Area Covered:
Galashiels and surrounding area
Staff List:
Dr Gillian M Arbuckle (GP)
Dr Gillian Montgomerie (GP)
Dr Jane Clifford (GP)
Dr Vikas Das Mahesh (GP)
Making an appointment:
01896 661350
Non-Urgent Consultations - we prefer to consult by appointment as this allows us to organise our working day more effectively and avoids you having to wait for long periods. We aim to enable anyone requiring a non-urgent consultation to be seen within 3 working days.
Urgent Consultations - We recognise the need to make special arrangements for patients requiring to be seen quickly. If you are particularly worried, it is sometimes helpful to let the receptionist know a little bit about your problem, so that the Doctor can determine what special arrangements are necessary. Some appointments are kept each day for urgent problems, or a receptionist may ask you to discuss the problem by telephone with a doctor. However, in that event, it may not be possible for you to see the Doctor of your choice.
Out of hours:
During the week, one Doctor for the Practice is on duty during the day for urgent problems. At night and weekends we share emergency cover with other Border Practices, this service is known as "BECS". Patients wishing to be seen during these times should telephone the NHS 24 helpline on 111. Please only call if your condition is urgent.
Home visits:
Non-urgent house visits are only for the housebound, or those too ill to travel. Please note that a doctor can see at least 4 patients at the surgery in the time taken for an average home visit. If you require to be seen, but cannot get to the Health Centre, you will normally be visited on the day the visit is requested, provided the request is received before 10:30. Later requests for non-urgent visits may have to be postponed until the next day if we are busy.
Urgent Visits will, of course, be accepted at any time. However, if they are received after 10:30 they will normally be dealt with by the Duty Doctor, who may not be your doctor of choice.
Repeat prescriptions:
Patients receiving regular medication will have these listed on a prescription counterfoil. Our reception staff can explain how this is used, if required.
Prescriptions will not normally be ready for collection until 48 hours after the request is made. If you wish your prescription delivered direct to a chemist (our preferred system) it will also normally be ready 48 hours after the request is made.
Prescriptions can be ordered either by delivering the re-order slip to the practice or online (please ask at reception for details on registering for the online service). Alternatively, you can post your request to us and if you enclose a stamped addressed envelope, we will post it back to you with your prescription.
We do not accept telephone requests for repeat prescriptions.
Suggestions/Complaints:
If you feel our service does not meet your requirements or you have suggestions for improvement, please feel free to discuss these in the first instance with the Practice Manager or with the Doctors, informally or in writing, or use our Suggestions Box.
The Practice has in place a formal complaints procedure which complies fully with NHS requirements. Information leaflets on the NHS Complaints Procedure are available from our Practice Manager, on request.
Clinics List
Annual Consultations with Elderly Patients over the age of 75
Ante-Natal Clinics
Diabetic Clinics
Immunisation Clinics
Management Clinics for High Blood Pressure/Diabetes/Asthma
Menopause/Weight Reduction/Stop Smoking Clinics
Minor Surgical Procedures
Well Baby & Child Health Surveillance Clinics
Well Woman Screening Services, including regular cervical smears