Appointments

How to make an appointment

To make an appointment phone reception on 01307 462316 between 8am-1pm and 2pm-6pm, Monday to Friday.

Patient requests for appointments are assessed to make sure that your needs are responded to promptly by the most appropriate health professional.

Here's how our telephone triage system works:

  • Your details will be taken by the receptionist (your name, date or birth, nature of your call) and passed to a GP or Nurse Practitioner who will call you back. This way, we can assess the urgency of your call and direct your call to the most appropriate person.
  • You can obtain advice by phone and, where appropriate...
  • We plan and allocate an appropriate time for your face-to-face appointment.

Clinicians are available throughout the day so you don't need to call at 8am.

If the GP or Nurse Practitioner is assisting another patient when you call, the receptionist will take some details from you – your name, date of birth, and nature of your call - and the clinician will call you back. This way, we can assess the urgency of your call and direct your call to the most appropriate person.

Please telephone the surgery to cancel if you are unable to attend an appointment. Your appointment slot can then be offered to another patient. Please refer to our DNA policy.

Telephone appointments

The initial telephone contact with your GP or Nurse Practitioner is often suitable to deal with most issues. If your GP or Nurse Practitioner feels that is appropriate to ask you to have a telephone appointment or attend for a face to face review they will organise a date and time with you.

Please be aware that our telephone numbers are now withheld for confidentiality purposes and will appear as a "blocked number".

Video appointments

The practice is using Near Me, a video consulting service that enables you to have health care appointments from home or wherever is convenient. All you need is a device for making video calls like a smartphone and an internet connection. Near Me is a secure form of video consulting approved for use by the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland.

Near Me video consulting is not suitable for all consultations, for example, if you need a physical examination or a procedure. Reception or your doctor or nurse can advise whether it is appropriate for you.

When you have a scheduled video appointment, you enter the online waiting area at the appointment time. We are notified when you arrive, and your doctor or nurse will join you when ready. You do not need to download an app or create an account.

Further information is available in our video call leaflet.

Once you have been given a time for your video appointment, simply go to https://nhsattend.vc/academyst. Please DO NOT enter the waiting room without a pre-arranged appointment.

Extended opening Tuesday

The practice offers extended hours appointments on a Tuesday morning from 7.30.am - 8.30am.

This service is offered to patients whose work commitments preclude them from attending during normal surgery hours.

These appointments must be booked in advance by your case manager, during our normal opening times from 8am-1pm and 2pm-6pm, Monday to Friday. The surgery will not be open for making new appointments, repeat prescriptions etc, and the telephone will be on divert to NHS 24 for any emergencies during these times.

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Appointment Information

Recording of Calls

All telephone calls are recorded and we take great care to maintain patient confidentiality. Find out more about our policies and procedures.

Caller Withheld

Please note that all outgoing calls from the surgery will be displayed as caller withheld, if your telephone does not accept this please inform the receptionist of this at the time you call.

Third Party Consent

If you wish us to speak to a family member or carer please ensure you have completed a third party consent form.

Chaperones

If you would prefer to have another person present during your appointment for intimate examinations please let your doctor or receptionist know and they will be happy to make arrangements.

Interpreter Services

If you require the services of an interpreter please let us know when booking your appointment so that we can arrange an interpreter or link up with the translation service language line, a confidential service allowing easier communication.

Opening Hours

The practice is open from 8am-1pm and 2pm-6pm, Monday to Friday.

We participate in the public holiday closure timetable as agreed by NHS Tayside for General Practice.

Out-of-hours

Out-of-hours care is provided by NHS24 and they can be contacted by telephoning 111. Find out about NHS24.

Text Message Reminders

When you make an appointment we send you a text message reminder on your mobile phone, at the time of booking and early morning on the day of your appointment.

If you have requested a telephone appointment, please note that the system will still send you a text reminder for this on your mobile phone, but remember not to attend the surgery! The doctor will telephone you on the number you provide.

Please ensure that we have a correct contact telephone number for you, or complete the change of contact details form.

Self Check-in

The Practice has installed a patient operated self checking-in system - saving you and us time! You will find it near reception.

The Self Check-In

Find your local services

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Academy Medical Centre

We are one of the largest GP practices in Tayside, Scotland, with approximately 10,000 patients on our list.

The surgery is open Monday to Friday from 8am-1pm & 2pm-6pm (except public holidays).

Academy Medical Centre
Academy Street
Forfar
DD8 2HA
Tel: 01307 462316
Email: academymc.tayside@nhs.scot