Understanding the NHS Health Service
The NHS works differently from many healthcare systems around the world. This guide explains how NHS services are organised and what patients can expect from your General Practice at Stokes Medical Group.
What your General Practitioners (GPs) can help with.
GP practices support patients with routine care and non-urgent issue
GPs can provide help for
- Ongoing or long-term medical conditions
- New or worsening symptoms
- Mental health concerns
- Medication reviews
- Vaccinations
- Management of long-term conditions like diabetes, heart disease, asthma or COPD.
We are not an emergency service and do not treat minor injuries.
- For medical emergencies, please contact 999.
- Go to your local Accident and Emergency service for serious illness or injury.
- For minor injuries, please contact the Southmead Hospital Minor Injury Unit (MIU).
- Call 111 for urgent medical advice when it’s not an emergency.
- Out of Hours service contact details: Access by calling 111, who can arrange out-of-hours GP care.
- 111 online for advice, symptom checking, and guidance on where to get the right care.
When to use your local pharmacy
Many common conditions should be treated by a pharmacist and do not require an appointment with a GP. If the pharmacist cannot help you, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional.
Pharmacies can help with:
- Coughs, colds and sore throat.
- Hay fever
- Shingles
- Sinusitis
- Infected insect bites
- Ear infections
- Aches and Pains
- Emergency contraception
- Advice about medicines
- How to use your medicine
- Worried about side effects
- Any other questions
How to request an appointment at Stokes Medical Group
We use a service called Anima to collect patient information so that we can direct you to the most appropriate service. This can be found at our website : Anima
Please ensure that you provide full and accurate information so that we can respond quickly.
All requests for GP appointments are added via Anima. If you are unable to complete it yourself, please either phone us or ask a friend to contact us so that your details can be taken. We are unable to translate and complete Anima requests for you at reception.
What the NHS does not cover
At the Practice, our GPs cannot provide the following services:
- Dental care – GPs cannot treat dental problems. We will refer you to NHS dental services or your registered dentist.
- Eye care – we will refer you to your optician for assessment and treatment. Opticians manage most eye issues. Some opticians provide NHS-funded urgent eye care.
- Private prescription for travel – We will refer you to a travel clinic or pharmacy that provides private travel vaccinations and medications.
- Insurance and fitness certificate – this will require a cost. See Non-NHS services – Stokes Medical Group for prices.
- Cosmetic procedures
- Routine blood tests or scans requested by private providers
NHS vs Private Care referrals
NHS referrals: For conditions needing specialist treatment, we can refer you onto NHS hospital services. There are strict criteria for referrals that must be met and so we may not be able to refer you for certain conditions or where your symptoms do not meet the criteria. Waiting times depend on local services. Patients usually cannot choose a private provider and have it covered by the NHS.
Once a referral has been made, you will receive communication from the hospital / specialist service. Queries about wait times for appointments need to be made with the provider.
Private referrals: Patients pay for the appointments, investigations and treatment. Wait times are usually shorter. The GP may provide a referral letter, but the patient arranges and funds all the care. Private care does not speed up an NHS referral and follow up tests recommended by private services may not be able to be undertaken by the NHS.
