Contact us with PATCHS
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called PATCHS.
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- use the PATCHS service
- phone us on 01744 882855
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
Your request will be triaged by the on-call GP who will then decide the course of action needed. In order that we can maintain this system, we ask you do not insist on an urgent appointment unless you are in significant discomfort, or you feel your problem cannot wait for the next routine appointment.
We cannot guarantee that you will see a particular doctor if you attend as a matter of urgency.
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- use the PATCHS service
- phone us on 01744 882855
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Patient Access to book an appointment, screening test or vaccination
When you get in touch, we’ll ask what you need help with.
We will use your answers to choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or healthcare professional to help you.
For routine appointments, you may consult the doctor of your choice.
Late appointments
Rainford Health Centre offers late GP appointments on a Tuesday and Wednesday evening, and practice nurse appointments on a Wednesday.
Please note these are for routine pre-booked appointments only. No urgent cases will be seen. The reception area and the telephone lines will close at 6:30pm
Occasionally, due to staff holidays, we may need to change these sessions. Patients will be notified of this in advance via the practice website.
Enhanced access
Additional access to primary care services on weekday evenings and a Saturday, are now available. To book an appointment please telephone the surgery on the main surgery number 01744 882855 and speak to our reception staff.
There are a range of clinicians and services on offer providing both faces to face and telephone appointments.
You will be seen by a local clinician, who will not necessarily be from your GP practice. ANP, nurses, pharmacists and podiatrists will be available
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face to face at the surgery
- on a video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call or by text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
We are a training practice, and we offer appointments with our specialist trainee doctors. These are fully qualified doctors who are training in primary care for periods of 6 to 12 months. They are fully supported by their respective trainer throughout their time here. If you feel that your problem is of a more complex nature or a long-term condition you may feel it more appropriate to book with a substantive member of the team just to aide continuity. However, these trainee doctors are the GPs of tomorrow and do need to gain experience in all aspects of primary care.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason let us know as possible for us to give the slot to someone else.
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Patient Access
- phone us on 01744 882855 during opening times
If you need help when we are closed
Out of hours service
Patients requiring urgent visits should use the main surgery phone number, 01744 882855 at all times.
A message on the answering machine will give you the number of the deputising service. Patients fit to travel may be asked to attend an out of hours centre.
Other sources of help
NHS 111
If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.
NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.
Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Walk in centres
You can visit walk-in centres without an appointment for minor injuries and illnesses.
In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.
If you need help with your appointment
Please tell us:
- if there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
- if you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Home visits
Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:30am.
You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and the GP will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls.
You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.