FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on the questions below for more information about The Walcote Practice.

If your query is not answered, please see our Patient Leaflet or contact reception on 01962 828715.

Why choose private GP healthcare at The Walcote Practice

At The Walcote Practice, you will have quick access to excellent medical careat your convenience.

We offer primary medical consultations and treatment within 48 hours, same day where possible, with a familiar doctor at times to suit you. Our appointments last for as long as you need and our GPs are able to address more than one health concern in the same appointment. We have clinic appointments and home visits available both within and outside of standard working hours.

Our doctors at The Walcote Practice will often be able to arrange more rapid initial investigations and referrals and hopefully allay health concerns, or commence treatment, faster than may otherwise be possible.

The Walcote Practice also offers you greater healthcare choices by providing a host of important additional medical services, including many no longer offered by all NHS GP practices such as a range of vaccinations, minor skin surgery and pain-relief injections for joints or soft tissue.

Our approachable and professional team offers outstanding client service and we look forward to providing you with tailored healthcare for your individual medical needs, at your convenience.

What maternity services does The Walcote Practice offer?

At The Walcote Practice we offer the full range of usual GP antenatal services, including comprehensive antenatal checks with foetal heartbeat monitoring. Care is doctor-led and antenatal scans take place privately at a local hospital. Please click here to learn more about our maternity services.

How much does an appointment cost?

This will depend on the length of your appointment. Please refer to our Schedule of Fees for more information.

What if my appointment overruns?

If more time is required for your appointment, we will endeavour to make this available to you. We will charge an extra cost for the extra time required.

Can I pay for my consultation and treatment at The Walcote Practice with my private medical insurance?

It would be unusual for most insurance policies to cover the cost of private GP care, but please do check with your individual insurer. Some insurance policies will cover the cost of referrals for imaging tests requested by your private GP.

The purpose of The Walcote Practice Annual Healthplan is to enable you to spread lower payments throughout the year to cover you for your private GP healthcare with our doctors. Please click here for more details about our Annual Healthplan which offers reduced costs in many areas of primary healthcare.

If you require onward referral, the costs of consultations and treatment with hospital consultants and allied health specialists would usually be covered by standard medical insurance policies. Again, please do check with your individual insurance provider.

Will I be given an NHS prescription (green FP10)?

Our GPs will issue you with a private prescription. This document is valid at any pharmacy. Whilst the cost of the medication will vary, it is often less than the prevailing NHS prescription charge. Should you wish, we are able to monitor your repeat prescriptions and more expensive medications by shared care agreement with your NHS GP.

If you wish to order a repeat prescription through The Walcote Practice, please call reception on 01962 828715 or email info@thewalcotepractice.co.uk. When emailing a repeat prescription request, please include the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Name of each medication along with dose and duration

Prescriptions are issued electronically (by email and text) as a prescription ‘token’ which you can present to any pharmacy nationwide for dispensing. Should you need it posted or would like to collect instead, please state this at the time of ordering. The doctor may need to see you or speak with you before issuing the prescription. Please allow 1-2 working days to process prescription requests.

Are you able to refer me to the NHS rather than private specialists and consultants?

If you would prefer to be seen by an NHS, rather than a private, specialist please let us know. With your permission, we are happy to make the details of your consultations at The Walcote Practice and your test results available to your NHS GP, who can then decide if they wish to refer you to an appropriate NHS specialist. Having the initial tests organised through The Walcote Practice will still save you a lot of time in reaching specialist care.

Will seeing a private GP affect my relationship with my NHS GP?

You are able to register with both a private and an NHS GP, giving you greater healthcare choices. If you decide to use the private GP services at The Walcote Practice, it is still sensible to remain registered with your NHS GP. This enables you to choose who you would like to see at any particular time, or for any particular medical condition, and entitles you to GP Out Of Hours care through NHS 111.

We are happy to make the details of your consultations and test results available to your NHS GP if requested. However, consultations and results of tests undertaken with The Walcote Practice will only ever be relayed to your NHS GP with your permission and they will remain confidential if this is your preference.

Are The Walcote Practice surgeries accessible?

Our branch surgery, located at Chilcomb Park on the outskirts of Winchester, is situated in a fully accessible state-of-the-art building.

The main surgery of The Walcote Practice is housed in a Grade II listed building (Southgate Chambers in central Winchester), accessed via six steps from street level. We regret  there are no available disabled toilet facilities in this building.

Both buildings have hearing loops available for use.

As we are committed to making The Walcote Practice accessible to as many people as possible, we are able to provide home visits at little extra cost (including for an Annual Health Check) if your condition means you cannot attend The Walcote Practice in person. Pre-arranged home visits can be made to people living within a 20 minute drive of Winchester city centre.

Do you provide a 24 Hour Service at The Walcote Practice in Winchester?

The Walcote Practice is able to offer scheduled appointments early morning and late evening at our weekday clinics and during our weekend clinics. For your convenience we are also open on selected Bank Holidays. Please contact reception for details on 01962 828715.

We do not currently provide a full 24 hour GP service. For this reason, we encourage you to stay registered with your NHS GP so that you are able to access GP care during all other periods.

To access the GP Out of Hours Service, please contact NHS 111 by dialling 111.