Book Appointments

Our Appointment Procedure

We appreciate the kind words, patience and support towards our staff from so many people that use our services.  We can also understand and share people's frustration at times when our services may be stretched. Our trained team will ask for details when you call so they can direct you to the best member of the team to help you in the most appropriate timescale.

We want you to have a safe sustainable service at Ball Tree. We work incredibly hard every day to provide this and we are doing our best in very challenging circumstances. Please help us to help you by being kind to all the teams when you get in touch - we will always try to offer you whatever we can as soon as we can. We operate a zero tolerance policy. 

NOTE that we have two locations - please always check where your appointment is before coming in to see us

  • Main site - Western Road North, Sompting Lancing, BN15 9UX 
  • Kingfisher Branch - 19 to 21 Culver Road, Lancing, BN15 9AX

Please make sure that we always have your current mobile phone number and email address. (Update your information here)
We send out texts to enable you to book appointments online and to remind you when to come in.  The NHS App will help you to receive communications.

Please consider using the NHS App which allows you to receive messages and offers alternative access to some of our services.
Make sure you turn on notifications to receive safe and secure information from the NHS in one place.
Why use the NHS App?
General information on the NHS App and where to download.

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Self Care Advice

You can often sort your own health issues without needing to see us

The NHS website and Patient.co.uk are two excellent websites you can use free of charge.

They have powerful search functions so you can find what you need quickly.

We also have lots of advice via our website

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Speak to a Pharmacist

Your pharmacy can advise you on minor illness without the need of an appointment. Please speak to a pharmacist first.

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Pharmacy & Self-Care

Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can offer clinical advice, over the counter medicines and their use, to effectively and safely manage a range of minor health concerns. They can also help you to decide whether you'll need to see a doctor. You don't need an appointment and you won't even be asked to make a purchase. Every pharmacy also has a private consultation area for you to talk about your symptoms in private if you prefer.

FIND A PHARMACY

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Book a GP Appointment

We have a mix of in-person and telephone, pre-bookable and on-the-day appointments with our GPs

Our aim is to support you to access the right clinician for you as soon as we are able.

Please answer all the questions from our trained reception team and they will guide you through our process. 

Please call 01903 752 200

The team may offer you options to be referred to a pharmacist for some conditions, or to one of our in house specialist team of clinicians.  This may help you be supported sooner.  Please note that all our clinical team have access to a GP where this may be needed.  We also have options for appointments for early evening and Saturday mornings for certain conditions.

If you are coming to see us in person, please check which location your appointment is – either our main location in Sompting or our Kingfisher Branch in Lancing.

URGENT GP Appointments

If you feel you need to talk with a GP about an urgent matter choose this option on the phone. The reception team will ask you questions.  Your answers will be shared with the Duty GP for that day.  The Duty GP will decide what the best option will be for you and will call you back and either support you on the phone or ask you to come in for a face to face appointment on the day.  The Reception Team cannot book an appointment with the Duty GP - the GP will make the arrangements.

Non-Urgent GP Appointments

Where possible, we encourage you to see the same GP for ongoing concerns.  This may not always be possible, but please ask the Reception Team to see when the next available appointment is with the GP you have seen most recently if you think that this would help.  We have a limited number of appointments available for pre-booking up to 2 weeks in advance.

Non-Urgent GP Appointments - Early Morning + Evening and Weekend

We have a limited number of GP appointments provided outside our usual hours.  We have a mixture of in person and phone appointments.  The in-person appointments are located at New Pond Row Surgery.

Contact Us Online - Non-Urgent Matters Only

We have an alternative route to the surgery instead of using the telephone.  Depending upon the information you share, it may be that you are able to receive an appointment via our online tool called 'Engage Consult'.  For more information use this LINK TO ONLINE SERVICES

There is also a great deal of self-help information to support you within Engage Consult – we recommend seeing if there is something in there that may help you.

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Book a Nurse Appointment

We have a range of appointments with our team of nurses and health care assistants each day

Ongoing Conditions

If you have an ongoing condition - such as Asthma or Diabetes if you have a mobile phone number we will send an invitation by text with a link for you to self-book into our appointment system.  This will save you having to call the surgery.  The invitations usually are sent out a few weeks before your birthday.  Please click on the text links as soon as you can, as they time out after a day or so.  Otherwise you will receive a letter or call.  If you have the NHS App your message may be sent to the App.  Please make sure you have NHS App Notifications switched to ON.

Please let us know if you think you are due a review.  We offer a mix of phone and in-person appointments depending upon your individual needs.

 

Specialist Clinics

Child immunisations

Coils and Implants

Travel Vaccinations

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Life Threatening - Go to A&E

If you or someone you know has a life-threatening condition, such as loss of consciousness, a sudden confused state, chest pain, breathing difficulties etc, you should call 999

In an EMERGENCY call 999.
Emergencies are situations that cannot be managed at home and may be life threatening

Evening and Weekend Appointments

GP and Nurse appointments are now available during the evening and at the weekend at local GP access hubs

  • Urgent appointments for a new illness
  • Same day and next day appointments
  • Access to your GP medical records with your consent
  • Appointments booked via Ball Tree
  • Clinics are operated by IPC which is a not for profit organisation owned by local GP practices

If you are offered one of these appointments by the team please do consider accepting as it will likely mean that you are seen sooner.

We will lose this valuable service if people do not accept the appointments that we offer there.  

To keep your local GP service at Ball Tree available and sustainable we need our patients to see the most appropriate person and often this will be at the Access Hubs.

Talk to our reception team and they can advise you further!

Information about Hospital Appointments

Local hospital waiting times can be found for University Hospitals Sussex Trust website

It is always better to contact the hospital directly to find out more about waiting times for appointments.  The Ball Tree team do not have access to any additional information and we are unable to affect any aspect of hospital waiting lists.  We have no access to see information about individual patients.

If you have been waiting for more than 40 weeks, you may be contacted by NHS Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System PIDMAS to see if there may be an alternative choice of hospital available.