Home visits
Tel: 0191 406 7057
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If you are poorly and think you need an urgent same day visit, please call us before 10.00am on the day. All home visit requests will be medically assessed to check if a visit is appropriate. Always provide a current landline/mobile number so that the Doctor can contact you.

In cases of major injury or critical condition, it may be more appropriate to go directly to your local Hospital Accident & Emergency Department. If an Ambulance is required, dial 999.

Is a home visit the best choice?

We are keen to ensure that we make the best use of our clinical staff, allowing them to provide the most appropriate care to those most in need of it. For the vast majority of patients, attending an appointment at the Practice is the best option for them and for the Practice staff.

The need for a home visit is a clinical decision and will be made by the Triage Doctor taking the call.

Calling the doctor out unnecessarily takes the doctor away from patients who may have a greater clinical need. Most of the consultations during home visits could easily and safely be carried out in the surgery.

Please help us to help you and all of our patients

If we visit you at home and feel that your request was inappropriate, we may inform you so that you use our services more appropriately in the future. Please do not be offended, as we have a duty to use our resources effectively for the safety and benefit of all patients.

Appropriate

  • Truly bedbound patients
  • Patient would come to serious harm if moved
  • Terminally ill patients
Not appropriate
  • Children, young people and anyone who is mobile
  • No transport or money
  • Social reasons or for convenience

Home visits have many disadvantages

  • poor facilities
    soft beds, poor lighting or lack of hygiene
  • inefficiency
    the doctor could see four to six other equally needy patients in the same time
  • patient records
    required to provide appropriate and safe care, are not immediately available
  • patient chaperones
    required to be present for some examinations, are not always available
  • access to equipment
    our surgery has modern diagnostic and treatment facilities not available in your home

GP home visits - myths and facts

MYTHIt's my right to have a home visit.
FACTUnder the GP terms of service, it is actually up to the doctor to decide, in their reasonable opinion, where a consultation should take place.
MYTHI should get a visit because I'm old.
FACTOur clinical work does not judge based on age alone.
MYTHI can't bring my child out in this weather.
FACTNo-one will be harmed by being wrapped up and brought in to the surgery.
MYTHThe doctor needs to check I'm ready to go into hospital.
FACTParamedics can provide initial lifesaving care, and patients will be cared for appropriately in emergency departments.
MYTHI'm housebound.
FACTBeing housebound does not always prevent use of transport.
MYTHCan't the GP just pop in to see me?
FACT We have fully booked surgeries and cannot simply drop everything to visit people at home.

Community Nurses

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You may 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.

0191 406 7057

ewsa88613@nhs.net

East Wing Surgery
(Drs Zaidi, Salaudeen & Pillay)
Palmer Community Hospital
Wear Street
Jarrow
Tyne and Wear NE32 3UX

Opening times

The practice is open 8.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday. We are closed on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

When we are closed

If you need medical help, which is not an emergency dial 111. If it is a life-threatening emergency dial 999.

Practice leaflet

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This website updated 04/11/2024