How to book an appointment: 

• use an online App such as the NHS App if you have set one up

• call our 24 hour Automated Telephone booking system 01273 770555 - Option 1

• call Reception when we are open 01273 770555 - Option 2

We offer a choice of AT SURGERY (Face to Face in person at the Surgery) or PHONE ONLY appointment slots with Doctors and Advanced Clinical Practitioners. 

If you are booking ONLINE: 

If a Slot name says 'AT SURGERY'  that means your appointment is Face to Face in person, at the surgery.

If a Slot name says 'PHONE'  - the clinician is working REMOTELY (is NOT in surgery) - so this is a TELEPHONE ONLY consultation.

If you want to change a slot from AT SURGERY to PHONE please speak to Reception who will tell you if that is appropriate for the problem you have and will change the Slot.

If you are using our AUTOMATED BOOKING system:

it will tell you if the appointment is PHONE or AT SURGERY. 

If you want to change a slot from AT SURGERY to PHONE please speak to Reception who will tell you if that is appropriate for the problem you have and will change the Slot.

Appointment Confirmations and Reminders

Appointment confirmation is sent via Text or Email immediately after booking from our Clinical booking system. They will say NHS NO REPLY and will say 'this message is from Charter Medical Centre'.  The system cannot distinghish between PHONE and AT SURGERY appointments. 

Appointment Reminder texts are sent from Accurx 1 week and also 24 hours before your appointment. 

• Unfortunately Accurx does not work with email.
• We have turned off Accurx Reminders for PHONE slots because they do not give an accurate time. 
• We continue to send reminders for AT SURGERY slots.   

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

Same day appointments should only be used for problems which are too urgent to wait for a routine appointment.

During opening hours, if there are 4 callers ahead of you in the Queue that you choose,  you will be offered Q Buster.

If you accept Q Buster, you will keep your place in the queue and a Call Handler will call you back when you reach No. 1 in the queue.

If your number is busy or there is no answer (but NOT if it reaches an answerphone), QB will try again three times at 3 minute intervals.  Your next call to the surgery from the same number will be prioritised that day.

Q Buster clears all calls at 6pm. 

Through our partnership with Brighton and Hove Federation, patients now have access to additional appointments from 18.30 to 20.00 weekdays and 09.00 to 17.00 Saturday and Sunday.  These include remote and face to face GP appointments as well as appointments with a nurse, pharmacist or health care assistant.  Specialist clinics are also being available (e.g. menopause and womens health).  Please refer to the Federations website https://www.brightonandhovefed.co.uk/enhanced-access for updates.  Access to these clinics is by contacting the surgery in the normal way.   These appointments might be held at a different location to the surgery and are subject to availability.Enhanced Access – Appointment Cancellation line: 07540 745728, 9am to 5pm. Please leave a voicemail if the line is closed. 

Brighton and Hove Community Menopause Clinic

The Federation has announced a newly established Brighton and Hove Community Menopause Clinic. The clinic will be staffed by clinicians with additional qualifications in Menopause Care. They will offer specialist assessment, advice, and treatment with the option of face to face and telephone appointments.

Please speak to your practice to book in if any of the following apply:

·         You have difficulty controlling menopause symptoms or side effects with treatment tried

·         You have a contraindication to HRT or risk factors in their medical or family history and have not responded to non-hormonal treatments tried

·         You have a history of breast cancer and would like discussion around management of menopause

·         You are more than 10 years post menopause and wish to commence HRT

·         You have suspected or confirmed Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

Many requests and conditions don't need an appointment which will save you time!

Look at the following information before booking:

Help and Advice - advice and information to help you look after yourself

Self Referral

Do I need a Sick Note or Fit Note ?

Click these links for: Managing your healthcare online using the single NHS Log-in, and the NHS App*

https://www.brightonandhoveccg.nhs.uk/our-priorities/primary-care/improving-access-to-primary-care/managing-your-healthcare-online/#app

https://www.brightonandhoveccg.nhs.uk/our-priorities/primary-care/improving-access-to-primary-care/managing-your-healthcare-online/#FAQs

 the NHS App is different from the NHS Covid-19 App

 If you have already set up an online account with TPP SystmOnline or their Airmid App,  click the link above to book an appointment online. 

If you don't have an online account yet, you can verify your identity and create an online account without visiting the surgery using the NHS App: See the links and Videos at the top of this page. 

Online Booking TIPS

Doctors and Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) can be booked online.

Note that ACPs cannot 

• Issue Sick Notes
• treat pregnancy related problems
• treat serious mental illness
• see babies who have not had their 6 week check with a Doctor
• do Medication reviews

in these cases please book an appointmbent with a Doctor instead.

For Medication Reviews DO NOT BOOK AN APPOINTMENT. Use our online Contact Form.  A Clinical Pharmacist will review and call you if necessary 

• Your GP or ACP slot name says AT SURGERY or PHONE. 
• If you want to change a slot to PHONE please speak to reception who will tell you if that is appropriate. 
• Write a brief reason for your appointment -  this will be visible to surgery staff so you can write 'private' if you prefer. 
• If booking a PHONE slot please write your contact telephone number.
• If you are booking on behalf of somebody you care for please write your name, your role, and your contact number. 
• Please do not book appointments for 'Medicals', forms, letters etc.  This counts as NON NHS PRIVATE  work and you will need to pay in advance (we have a Card reader at the front desk)  & wait 1 week.

Other slots available to book online when invited with our Practice Nursing Team AT SURGERY:  

• Cervical Screen
• NHS Health Check for over 40's without known conditions (every 5 years)
• Child Immunisation
• Flu vaccine (in season)
• Blood tests (when requested by an NHS clinician)

Telephone 01273 770555, Monday to Friday 8:00 to 18:00 

(DO NOT come to the reception desk)

Choose Option 2 for reception, followed by Option 2 for appointments

• Phone lines are answered Monday to Friday
• 8:00 to 18:00 (18:30 for urgent problems).
• It is helpful if you tell reception a short reason for your appointment but you can say it is private if you prefer
• Q BUSTER will be offered when queuing to speak to reception - if there are 4 callers ahead of you in the queue you have chosen, you will be given an option to hang up but keep your place in the queue.  Queue Buster will try three time to ring you back at 3 minute intervals. 
• Reception can also book you an appointment in the Enhanced Access Service which runs at weekends and late nights - see more information above

To request a home visit from a doctor telephone 01273 770555, choose option 2 for reception, then option 1 for home visits.

If you need to see a doctor but are unable to attend the surgery, please telephone before 11:00 on the day that you want the visit if possible. 

Home visits are only for people who are genuinely housebound. This means people who, for medical reasons, cannot use private or public transport to attend the surgery. 

Home visits are made at the discretion of the clinician. A clinician may telephone you first to decide if a visit is necessary.  You may be visited by an advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) instead of a doctor. 

Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) Kerie Henley and Jo Justice can be booked Online and on our Autoattendant. 

They can diagnose, prescribe and refer and should be used like a Doctor  

Except they cannot:

• Issue Sick Notes
• treat pregnancy related problems
• treat serious mental illness
• see babies who have not had their 6 week check with a Doctor

in these cases please book an appointmbent with a Doctor instead.

For Medication Reviews please use our online Contact Form.  A Clinical Pharmacist will review and call you if necessary 

ANPs are NOT part of our Nursing team and must NOT be used for any of the routine Nursing Team appointments listed in the Nursing Team section on this page

Our team now includes a wider range of health professionals who may be suitable for you to consult. See our Staff Page for more details.

The list includes:

• First Contact - Advanced Musculo-skeletal Physiotherapist
• Physician's Associate
• Paramedic
• First Contact - Mental Health Practitioner,
• Social Prescriber
• Clinical Pharmacist

See our Staff Page for more details

 Our Staff

If you are making an appointment try to see the same doctor each time, particularly if it involves an ongoing or chronic condition, as they will know your case better. This is also important if a doctor orders tests for you. It is sometimes difficult to get up to speed with all of your past problems and latest results if the doctor hasn't met you and you will have a better outcome by seeing the same clinician where possible, even if that means waiting a few days. 

PLEASE NOTE: some reviews will be by Telephone appointment. We will ask you to attend only if necessary.   

Telephone 01273 770555 to speak to reception

NEW - December 2022 - we are starting to send Self Book Links to patients for some kinds of Reviews. More information to follow. 

• If you have one or more long-term conditions you will be invited to book a single annual review with a Practice Nurse or our Clinical Pharmacist near your birthday. 
• For some kinds of Annual Review you will be asked to make an appointment with a Health Care Assistant or Phlebotomist before attending an appointment with a Practice Nurse or Clinical Pharmacist.
• Annual Reviews cannot be booked Online or via our Automated Telephone system.  This is because different reviews have different requirements for staff qualifications and length of appointment, and have different pre-appointment instructions.

Please use a Telephone appointment slot if you want a Telephone consultation.  If booking online

• write your contact telephone number next to the appointment  and a brief reason for the booking.
• If you are booking on behalf of somebody you care for please ALSO write your name, your role, and your contact number. 
•  Remember that telephone appointments may sometimes run late, just like face to face appointments.
• Please only book single appointments– if you think you need longer please book via reception.
• Please note that, if Same Day appointments are full and reception book you with the Duty Doctor, your Telephone Appointment may not be listed Online or on Auto-attendant.  Duty Doctor Patients may be consulted in the order of clinical need so there may be a very long wait.

Blood tests must be ordered by an NHS Clinician.

Bookable Online and on our 24 hour telephone booking system.

Blood Tests at Charter Medical Centre:  Must be ordered by Charter Medical Centre clinician - Age 18 and over only

• Blood tests at Charter Medical Centre for Adults at Charter Medical Centre can be booked via our Auto-Attendant, Online or via Reception.  Blood tests must be requested by an NHS Doctor or Nurse.  
• For fasting Blood Tests eat nothing, and drink only water for 12 hours before your appointment. Continue to take your medication as normal.

Blood Tests at Hove Polyclinic must be ordered by a Charter Medical Centre clinician.  Age 16 and over

• For blood tests ordered by a Doctor or nurse at Charter Medical Centre, patients over 16 may book an appointment at the SCFT Community Phlebotomy Service at Hove Polyclinic  

 Hove Polyclinic - Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 3.30pm – maximum 50 appointments per day

Appointments have to be booked in advance via the single point of access on 01273 265580 or via email: 

sc-tr.phlebotomybrightonhove@nhs.net,

These clinics will remain appointment based going forward. Waiting times are currently 2-3 weeks for an appointment,

You will need to take a copy of your Blood Test Referral Form, available from reception.  Please telephone the service for information before attending or click here:  Community Phlebotomy Service.  This service CANNOT do blood test which have been ordered by your hospital doctor or hospital nurse. 

Tests at Royal Sussex County Hospital -  ordered by an NHS Hospital clinician -  Age 16's only 

• Royal Sussex County Hospital 

  Telephone: 01273 696955 extension 62747 before attending

  You will need a copy of your Blood Test Referral Form, available from reception if the test was ordered by Charter Medical Centre.

All Children aged 15 and under 

Royal Sussex County Hospital 

Telephone: 01273 696955 extension 62747 before attending

You will need a copy of your Blood Test Referral Form, available from reception if the test was ordered by Charter Medical Centre.

Referrals, Self Referrals, Self Help, Sick Notes, Test Results, Private fees

Charter Medical Centre is a training practice for GP registrars.

A GP registrar is an experienced doctor who has decided to pursue a career in general practice.

The registrar is usually based in the practice for one year and is fully supervised by one of the doctors who has been trained to teach. You will be informed when booking your appointment if you are seeing the registrar.  You may choose to see a GP rather than a registrar and this will not affect your consultation in any way.

The practice needs to be inspected for this purpose and this involves inspection of the medical records. Only doctors approved for this purpose will do this and they will respect completely the confidentiality of the information.

If you do not wish your notes to be subjected to a confidential review, please let us know in writing, addressing your letter to the practice manager.

Periodically during their training, GP registrars are required to video tape their consultations. This allows for analysis of their consultation skills. These videos are completely confidential and are viewed only by experienced trainers. You will be informed prior to seeing the registrar if a surgery is being recorded and you will be asked for your full consent to the recording prior to seeing the doctor. If you do not wish to be filmed, the camera will be switched off. This will in no way affect your consultation.

Click here to visit the Brighton VTS website.

Trainee Advanced Nurse Practitioners /  Physician's Assistants /Paramedics 

We are a training practice for Advanced Nurse Practitioners / Physicians Assistants /Paramedics . You may be offered an appointment with a trainee.

You will be informed when booking your appointment that you are seeing a trainee, and you may choose to see a different clinician if you prefer.  

Trainees are supervised by Doctors and Advanced Nurse Practitioners.

Medical and Pharmacy Students

Medical and pharmacy students from Brighton University sometimes spend time visiting the practice.

As students, they observe consultations but do not treat patients.

You will be informed if a student is observing consultations and you may choose not to have one present when you see the doctor.

We are following Government advice. 

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For Face to Face (in person) appointments - please our touch screen Check-in Screen on arrival

No need to queue for reception

Please let us know in good time if you cannot attend your appointment.  

You can cancel via:

• Text reply to our appointment reminders
• 24 hour automated telephone system
• Online

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

Please attend your appointment on time, if you are late you may not be seen. If you are not seen you will not be able to rearrange your appointment until the next working day-except in the event of an medical emergency that requires immediate attention.