All GP/patient encounters are by appointment only.
Contact us with PATCHS
You can contact a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional online using a website called PATCHS.
Urgent appointments
If you have a problem that you feel cannot wait, we will try to see you on the same day though you may not see the doctor of your choice or you may be signposted to an alternative service. You may alternatively be offered an extended hours or improved access clinic appointment outside of the usual practice opening hours.
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- use the PATCHS service
- phone us on 0151 511 5672
Routine appointments
To request a routine appointment in advance during opening times:
- use the PATCHS service
- phone us on 0151 511 5672
- 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, the staff will ask you a series of questions to navigate you to the correct clinician.
Routine appointments are available:
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5:35pm
- Thursday, 9am to 12pm
Get medical advice from a nurse
To ask a non-urgent medical question:
- fill out an ask a nurse a question form
We will respond within 2 working days during opening times.
Telephone consultations
If you wish to speak to a clinician rather than attend the surgery please book a telephone appointment, if your problem is something the GP can deal with over the phone, a clinician will ring back or they may ask you to book an appointment.
Unfortunately we cannot guarantee a time for the telephone consultation but it is likely to be sometime between 9am and 5:30pm.
Other ways to get help
Enhanced access
Evening and weekend appointments
The enhanced access service is available Monday to Friday from 6.30pm to 9pm and Saturdays 9am to 5pm. We also offer availability on a Tuesday morning for GP clinics, 7am to 11am.
We are pleased to offer a range of different appointment types ranging from GP clinics, ANP clinics, podiatry, physio, mental health, social prescribing and practice nurse clinics.
- Monday 6:30pm to 9pm – GP & ANP appointments
- Tuesday 7am to 11am – GP appointments
- Tuesday 6:30pm to 9pm – GP, ANP & social prescribing appointments
- Wednesday 6:30pm to 9pm – GP, ANP, social prescribing and pharmacy appointments)
- Thursday 6:30pm to 9pm – GP appointments
- Friday 6:30pm to 9pm – GP appointments
- Saturday 9am to 5pm – a variety of face to face appointments offered at a choice of Rainhill Village Surgery and Spinney Medical Centre
The face to face appointments on Saturdays will be held at the following venues:
- Rainhill Village Surgery 529 Warrington Road, Rainhill L35 4LP
- The Spinney Medical Centre, Whittle Street, St Helens Merseyside, WA10 3EB
St Helens GP rota
For urgent medical attention out of hours please phone the St Helens GP rota service on 01744 673800.
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.
The clinicians at our practice make every effort to run on time however this is not always possible. Some patients may need longer than the allocated appointment time causing surgeries to run late. The practice asks for your patience in these situations as next time it may be you who needs longer.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you cannot make your appointment please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to another patient.
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Patient Access
Unfortunately a number of patients book appointments and then do not attend without cancelling. This behaviour denies other patients access to our clinicians. The practice monitors these patients and persistent abusers may be asked to change surgeries.
If you need help when we are closed
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.
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
Please only ask for a home visit if it is strictly necessary and the patient is genuinely too ill to come to the surgery.
If you feel a home visit is required please give the receptionist full details of the patient, the address, phone number and the nature of the illness. When the condition does require a home visit, please try to give notice before 10am on the same day as the visit is required.