Online appointment booking is not available at present.

Demand for healthcare within all sectors of the NHS is currently exceeding capacity.   At The Whins Medical Practice we try our best to ensure that people are able to obtain help from our healthcare staff in a timely manner.   However, this can be challenging for everyone at times.   Please help us by booking the most appropriate appointment for your needs, and by telling us when you no longer need an appointment.  

Practice staff will ask you for some general information to help you to see or speak to the most appropriate person in the practice. This may not always be with a doctor, but with another member of the health care team, pharmacists, mental health nurses, physiotherapists, general practice nurses, or advanced nurse practitioners who may be available to help.

Making an Appointment

To make an appointment at The Whins Medical Practice, please phone 01259 216701.  Your telephone call to reception may be recorded for Training and Development Purposes.

Please telephone the practice in the first instance to arrange a consultation.

There are many different health professionals working from The Whins Medical Practice, and they offer different types of consultations.  To help enable you to get the most appropriate care, our admin team have been asked to enquire about the reason for your appointment.  Receptionists are NOT trying to be doctors or make medical assessments, they are merely trying to gain as much information as possible to allow them to signpost you to the correct person to deal with your issue. They are bound by confidentiality in the same way as other NHS staff.  Please give them as much information as you are able to, in order that they may help you. 

We offer a comprehensive appointments system with a range of appointments running from 8am - 6pm with an early morning surgery beginning at 7.30am every Thursday.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MANAGE TO KEEP AN APPOINTMENT PLEASE TELEPHONE IN PLENTY OF TIME TO CANCEL THE APPOINTMENT IN ORDER TO ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO USE THE SLOT.  TO CANCEL AN APPOINTMENT PLEASE PHONE 01259 216701

Due to time constraints ONE GP appointment is for ONE patient for ONE problem. If you require to be seen for more than one problem please ask the receptionist for a double appointment.

Extended Hours Available Appointments

We have early morning appointments running from 07:30 to 08:30 every Thursday.

On the Day Consultations

There are allocated “on the day” appointments throughout the day for any medical issue that can’t wait until a routine appointment.

Online Booking Appointments  (CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE)

As well as phoning or coming in to the Practice appointments can now be booked online. EMIS Access is an appointment booking service available online now. Please ask at reception for registration.

Telephone consultations

The doctors are happy to give advice to you over the phone. Please arrange a suitable time with the receptionist. When you have to phone for a test result please telephone 01259 216701 (option 4) between 2pm & 4pm.

Emergencies – Tel 01259 216701 (option 1) or 999

There is nearly always a medical professional in the practice; if not the reception will contact the duty doctor and ask them to return to the Health Centre.

In a medical emergency do not delay in contacting the emergency services.

You can also complete our appointment cancellation notification request form. This can only be used if your appointment has been arranged for more than 24 hours in advance (excluding weekends and public holidays). 

If you need help when we are closed

Click here for information about advice and assistance available when we are closed.

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 clinician by phone, face-to-face or by video call 
• If you need an interpreter - must be booked in advance and a double appointment would be required
• If you have any other access or communication needs

Although a traditional part of general practice, home visits are time consuming. Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time it takes to make one home visit.  So please help us to help you and our other patients by visiting the surgery when ever possible.

Home visits are reserved for the following groups of patients:

• Terminally ill
• Housebound
• Patients who are severely ill in bed

Please request visits before 10.30pm whenever possible as this allows the Duty Doctor to assess the request for necessity and urgency so that it can be appropriately managed.  In some situations the Duty Doctor may arrange assessment by another member of the community team e.g. District Nurse.

The following ARE NOT valid reasons to perform a home visit:

Transport issues for the patient

It is not the GP practice responsibility to arrange transport, or to perform home visits because the patient has difficulty arranging transport.  In these circumstances patients should seek transport help from relatives, friends or taxi firms.

Childcare issues for the patient

If a patient has difficulty arranging for someone to care for their children whilst attending appointments, the patients are welcome to bring their children to the surgery.

Poor mobility

Whilst it is understood that having poor mobility is inconvenient and unpleasant, GP surgeries are designed to cater for patients with restricted mobility.  If patients are able to attend appointments at other healthcare settings, then they should also be expected to attend appointments in GP surgeries.

An unwell child

It is in the best interest of the child to attend the surgery where they can be properly assessed and treated.  The clinician can make a more informed clinical judgement when seeing the child in surgery.

Residents of care homes

Care home residents are no different from patients in their own homes. The need to visit should be based on clinical need, not the availability of transport or staff to attend the surgery.  It is the responsibility of care facilities to make transport available for residents so that they can get to medical and non-medical appointments.

If you would like to enquire about a hospital appointment at Forth Valley Royal Hospital please telephone 01324 566249 or email fv.rtt@nhs.scot

You can also cancel, rearrange or reschedule a hospital appointment via this link Cancel or change appointment

Patients who have a medical mobility may be able to access patient transport to take them to hospital appointments. If you believe that you meet the criteria and require transport please phone the patient transport request number 0300 123 1236 as soon as you have been notified of your appointment (whenever possible, no later than 4 working days before your appointment.

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

Complete our SMS Reminder Form

It is practice policy to offer a chaperone. Please do not be offended should we do so. The decision to have a chaperone present is entirely yours and you may request one at any time.

If you're planning to travel outside the UK you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world.

View the NHS Travel Vaccination Advice