IMPORTANT UPDATE (Monday 3rd June 2024)
The General Practice Urgent Assessment Service has now reached the end of it's "test and learn" pilot and the team are reviewing the future of the service provision.
If you have recently visited the service, please continue to contact your normal surgery to discuss your medical conditions.
The General Practice Urgent Assessment Service (GPUAS) provides an enhanced level of care to those who need to be seen urgently but do not necessarily need to be sent to hospital.
The service has access to enhanced diagnostics including medical imaging and point of care blood testing, with results that are available during your appointment.
The service is able to provide key interventions beyond that usually offered by your registered surgery.
The service is for patients of
- Buttercross Health Centre & Ilchester Surgery;
- Crewkerne Health Centre & West One Surgery;
- Hamdon Medical Centre; and
- Martock Surgery & South Petherton Medical Centre.
Patients have to be referred by their surgery to use the Urgent Assessment Service
Where to find us...
The service is based out of a dedicated space at Martock Surgery, Church Street, Martock, TA12 6JL.
By Car: The surgery is easily accessible from the A303, exiting just west of the Cartgate Services roundabout and following Stoke Road towards Martock. Once you approach Martock, drive towards and past the Church on your left, the turning for Martock Surgery will be almost immediately on your right, just after you have passed the Well Pharmacy.
There is parking available on site at the surgery and you are free to park anywhere that is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following contact to your registered surgery, the practice team reviewing requests and problems have considered that you would benefit from the services provided by the GPUAS.
Practices will refer patients to be seen by the GPUAS if they are very unwell and on-the-day testing (such as bloods or x-rays) would support their care and possibly prevent onward escalation – this is because it is much better wherever possible to support care close to home.
The practice team will determine based on the problem/condition you submit whether your care would be best placed for the GPUAS.
As always, please provide as much information to the practice team when you are calling or submitting requests online to help them decide where your care is best placed and with who.
This is not a walk-in service and patients must have a booked appointment with the GPUAS. Booked appointments are only available via your registered surgery.
If you are unable to get to Martock Surgery, your normal practice team will continue to deal with your acute problem as they previously have.
As with our surgeries, the GPUAS is run and managed by a highly experienced team of healthcare professionals that work collectively to provide the best care to our patients.
In particular there are doctors, advanced care practitioners and nurses that provide care within the GPUAS.
These individuals will have the training and expertise to support patients with the testing and treatment that may take place as part of your referral and appointment.
Depending on the outcome of your appointment, the GPUAS team will inform you as to any next steps or referral onward to community services or hospital departments and/or consultants.
As this service is part of your registered surgery, your registered surgery will also be aware of the outcome of your appointment.
