Frequently asked questions

You can find all the relevant information about registering with us on our Register with the surgery page

The surgery doors at all four branches of the Ridge Medical Practice open at 8am every morning Monday to Friday. 

Our phone lines open at 8.00am every morning Monday to Friday. 

Our surgery doors close at 6:30pm at our Buttershaw, Horton Bank Top and Wibsey surgeries and at 9.30pm at our Great Horton branch on Cousen Road, Monday to Friday. 

You can find all the relevant information about booking appointments on our Appointments Page

Yes you can use our Systm Connect service to contact us about an appointment online 

In the case of a medical emergency, this is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. Call 999. 

If you need help when we are closed or if you need mental health 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.

You can find all the relevant information about booking appointments on our Appointments Page

The Ridge clinical team is made up of a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians with various specialities and areas of expertise, which means that sometimes the most appropriate clinician for you to see won’t be one of our GPs. 

You can find out more about the various roles within our clinical team in our Ridge Team related Questions. 

If you do need to see a GP for a particular appointment then you can discuss with the Care Navigator, when you arrange the appointment, whether your chosen doctor is available to see you.  

Whether it is your initial GP appointment, a consultation with a specialist at an outpatient appointment or a mental health assessment there are a few things you can prepare in advance that will help you to get the most out of time with the health professional.

Make some notes of things you want to discuss or that you should remember to tell your doctor, such as a list of medicines you use. Take those notes with you on the day and then tick each point off during your appointment.

Do not be afraid to ask questions about things you find unclear. Let the health professional explain it to you until you are sure you understand it. If you like, take someone with you as support.

To cancel your appointment, you have a few options:
1. use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
2. using the GP online system – SystmOnline Login (tpp-uk.com) 
3. phone us on 01274 425 600, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm
4. reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message 

If you do not turn up to an appointment with your GP or hospital consultant, this is called a ‘DNA’ (‘did not attend’). It may not be your fault. But it is a waste of the doctors time and costs the NHS money. So, if you need to miss a GP appointment, please either ring the surgery on 01274 425600, or better still, cancel it on your NHS app.

You can find all the relevant information about ordering prescriptions on our Prescriptions Page

Yes, you will need to choose a pharmacy to collect your prescription from.  We call this nominating a pharmacy. 

You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time:
1. On the app or website where you order your repeat prescriptions
2. At any of our GP Practice reception desks
3. At any pharmacy that accepts repeat prescriptions

You should seek urgent medical advice as soon as possible especially if: 

• It is a rapidly developing reaction, 
• or you feel unwell and feel faint, 
• or your mouth, throat or lungs are affected and you have problems breathing or talking, 
• or you have had previous severe reactions.  

Always call 999 if concerned. You may need adrenaline into your muscle.

If you have questions about your medicine, your local pharmacists can answer these. They can also answer questions on medicines you can buy without a prescription.

The NHS website has information on how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions Go to Medicines A to Z (nhs.uk)

If you would like to speak to someone at the GP surgery about your prescription: 

1. Phone our Care Navigation team after 10am on 01274 425 600 and they will raise the query to our pharmacy team on your behalf.

2. Or fill in a query form using our e-consultation request platform Systm Connect Monday to Friday from 7am.  We will respond within 24 – 48 hours during opening times.

Repeat prescriptions are issued for certain medications prescribed for ongoing conditions. If your doctor puts you on a repeat prescription, this means that you can obtain your medication from the pharmacy without having to visit the GP for an appointment every time you need it.

You can also attend a pharmacy, without the need for a referral, for help with managing minor ailments and for some conditions, the pharmacist may be able to prescribe certain medications such as antibiotics without the need for you to see a GP.  For More Information about the Pharmacy First scheme please see the question “What is Pharmacy First?”

You’re entitled to ask for a referral for specialist treatment on the NHS.  However, whether you’ll get the referral depends on what your GP or other clinician feels is clinically necessary in your case.  If you wish to be referred to a specialist in a particular field, such as a surgeon or a gynaecologist (a specialist in the female reproductive system), you should see, or speak to, one of the clinical team at the surgery.  This is because all your medical records are held by the Ridge Medical Practice.  The clinician you see here also generally understands your health history and treatments better than anyone else and will base any decision for a specialist referral on this knowledge. If you ask your clinician to refer you to a specialist, they’ll probably suggest that you first try various tests or treatment options to see whether your condition improves.  

Generally, you cannot self-refer to a specialist at a hospital within the NHS, except when accessing sexual health clinics or A&E treatment.  A specialist will only see you with a letter of referral from your medical practice.  The letter will give the specialist essential background information, such as your medical history, and it’ll also contain details that the specialist needs to pay particular attention to.

If you’re referred to a specialist, such as an ophthalmologist, you may have the right to choose which hospital in England to go to for your first outpatient appointment.  You may also be able to choose which consultant-led team will oversee your treatment.  This means that if you choose a particular consultant for a procedure, you can choose to have your first outpatient appointment at the hospital where the consultant works and be treated by that consultant’s team.  Find out more about consultant choice.  

Once you have decided on a hospital, you could book your first outpatient appointment through the NHS e-Referral Service.  This can happen in the following ways:

1. your clinician can book it while you’re at the surgery
2. you can book it online using the appointment request letter your clinician gives you
3. you can phone the NHS e-Referral Service line on 0345 608 8888 (open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, and on weekends and bank holidays from 8am to 4pm)
Find out more about patient choice of hospitals

You can find all the relevant information about obtaining a fit (sick) note on our Sick(fit) note Page

Yes, some of these may be available without charge through NHS funding but other more specific ones, such as Yellow Fever and ACWY, are not NHS funded and you will need to pay for them. 

To enquire about booking an appointment with one of our specially trained Travel Health nurses please contact the surgery on 01274 425 600 after 10am Monday to Friday or submit an administrative request through our online service Systm Connect.  

You can find all the relevant information about receiving your test results on our Test Results page

There are a number of different mental health services across Bradford that you can access without needing a referral from your medical practice, you can follow this link for more detailed and up to date information – Mental health | Bradford Council

Updating your personal details with your GP surgery in England is straightforward. Here are a few options you can use:

1. Online through GP Online Services, if you’re registered for online services with SystmOnline , you can log in and update your details there. 
2. NHS App, download the NHS App and log in with your NHS login details. You can manage your account and update your contact information, such as your email address or mobile number. 
3. NHS Digital Service, use the NHS digital service to add or correct your contact details online, follow this link for more information Add or correct the contact details on your NHS record service – NHS England Digital
4. Contact us directly, visit one of our four reception desks at any of our branches or call us on 01274 425 600 after 10am Monday to Friday and speak to a Care Navigator. 

Yes, you can view your GP record information online. To do this you will need to register for online services. You can view your GP health record using the NHS App or by logging into your account on the NHS website or via our other patient online service SystmOnline

For further information please visit View your GP health record – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Firstly, you should tell us if you change your address.  If you do not tell us that you’ve moved there’s a risk that NHS letters giving appointment dates or test results go to the wrong address and we may not be able to provide home visits or other services if you move outside their area.

Once you are moved you should register with a new GP and they will let us know that you’ve moved your care to them.  Your medical records will be transferred from us automatically though this can take up to 28 days.  More information about registering with a GP practice in England can be found here How to register with a GP surgery – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Yes, there are two main Non-NHS Services that we may need to charge you for:

Travel Vaccinations: If you’re planning a trip abroad and need vaccinations not all of these, such as Yellow Fever and ACWY, are covered with NHS funding and may be chargeable.  To enquire about booking an appointment with one of our specially trained Travel Health nurses please contact the surgery on 01274 425 600 after 10am Monday to Friday or submit an administrative request through our online service Systm Connect.  

Medical Reports and non-NHS paperwork: These are mostly chargeable as they need to be done outside of the Dr’s clinical time, for more information you can read our leaflet here

We hope you will always be satisfied with our services but from time to time misunderstandings can happen or things can accidentally go wrong, if you wish to raise a concern to us or to make a complaint then you can send us an email to ridge.feedback@nhs.net outlining the details that you wish us to look into for you.  Or you can contact one of our manager team via any of our four reception desks or on the phone by calling 01274 425 600 after 10am Monday to Friday.  More information about our complaints procedure can be found in our leaflet here.

To provide us with feedback in general, you can also use the same email address ridge.feedback@nhs.net or you can complete a very short, one question survey here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J2XTD6M.  Or you can call in to let us know via any of our four reception desks or over the phone by ringing 01274 425 600 after 10am Monday to Friday. 

Our clinical team is made up of many different roles, this can be confusing at times so here is a list of them with a brief description to better help you find out who is best for you to see:

• General Practitioners – General practitioners (GPs) treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.  
• Advanced Nurse Practitioners – An advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) is a nurse who has completed a master’s degree in clinical practice.  ANPs have diagnostic authority and are trusted to assess, diagnose, manage, and care for patients with complex issues. 
• Physician Associates – Physician associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist healthcare education who work alongside doctors and surgeons providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs work under the supervision of a named senior doctor (such as a named General Medical Council registered consultant or general practitioner) but can work autonomously with appropriate support.
  • First Contact Physiotherapists – First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs) are advanced practitioners working within primary care with extensive expertise in the clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.  FCPs see patients with (suspected or diagnosed) MSK conditions as the first point of contact, instead of a GP, and can be accessed directly by contacting the practice’s reception.
  • Clinical Pharmacists – Clinical pharmacists are highly qualified experts in medicines and can help patients in a range of ways. This includes carrying out structured medication reviews for patients with ongoing health problems and improving patient safety, outcomes, and value through a person-centred approach.
  • Community Matrons – Community Matrons are highly experienced, senior nurses who work closely with patients (mainly those with a serious long-term condition or a complex range of conditions) in a community setting to directly provide, plan, and organise their care. 
  • Social Prescribers – Social prescribing link workers work together with GP Practices to ensure that the wider needs of patients are addressed.  They connect patients to groups, activities, and services in their communities to meet their social, emotional, and practical needs that affect their health and wellbeing.  Social prescribing is a service provided by The Ridge Medical Practice where you can be helped to link with a range of local, non-medical activities, opportunities and support that can improve your health.
  • Mental Health Nurses – The mental health nurse’s role is pivotal in delivering holistic, high-quality care to people of all ages who are experiencing a range of difficulties, emotional distress and/or mental illness.
  • Practice Nurses – Practice Nurses are responsible for the delivery of practice nursing services, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, such as health promotion, chronic disease management, health prevention, well women and well man clinics, as well as supporting the management team in the reviewing of clinical policy and procedure.
  • Healthcare Assistants – Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) assist doctors and nurses by nurturing and supporting patients. Their responsibilities include tasks such as blood pressure management, venepuncture (taking blood samples) recording ECGs, and health promotion (such as diet and lifestyle advice). 
  • District Nurses – The District Nurses provide nursing support to patients who are unable to attend surgery. Patients who are confined to their homes and need nursing assistance may arrange with their doctor for a district nurse to call.
  • Health Visitors – The Health Visitors provide all aspects of health surveillance for babies and their families. They hold weekly child health clinics at all sites and can give advice on health care, particularly for expectant mothers and small children under the age of five.  If you have a problem affecting your health or your child’s health, they can signpost you to sources of help

A Care Navigator (or receptionist) is often the first person a patient meets when they visit one of our surgeries. Their role provides the first point of contact for all patients, and they act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors, and other medical staff. 

Care Navigators are key members of the practice team, they are trained to work with all the resources available to them which may include signposting patients to another service, offering self-help advice or booking with an appropriate clinician in the practice’s multi-disciplinary team. 

The Pharmacy First service adds to the existing pharmacy consultation service and enables community pharmacies to complete episodes of care for 7 common conditions following defined clinical pathways. It includes the supply of appropriate medicines for 7 common conditions including earache, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat, and urinary tract infections, pharmacists will follow a robust clinical pathway which includes self-care and safety-netting advice and, only if appropriate, supplying a restricted set of prescription only medicines without the need to visit a GP.  

If you describe the symptoms of one of these seven conditions when you contact the practice, the Care Navigator will most likely be able to refer you directly to a pharmacist and they will contact you to arrange a consultation, although patients can choose to contact their pharmacy directly without the need for a referral.  

Pharmacies have private consultation rooms that can be used for consultations with patients, and pharmacists can see patients for clinical services without always needing an appointment.  Every pharmacist trains for 5 years in the use of medicines and managing minor illnesses, so they are well equipped to provide health and wellbeing advice to help people stay well. They are also experienced in spotting warning signs, otherwise known as red flag symptoms, which may warrant a referral to another healthcare provider.  After a consultation with the pharmacist, the pharmacy will send a notification to the patient’s GP by the following working day. 

Since the NHS was created in 1948, the population has grown, and people are living longer. Many people are living with long term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease or suffer with mental health issues and may need to access their local health services more often.

To meet these needs, GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital, and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks (PCNs).

PCNs build on existing primary care services and enable greater provision of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care for people close to home. Clinicians describe this as a change from reactively providing appointments to proactively caring for the people and communities they serve.

Each of the 1,250 PCNs across England are based on GP registered patient lists, typically serving natural communities of between 30,000 to 50,000 people (with some flexibility). They are small enough to provide the personal care valued by both people and GPs, but large enough to have impact and economies of scale through better collaboration between GP practices and others in the local health and social care system.

PCNs are led by clinical directors who may be a GP, general practice nurse, clinical pharmacist or other clinical profession working in general practice.

The Ridge Medical Practice is part of The 5 Parks PCN which is made up of The Ridge Medical Practice, Wibsey and Queensbury Medical Practice, Horton Park Medical Practice and Parklands Medical Practice and helps to provide primary care and community services to around 64,000 patients in your local area. 

You can watch a short animation that explains the concept of PCNs and how this new way of working enables health and other services to work together to provide better access for patients. https://youtu.be/W19DtEsc8Ys