think you might need longer please let the reception staff know.  If you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment you may not be seen and will be required to make a new appointment.

Telephone Advice

Patients requiring advice only may ring our dedicated GP advice line between 10.00 & 11.00 where our on-call doctor will be available for advice.  Please listen carefully to the options to be put through to a GP. 

Practice Nurses 

In a number of cases it might be worth considering an appointment with a practice nurse rather than a doctor. Practice nurses are qualified to deal with many ailments and you may be seen more quickly.  Some appointments are available to book through MHOL.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else. We offer an appointment reminder text which reminds you of your appointment and also allows you to cancel with just a reply text, this will save the need to contact the surgery.  If you have not given your up-to-date Mobile Number please complete the Change of Details form on our Website or contact the surgery.  Our Did Not Attend policy is if you do not attend 2 or more appointments within 6 months you may get a warning letter from the practice.  As you can understand appointments are precious and there are many people who require to see a doctor or one of our nursing staff.
 

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:00.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

There are many conditions that you no longer need to be seen by a doctor to receive treatment.  Your local pharmacy can treat many of these conditions free of charge.

Acne – patients over 12 years.

Athlete’s Foot – All patients.

Backache (acute episode) – Patients aged 20-50 years.

Chicken Pox – 4 weeks- 14years.

Conjunctivitis (bacterial) – patients over 2 years.

Constipation – patients over 18 years.

Dry Skin – all patients

Haemorrhoids – patients aged over 18.

Hay Fever – Patients over 2 years old.

Head Lice – all patients – comb will be supplied in first instance.

Indigestion and reflux – patients over 18 years.

Intertrigo (rash in the body folds/ sweat rash) / Ringworm – all patients

Nappy Rash – All patients without sign of infection.

Oral Thrush – patients older than 4 weeks.

Scabies – patients older than 2 years.

Sore throat and tonsillitis – all patients older than 3 months.

Teething – patients older than three months.

Threadworms – Patients older than 6 months.

Vaginal Thrush – only patients aged 16-60.

Warts and Verrucas – Patients older than 2 years of age

Pharmacies that are currently providing this service are:

Boots, Old Cwmbran

Boots, Town Centre, Cwmbran

Pontnewydd Pharmacy, Cwmbran

All Lloyds Pharmacy

Shil Pharmacy, Thornhill

Available Monday - Saturday

Opticians

Specsavers, Cwmbran

• Sudden/intermittent loss of vision
• New flashes and/or floaters seen
• Swollen eyes/allergy
• Long-term dry eye
• For gradual blurred vision
• For occasional headaches
• Contact lens problems
• For acute red eye(s)
• Recent onset eye pain

Minor Injury Unit

Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, Ebbw Vale & Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, Ystrad Mynach

• For small fragments stuck in eye
• Headache with fever
• Eye pain with rash

Accident & Emergency

Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport & Nevil Hall Hospital, Abergavenny

• For serious eye injury
• Chemical injury