Appointments & Prescriptions

Blood Tests

a gloved hand holding a test tube filled with liquid

If you have been asked to get a blood test by either the surgery or the hospital, you can schedule an appointment for a blood test with a Healthcare Assistant at our Trinity or Sandal surgeries. If the hospital requested the blood test, please remember to bring the blood form to your appointment.

You can also visit the Wakefield Community Diagnostic Centre at Westgate Retail Park for walk-in blood tests, available Monday to Friday from 8:30 am, with the last walk-in at 3:30 pm. Be sure to bring your blood form to the centre. If the surgery requested the blood test, you can obtain a copy of the blood form at the reception desk at either Trinity or Sandal.

Evenings and Weekends: If you are unable to visit the surgery during the day, you can book an appointment with GPCare Wakefield, which offers evening and weekend slots. Simply call the surgery’s regular telephone number, and one of our reception team members will assist you with the booking.

Shingles Vaccinations

Non-urgent advice: Prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease.

The eligibility for a free NHS Shingles vaccine is changing from the 1st of September 2023

The Shingles vaccine helps protect you from shingles, a common, painful skin disease.

Previously, you could only have the shingles vaccine between the ages of 70 and 79. However anyone turning 65 on or after the 1st of September 2023 is able to get the vaccine after their birthday.

Please note that if you have your 65th birthday before the 1st of September 2023, you will have to wait until you are 70 to become eligible.  Eligibility will then be expanded to include everyone aged 60 and over by September 2033.

Follow this link to download and view the NHS Shingles Vaccination expansion programme schedule for information on when your age group will become eligible
Shingles vaccination – all year round! Eligibility poster (publishing.service.gov.uk)

From September, the shingles vaccine will also be available to those aged 50 or over with a severely weakened immune system.  Immunocompromised individuals who have already received 2 doses of their Shingles Vaccine do not need re-vaccination.

You do not need to get in touch with us to request a shingles vaccine as patients are contacted  when they become eligible.  However if you are eligible and think you may have missed your vaccine, please contact the practice.

The shingles vaccine is given as a single injection into the upper arm. Unlike the flu jab, you’ll only need to have the vaccination once, and you can have it at any time of the year.  

For more information visit the government website Shingles vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Appointments

In hours and out of hours GP access and contact information.

Patient Journey

How do I get a GP appointment?

To request an appointment, you can call us at 01924 784101. If there is a long queue, you have the option to request a callback by pressing “8” on the dial pad. Our phone lines are open Monday-Friday 08:00 – 18:30.

For non-urgent appointments, you can easily request one online through PATCHS by clicking the “Get Started with PATCHS” button on our websites homepage or you can request an appointment through SystemOnline and AIRMID. Online requests can be submitted 24/7, however please note these requests are only monitored between Monday-Friday 08:00 – 16:00.

For urgent health concerns, we kindly ask that you contact us by phone to ensure you receive the necessary care without delay.

You can also visit either of our surgeries at the reception desk to request an appointment if preferred.
Same day appointments are for urgent health issues that need to be dealt with on the same day by one of our clinicians. Please call us if you require an urgent, same day appointment. Your request will be signposted by our care navigators who will either signpost you to the most appropriate service or book an appointment with one of our clinical team.
Routine appointments are for ongoing monitoring of a condition or a new problem that does not need same-day attention. If you need a routine appointment, we will contact you within 48 hours of your request to book you an appointment. Please note that this could take longer during busy periods. If you have requested a follow up from a recent appointment this will be booked directly by the GP. If your condition gets worse during that time though, don’t hesitate to call us.

Your request will be signposted by our care navigators who will either signpost you to the most appropriate service or book an appointment with one of our clinical team.
If you are unwell and it’s something you would usually see your GP about, contact GP Care Wakefield. Call your GP surgery telephone number. If your practice is closed, your call is diverted through to GP Care Wakefield when we are open. All calls are answered by a friendly care navigator who works here in Wakefield, usually within a few minutes. Explain your symptoms as clearly as you can so the care navigator can book you into the relevant clinic or advise you to contact your practice if more appropriate.

The service is open:

Monday to Friday: 4pm – 10pm
Saturday/Bank Holidays: 9am – 8pm
Sunday: 9am – 5pm

For more information and other services offered by GP Care Wakefield click here
Our GP Partners have asked that we ask all patients the reason for their request for an appointment, this is for a number of reasons such as:

Prioritizing Urgency – Some medical conditions require more immediate attention than others, by understanding the reason for your request we can ensure that patients with urgent health concerns are seen as soon as possible.

Direct you to the right professional – If you need to see a specialist or nurse rather than a GP (for instance, a blood test, vaccination) our care navigators can book you in with the correct health professional or signpost you to a more suitible service.

Efficiency – Having an understanding of the reason for your appointment allows the clincian to be prepared for your appointment.

You are not required to provide a detailed explanation for your request; a general description is sufficient, such as “I have a cough” or “I am experiencing chest pain.” If you would prefer to see a clinician of a specific gender, please feel free to mention this when requesting your appointment.

How GP appointments are changing and why?

You may be allocated an appointment with another type of clinician rather than GP if your query or problem is something that they can help you with. This means that you get the right help, first time and often quicker than waiting for a GP appointment.

Our clinical team doesn’t just consist of GPs and Nurses anymore. We have a wide variety of skilled clinicians who can help you – this includes Clinical Pharmacists, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Mental Heath Practitioners and social prescribers to name a few.

Long Term Conditions

What is a Long Term Condition?

Long Term Conditions are those that cannot, at present, be cured, but people living with these conditions can be supported to maintain a good quality of life. This includes conditions such as Diabetes, Asthma, COPD, Hypertension to name a few.

How it works?

1 – Each year, you will be invited for an appointment around your birthday month with a Healthcare Assistant for a face-to-face check-up. This may include blood tests, blood pressure checks, height and weight measurements, and other physical assessments related to your condition.

2 – If needed, the Healthcare Assistant may schedule a follow-up appointment with a nurse who specializes in your condition.

3 – After your check-up, our Pharmacy Team will conduct a structured medication review to ensure your medications are optimized and authorized for repeat prescriptions until your next review.

4 – If you are overdue for a review, we will send multiple reminders throughout the year, usually up to three times, to encourage you to schedule your check-up. If you do not respond after several reminders, your review for that year will be automatically declined. However, you are still welcome to book an appointment at any time, even if your review has been declined.

5 – These invitations will be sent to you every year, typically around your birthday month.

How do I book in?

If you’ve received a notification that you’re due for a long-term condition review, you’ll be sent either a text message or letter inviting you to attend. This may include a booking link, enabling you to schedule your appointment online without calling the surgery. Alternatively, you can call our reception or visit the surgery to book your appointment over the phone or in person.

For patients who are registered as housebound, a home visit will be automatically arranged for their long term condition review and blood tests.

Diabetes

All patients with any form of diabetes should have a regular review by a healthcare professional. If you have not spoken to or seen anyone for over 12 months, please contact us to arrange a review.

Annual Review

For information about how our new annual review process works; click here for more information.

Specialist Treatment

Our specialist diabetic nurse reviews all the diabetes checks done by our nurses and HCA’s, if they feel you need further review or may need a change in medication, she may contact you again to discuss this with you and suggest further treatment.

Prescriptions

Non-urgent advice: Patient Notice

The practice DOES NOT accept repeat prescription requests from pharmacies on behalf of patients unless they have been assessed as eligible for this service by a GP.

This includes online pharmacies ordering on behalf of patients. Please see below for our various methods of ordering prescriptions.

All pharmacies are still able to collect your repeat prescription from the surgery once it has been processed and deliver your medicines to you if they offer these services.

Ordering Your Repeat Prescription

Please allow a minimum of 7 days for your prescription to be processed and issued.This gives us plenty of time to book any medication reviews due or alternative changes due to supply issues so you don’t have to worry about being without.

You can order your repeat prescription in a number of ways with the practice;

Submit a form

Email us

You can email your request to our dedicated prescriptions inbox at wyicb-wak.prescriptions.trinity@nhs.net

Please include your full name, date of birth and name of the prescriptions requried.

Online Services

You can also request using our online services such as PATCHS, AIRMID, SystmOnline or the NHS app. Visit our online services page for more information

By Post

You can post your prescription request to either of our surgeries

Trinity Medical Centre, Thornhill Street, Wakefield, WF1 1PG

Sandal Castle Medical Centre, Asdale Road, Wakefield, WF2 7JE

In Surgery

Both surgeries have boxes in reception where you can put your prescription request forms. Our friendly team are available at the desk to answer any prescription queries. We ask that you wear a mask when entering the surgery.

At our Sandal Castle Medical Centre site there is an external letterbox where you can post prescription requests in without having to enter the surgery. Anyone can drop their prescription request here even if you do not attend this surgery usually.

7 days prior to the due date (earlier if you’re going away,but this needs to be stated on the request). This also gives us plenty of time to book any medication reviews due or alternative changes due to supply issues so you don’t have to worry about being without.
It can take up to 48 working hours upon requesting for your prescription to be issued, however it depends on your pharmacy when it will be available for collection or delivered.
Certain medications require regular monitoring to ensure optimal control of your condition. You may need to come in for regular blood tests, as well as height, weight, and blood pressure checks, to ensure your medication is working effectively.
Nearly all prescriptions will be sent straight to your chosen pharmacy electronically.

For repeat prescriptions this will be the pharmacy that you have nominated by either telling them or notifying us.
For acute prescriptions (i.e. after you have had a telephone consultation with a GP) this can be any pharmacy that is convenient to you at that time. For instance if you are at work or on holiday, let us know, and we can send the prescription to a pharmacy closest to you so that you can collect your medication as quickly and as easily as possible.

Please Note: If you require a delivery service please arrange this directly with your local pharmacy.
Depending on when you ordered your prescription will determine when it should be ready for collection. Providing there are no queries a prescription will be ready in 2 working days (48 Hours)

We strongly recommend contacting your pharmacy if you need to collect a prescription more urgently.
Items that cannot be sent electronically
The list of medications that can be sent electronically is increasing regularly. However, there may still be some items such as appliances that cannot be sent. In these circumstances we will discuss with you the best way to process and send your prescription.
The current NHS prescription charge and more information on who is eligible for help with prescriptions can be found here:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs

You may also benefit from a pre-payment certificate if you need regular medication.

Steroid Injections

Steroid injections, also called corticosteroid injections, are anti-inflammatory medicines used to treat a range of conditions. They can be used to treat problems such as joint pain, arthritis, sciatica and inflammatory bowel disease. 

We offer steroid injections at our facility to patients deemed suitable by our medical team. If you are interested in exploring this option, we encourage you to schedule an appointment for a consultation with our healthcare professionals.

Long Acting Reversible Contraception

If you are considering long-acting reversible contraception, such as a coil or implant, you will first need to consult with a GP to determine the best option for you. After you and the GP have made a decision, you will either be booked for an appointment or added to our waiting list.

We request that patients abstain from sex for 7 days before having a coil or implant fitted. If you are getting a coil, you will need to take a self-swab one week prior to your appointment. You will receive information about this when booking.

For information on the contaceptive implant, click here

For inofrmation on the coil, click here

PreDiabetes

If you have had a recent blood test and been told that you are “prediabetic” this means you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is nothing to worry about yet as it can be prevented with some simple lifestyle changes. You are at risk of diabetes if your blood sugar level is raised above normal levels but is not quite high enough to confirm diabetes. This leaflet will tell you more about Prediabetes (also known as Impaired Glucose Tolerance)

https://patient.info/diabetes/pre-diabetes-impaired-glucose-tolerance

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

If you have been told you are prediabetic read about the lifestyle changes you should make on the Diabetes UK website;

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/preventing-type-2-diabetes/can-diabetes-be-prevented

Lifestyle changes include things like;

  • Eat healthy
  • Move more (this doesn’t necessarily mean strenuous exercise, just starting with a short walk down the road every day could be enough)
  • Lose any excess weight you are carrying. If you are struggling with this please speak to someone in practice.

Know Your Risk

If you don’t have your blood sugar levels (HbA1C) but want to know if you are at risk, complete the Diabetes UK risk survey below to find out your risk score.

https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/?_ga=2.12874420.2059135752.1601728371-804268972.1601728371

Baby Clinics & Childhood Immunisations

Immunisations

It is important that children are given vaccinations on time for the best protection. This starts when they are 8 weeks old and will also include a health check for both mum and baby. For a full list of vaccinations and when they should be given, click this link below to the NHS website:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/

Reminders for vaccinations are sent centrally from NHS England as well as from the surgery. We strongly recommend you contact us as soon as you receive these reminders so that we can try and get you an appropriate appointment.

For tips on vaccinations and how to help your child please see this page on the NHS website;

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/vaccination-appointment-tips-for-parents/

Registering your Baby

It is important to register your baby with the practice as soon as possible after they are born.

The practice will receive a notification from the hospital or community midwives to tell us how you gave birth and if there were any complications for mother or baby. We will then send a letter inviting you to register baby and this will include an appointment for an 8-week check for both mum and baby. It is important that you register baby with the practice before this check so that we can ensure we keep up to date records on health information and vaccinations.

You can register your baby by filling in a paper registration form or online here. You don’t need to have registered the birth of your baby or even have chosen a name for them in order for us to register your baby, we are able to register them as soon as they are born all we require is a registration form filled in by the parent or carer.

8 Week Check

The 8-week check is a thorough physical examination of baby where the GP will check eyes, heart, hips and – for boys – testicles. They’ll also have their weight, length and head circumference measured. The GP will also ask mum about how you’ve been feeling emotionally and physically since the birth of your baby.

A nurse will then discuss vaccinations with you and will administer them if you consent. We recommend you have baby Calpol available to give your baby after their 8-week immunisations to treat any raise in temperature that may occur. A slight raise in temperature completely normal and more information can be found here:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/men-b-vaccine-side-effects/

Red Book

All new babies will be given a personal child health record, this is commonly known as the Red Book.

This record will include all your child’s checks, growth charts, immunisations and will be completed by various healthcare professionals involved in the care of your child. You can also add information to this record yourself such as when they lost teeth, illnesses they have had and medications they have taken.

In light of COVID-19 and to enable a more joined up health record, the NHS now provide the Red Book in digital format online or via the App. We encourage all patients to utilise this instead of the physical red book as this will also reduce infection transmission.

https://www.eredbook.org.uk/

Special Circumstances

We know that not every pregnancy and birth are the same so if there are special circumstances surrounding a birth or pregnancy please contact us as soon as possible so that we can ensure all patients get the right care. This includes things like adoption, fostering or surrogacy.