Avenue House Appointments

Telephone: 01246 244040

Address: 109 Saltergate, Chesterfield, S40 1LE 

There are several appointments lines into the surgery and when they are busy then there is a short stacking system where you might be asked to hold the line for a few minutes. Our staff always try to answer the lines promptly but there obviously are times when demand is high and short waits are inevitable. The lines are busiest at 8am when the surgery opens.

Please remember that the receptionists have been asked by the GPs to ask you some questions. This is to make sure that they are able to book appointments in an effective manner - for example if you have a problem with your skin they may suggest that you book with a GP with an interest in dermatology. If you have a minor illness you may be seen quicker by our Nurse Practitioner - who is highly trained and able to prescribe.

Please remember that they are just doing their jobs well and not being nosey for the sake of it. They are bound by strict codes of confidentiality. If you feel that you can give us some brief details then that is very much appreciated.

We work hard as a team to provide good appointment availability. We realise how important it is for patients to have quick access to an available appointment slot. We monitor this constantly and we are proud that our lead time for routine appointments is significantly better than the national average. We have increased the number of GP appointments available during the week in an attempt to cope with the increased demand. Routine appointments are usually available within a few days. However, this situation may change during busy periods or around school holidays where staff have taken annual leave. 

For genuinely urgent problems which cannot wait, patients will normally be seen on the same day. However, we do request that patients refrain from requesting this unless there is a genuine urgent need. You may not be able to choose the time of your urgent appointment and patients attending for an urgent appointment may sometimes have a longer wait in the waiting room as very ill patients sometimes need longer with the GP.

Please be aware that specific GPs (such as the GP Partners) are often more in demand so you will normally have a longer delay in the availability of routine appointments with them. If you are willing to see any GP or a nurse practitioner then you will usually be offered an appointment within a shorter time.

The doctors are working with a system of 10 minute appointments. Please bear in mind that if you bring more than one problem to a consultation, it may be difficult for your doctor to manage more than one issue and you may be asked to return to another appointment. If you feel that your appointment needs to be longer, then it is possible to request a double appointment when booking.

Please remember that our Nurse Practitioners have had further specialist training and are available to deal with a range of medical problems. They have 10 minute appointments.

Click here to find out more about Nurse Practitioner Appointments

We are currently offering extended hours for pre-booked appointments with GPs as follows:

• Monday evenings: 18:30 – 20:30 
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings: 07:00 – 08:00.

If you have a query that needs to be discussed with a doctor or a nurse, please call the surgery before 10:00. A message will be left and the relevant person will call back at a later time where possible.