Telephone Advice

All Doctors are happy to speak over the telephone. If you need to speak to a doctor over the phone, please ring reception on 0118 969 0160 from 08:00 and we will book a telephone call in and a Doctor will call you back.

Make an Appointment

Please view our practice opening hours

Telephone: 0118 969 0160

Patient Service
Did you know that in a normal week The Loddon Vale Practice Offers:

• 1005 face-to-face Doctor appointments including evening appointments (plus 18 extra appointments are available at the monthly Saturday clinic)
• 695 face-to-face Nurse appointments
• 343 Telephone appointments, and
• 40 Minor Operations?
• This is equivalent to seeing 13.2% of our entire patient list every week.
• Sadly, 5% of appointments are wasted by patients not attending their booked appointments, including urgent appointments. If you cannot attend your appointment for any reason, please let the Practice know as soon as possible so that it can be given to another patient.

Our Appointment System

It is very frustrating for you to see a different doctor every few weeks for the same problem. We, as doctors, also realise how annoying this is, also not good for your medical care. We have introduced more appointments. What is important is that yours and the doctors’ time are used properly, to benefit you the most. Mainly this means making sure you get to see the right doctor, which is the one who is most familiar with the problems you are seeking help with. Many people value seeing their own doctor for all of their problems, we will try and meet this need as well. You will never be asked if your problem is an emergency. If you feel you need seeing promptly, that’s good enough for us. We will always offer you an alternative if we cannot meet your request.

The receptionists will need to get a good idea with whom to make your appointment if you need one. We have asked them to ask you more closely about your needs. Detail is not needed, what they will ask is what sort of problem you need help with, this is to assess what type of clinician you need to see.

Please be assured all staff fully understand about confidentiality, you should have no concerns about helping them with their enquiries.

Home Visits

Experience has taught us that home visits are very time-consuming and we ask that if, at all possible, you try to come to the surgery where facilities for investigation and treatment are far better. The surgery is central to the practice area and, as a general rule, you will be seen more quickly by coming to the surgery than waiting for a home visit. Also, do remember that feverish children can be brought to the surgery. Please help your doctor plan their list of home visits efficiently by making your requests (telephone 0118 969 0160) before 10.30am and we will endeavour to see the patient as soon as possible.

Results of Investigations

The results of investigations (blood tests etc) take several days to be returned to the practice. When they arrive back in the practice, the doctor has to see and action them before they are made available to reception for giving out to patients.

If your doctor tells you to telephone the surgery for the results of certain tests, please allow five working days from the date of the test. The results service is available between 11.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday on 0118 969 0160. In order to maintain confidentiality, results will only be given to patients themselves or to the parents/legal guardians of minors.

Minor Surgery Unit

We have a custom-built and superbly equipped minor surgery suite on the premises. Our standards are such that we are an approved provider of secondary care minor surgery for local Primary Health Care Trusts and currently carry out a range of minor operations on behalf of the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

All our GPs carry out simple minor surgical procedures in the surgery and Dr Omid Entekhabi-Fard leads a team of GPs who have special skills in more complex minor surgical procedures. Our waiting time to the operation is short and, as well as saving you time, this service saves you a couple of trips to the hospital.
If you have a minor skin lesion that concerns you, please see your GP who may refer you to the unit.

The unit is also able to provide a male sterilisation service (vasectomy under local anaesthetic).This service is accessed through your GP on the NHS or privately.