Home Visits

 
The practice leaflet (available at reception) will outline the criteria that the GP uses to determine when a home visit is necessary. There is a fairly wide-held belief that patients have an automatic right to a home visit from a GP within core hours (8am to 6.30pm). This is not in fact the case. Practices will reach a “reasonable opinion” about whether to attend to a patient at their residence based upon information received on the condition of the patient, and whether it would be inappropriate to expect the patient to attend the practice premises.
 
There is nothing to prevent the GP from arranging for the referral of a patient without first seeing the patient, in cases where their medical condition makes that course of action appropriate.
 
If a patient is encouraged to come into the surgery, it is often on the basis that this is where the best care can be provided. The specialist equipment is located at the practice, tests can be carried out more easily there, and drugs issued.
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