The receptionists are there to help you but have a difficult job managing the volume of phone calls and enquiries. When phoning for medical attention the receptionist will ask you for a few details. They have been asked to do this by the doctor and it is to ensure that your enquiry is dealt with as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Online booking
Surgery and clinic attendance is by appointment only.
If you are registered for online services you are able to book and cancel selected appointments online Systm Online.
If you have not yet registered you can register online.
Urgent appointments
To request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday) during opening times:
- phone us on The Vernon Street Medical Centre 01332 332812 or The Lanes Medical Centre 01332 332812
Routine appointments
You can request a routine appointment in advance during opening times.
We will respond to requests within 2 working days.
You can also:
- phone us on The Vernon Street Medical Centre 01332 332812 or The Lanes Medical Centre 01332 332812
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App) or Systm Online 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.
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.
Blood tests
If you have been asked to have a routine blood test you must now book online through Swiftqueue.
For further information and how to book please see our blood test booking procedure page.
Extended access
The Vernon Street Medical Centre is working with 10 other practices, as Greater Derby Primary Care Network, to provide an extended access service.
The service is available:
- Monday and Wednesday: 6:30pm to 8pm
There is a wide range of services available from GP appointments along with a range of clinics for minor surgery, dressings, phlebotomy (blood taking), smear clinics and long term condition clinics (asthma, COPD and diabetes).
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.
Did Not Attend (DNA) policy
To ensure all patients receive access to a doctor in a timely manner, each patient that fails to arrive for a pre-booked appointment will receive a letter reminding them of the appointment that was booked and missed. A patient will be advised of our DNA policy once a clinician confirms a patient’s first DNA incident. Any patient that does not attend a total of three times within a 12 month rolling period will be given a written notice to register with an alternative GP practice.
For further information please read our DNA policy in full.
Patients who do not attend for appointment
Presently more than 10% of all appointments to your GP are requested by patients who subsequently do not attend. This is a disgraceful misuse of the appointment system and results in patients, who genuinely need to be seen by their doctor, having to wait longer than they should do. The number of appointments lost is staggering and runs into thousands per year.
The practice has decided that patients who abuse the appointment system will be removed from the practice list.
Cancelling or changing an appointment
If you do not need your appointment with the doctor or nurse it is very important that you cancel so that the appointment can be made available for another patient. At present we offer over 50,000 appointments per year but at peak times we can still struggle to satisfy patient demand. We therefore reserve the right to remove patients from our list who persistently abuse and misuse the appointment systems.
To cancel your appointment:
- use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
- use the GP online system: Systm Online
- phone us on The Vernon Street Medical Centre 01332 332812 or The Lanes Medical Centre 01332 332812 during opening times
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 try to call reception before 10am if you require a home visit. The phone number is The Vernon Street Medical Centre 01332 332812 or The Lanes Medical Centre 01332 332812
You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. The on call GP for the day will assess each request and arrange for the necessary care. This may result in a referral to our city-wide home visiting team, requesting an in person home visit.
You may receive a call back by an ANP or GP before making a home visit to ensure that your request for a home visit is appropriate. Your ANP or GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please note that abuse of the home visit service will mean that you will be removed from the practice list and you will have to register with another practice.
You may also be visited at home by a community nurse, community matron or paramedic if you are referred by your GP.
If you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years you should be visited at home by a health visitor.