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Appointments
Book or cancel an appointment at The Docs.
Before you book an appointment
See a pharmacist
Many conditions can be treated without the need to see your GP.
Who to see?
Advice
Please make a selection to reveal who's best to deal with your condition.
Self-care
Help and support available from many National and Local Organisations
Your appointment
However you choose to contact us, we may offer you a consultation:
- by phone
- face-to-face at the surgery
- by video call
- by text or email
Appointments by phone, video call, text or email can be more flexible and often means you get help sooner.
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, video call, text or email
- if you need an interpreter
- if you have any other access or communication needs
Book an appointment
Urgent appointments for today or tomorrow
To speak to a clinician for urgent, same-day medical concerns.
Ways to book
- Telephone: 0161 237 9490 at call-time (main menu, option 2) 11am to 12pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)
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 health professional to help you.
Extended Access
We also have extended access available. See our out of hours information.
Book a routine appointment
Ways to book
For routine appointments with a doctor or a nurse:
We will respond to requests within 1 working day.
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 health professional to help you.
For patients unable to complete a form online, our admin team can complete a form on your behalf, either over the phone or in-person at the reception desk.
Sickness certificates (fit notes)
You must give your employer a doctor's 'fit note' (sometimes called a 'sick note') if you've been ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.
Home visits
Please be aware that our GPs will always call to assess the home visit request first.
If you are too ill to attend the surgery, please contact the surgery before 10:30am. We will ask for a contact phone number so that the doctor can ring to assess the need for a visit.
We ask patients to come into the surgery if possible to take advantage of our on-site facilities. It also ensures that a doctor remains available for other patients.
If you are a patient on the out of area scheme you cannot make appointments for a home visit.
Phone: 0161 237 9490
Cancelling or changing an appointment
Please give us as much notice as possible so we can offer your appointment to someone else.
To cancel your appointment:
- Use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- Reply to the confirmation text message
- Phone us on 0161 237 9490 and select option 1
If you do not attend three appointments without explanation we may remove you from our list.
Appointment reminders
We send appointment reminders through the NHS App or by text and ask that you keep us updated with your mobile phone number. If any of your personal details change, please let us know by completing our online form.
You can reply to the message and cancel your appointment. We need to receive cancellation messages at least 30 minutes before the appointment. If you cancel after this time it will still count as a Did Not Attend.
You will receive a message confirming your appointment one week beforehand. You will get a second message reminding you of the appointment two days beforehand.
If you do not wish to receive any messages from The Docs, then please let us know and we will opt you out of this service.
Out of hours
Enhanced access
In partnership with our Primary Care Network (PCN) we offer late weekday and Saturday appointments across the three practices (The Docs, The Arch Medical Practice & Cornbrook Medical Practice).
We can offer GP, nurse and healthcare assistant appointments.
These can be booked by completing an appointment request form and indicating your preference for an evening or weekend appointment when prompted.
The appointments are usually available as below:
- Monday: The Arch
- Tuesday: The Docs
- Wednesday: The Docs
- Thursday: Cornbrook
- Friday: The Docs
- Saturday: Cornbrook
Life threatening
Call 999 or go to A&E now if:
- you or someone you know needs immediate help
- you have seriously harmed yourself – for example, by taking a drug overdose
A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency.
Urgent but not life threatening
Visit an urgent care centre if:
- You have an urgent medical issue requiring on the day attention
Non-urgent
Use NHS 111 if:
- You need help now, but it’s not an emergency
There will be someone to provide you with advice and to direct you to a clinician if it is necessary.