Astley General Practice


Welcome to Astley General Practice's website. We hope you take your time to browse our website where you will find lots of useful information about the surgery and the services we offer.

Contact Details:


Opening Times

  • monday 08:00 - 18:30
  • tuesday 08:00 - 18:30
  • wednesday 08:00 - 18:30
  • thursday 08:00 - 18:30
  • friday 08:00 - 18:30
  • saturday Closed
  • sunday Closed

Who's who in your practice?

We aim to improve the understanding of the different professionals working in a general practice, including the skills, experience and benefits that different roles bring to patient care. Services in general practice and the community are being transformed to make it easier for patients to access a wider range of help from general practice, closer to home by phone or online. When you contact your practice for an appointment, you’ll often expect to speak directly with a GP in the first instance, even if that may not be the most appropriate person to help you. In addition to the excellent non-clinical support staff, the general practice team has expanded to include a wide range of healthcare professionals who work alongside GPs and nurses to ensure patients receive the care they need as quickly as possible. This includes clinical pharmacists, physiotherapists, physician associates, social prescribing link workers and many more. Over the last few years general practice has gone through many changes, with more than 19,000 staff being recruited nationally. These new roles are part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and have already made a real impact in general practice and in the community delivering care to patients.
Every GP practice is different, each offering different healthcare professionals who can support delivery of your care, so you access the most appropriate care and services from the right healthcare professional.
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How it Works

Stress-Free Consultations

Online consultation is a modern and effective way to get the healthcare you need faster, quicker, easier, and more conveniently. You can get advice and information through online consultation or arrange an appointment without having to wait on the phone or come into the surgery for non-urgent requests. Access online consultation through your device and visit your practice page or use our app. Online consultations are not an emergency service. If it is a medical emergency, call 999. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured, and their life is at risk. If you are worried about a medical concern that isn’t an emergency, but you’re not sure what to do, visit www.111.nhs.uk or call 111 to speak to a fully trained adviser. You can find out more information about getting help at home from the NHS. To start using our Online Consult system, see the online form on the link below. You can find out about the most common health problems, see information leaflets, check your symptoms, and request administrative tasks (like letters, sick notes and test results). You will see general NHS-approved health advice for the condition you are concerned about so you can look after yourself at home. You can also get advice from a pharmacy. Please answer the questions accurately so we can find the best way to help you. You will get a response from our surgery by the end of the next working day (or earlier) by phone call, text message, or email. If you have any problems with online consultation, ring our admin team on 01942 557746 after 10 am from Monday to Friday, and they will help you. You can also ask for an appointment from one of our clinicians by filling out the online form. The doctor or clinician may want to see you on a video call. After being triaged by a GP, you will be offered a face-to-face appointment if you need one. To contact our practice about your problem, you must be a patient at our surgery living in the UK.
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Services Available

The following services are available to all registered patients.

  • GP Appointments
  • Nurse Appointments
  • Well Person Checks
  • Elderly Monitoring
  • Child Health Development Clinics
  • Child Vaccinations
  • Smoking Cessation Services
  • Travel Vaccinations
  • NHS Health Checks
  • Stroke and Blood Pressure Monitoring
  • Diabetes Testing and Monitoring
  • BMI Monitoring
  • Family Planning Advice
  • Sexual Health Services
  • Influenza Clinics (Winter time)
  • Pneumonia Vaccinations
  • Weight Management, exercise advice and referral
  • Alcohol advice and referral
  • Sexual Health services and contraception advice
  • ECG Clinics
  • Screening Programs
Beefold Medical Centre is working closely with the Military Veterans Psychological Service to help ex-Forces personnel who may be vulnerable due to exposure to military conflict. The service, run by the Pennine Care NHS Trust, works with the veterans and their families to find solutions which address mental health conditions and improve health outcomes. This can mean increasing access and treatment to appropriate and timely mental health services, from recognising the early signs of mental health problems and providing access to early interventions, to providing therapeutic treatment for complex mental health difficulties and psychological trauma. Patients are also given help, where appropriate, with employment, reduction in alcohol consumption and housing and social support and the service provides treatment and support for all patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The service comes to the practice each week on a Tuesday to see any patient who needs support.
You call the service directly on 0300 323 0707 to discuss your needs (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email mviapt.enquiries.nw@nhs.net We have a dedicated noticeboard to help give information to military veterans. Ask for Diane at reception if you are a veteran and need help.
Our premises are also fully compliant with DDA (Disability Discrimination Act).
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Astley General Practice

Additional Services

Booking a routine appointment You can book a routine appointment by telephone or by calling into the practice. You can also book a telephone consultation with a doctor or nurse. The receptionist will take a message and your contact number. You can book an appointment up to six weeks in advance.Urgent appointments The practice runs a pre-booked appointment system and book on the day but, if you feel that your condition is urgent, you can be given an appointment on the same day. You can also speak to a doctor or nurse on the telephone at the end of their surgery. The receptionist will take a message and your contact number.
Home visits If you require a home visit from a doctor, please inform the surgery before 11am and give the receptionist the precise nature of your illness. The doctor will make a house call the same day. Home visits should be only requested when the patient is too ill to attend the practice and could only be moved by ambulance. Non-availability of public transport is NOT a valid reason for a home visit.
We also provide other services which are not available on the NHS. These services include: Sickness or Accident Insurance Forms, Private Healthcare Forms, Holiday Cancellation Forms, Fitness to Travel Certificates, HGV, Sports and Driving Medicals. Ask Reception for more details on fees.
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How-To Videos and Help

Watch helpful tutorial videos on how to use our services.

Travel Risk Assessment

Our patients all have access to our comprehensive travel health services.

We use NaTHNaC, a network for up-to-date guidance and resources about travel destinations, set up by the UK Department of Health to help British travellers care for their health abroad. We encourage you to look at this prior to your appointment, you will find travel information and recommendations on the vaccinations you need, plus a host of information on your chosen destination for safe travelling, it can be accessed through google.

It is essential that you plan ahead, we advise at least six weeks prior to travel where possible, this is to ensure that we can offer you an appropriate appointment and order any required vaccinations in time for your journey. Please note not all vaccines are available in surgery and you may be signposted to a travel clinic.
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When we're closed

Out of Hours

f you become ill when the surgery is closed and you feel it is an emergency please contact NHS 111 who will direct you to the appropriate service. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 999 in a medical emergency, when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. Leigh Walk-In Centre Open 7.00am - 9.00pm every day
Leigh Infirmary
The Avenue
Wigan
WN7 1HW
Tel: 01942 483 453
GP Alliance For bookable appointments on:
  • Saturday 10 am to 4pm
  • Sunday 10 am to 4pm
  • Monday to Friday 6.30 - 8.30pm
Please call 01942 482 848 to be seen at one of our Wigan partner hub sites Phone number and details are here: http://www.wigangpalliance.org/home/
Wigan Out of Hours If you have received your invitation to have your next Cervical screening test and would like to have it done outside of practice hours, Wigan GP Alliance now offer cervical screening appointments at evenings and weekends.To make an appointment please phone 01942 482 848
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FAQs

Contact us if you don’t see
your question answered here.

What happens if I have more than one issue?

Please submit one online form per problem. This will allow us to gather more accurate information to help you.

When will I get a response back?

The clinician will review your response and get back to you within two working days. We will contact you by phone, text or email.

What about people without the internet?

They may be able to use a relative’s internet. Otherwise they can call the surgery as usual on the practice telephone number.

What about my child?

Parents or carers can submit an online form on behalf of their children if they are over six months old. For children younger than six months, please phone the surgery.

How old do I need to be to use online consultation?

You can submit your own online form once you are 16 years old.

What if you want a face-to-face appointment?

A GP or other clinician will review your online consultation form, and if you need to be seen for a face-to-face appointment, you will be advised of this.

What happens if my condition is not listed on the Online Consult website?

Please click on ‘general health query’ if your condition is not listed.

I completed an online form but have not heard back from the practice. What should I do?

This should not happen. However, if it does and you have not heard back from the practice by the end of the next working day, please contact the surgery by phone, and we will deal with this promptly.

I have an administrative request. How do I send it to you?

You can submit admin requests such as asking for a fit note (sick note) by going through the online consultation form and searching for ‘general administrative query’.

What is the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)?

If you get regular prescriptions the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) may be able to save you time by saving you unnecessary trips to your GP. The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) allows your GP to send your prescription directly to your chosen pharmacy without a paper prescription.

Find out more about the Electronic Prescription Service visit http://www.hscic.gov.uk/epspatients or speak to your practice or pharmacist.

How using EPS could benefit you

If you collect your repeat prescriptions from your GP, you will not have to visit your GP practice to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, your GP will send it electronically to the place you choose, saving you time.

You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop.

You may not have to wait as long at the pharmacy as there will be time for your repeat prescriptions to be ready before you arrive

Please speak to your nominated pharmacist to activate your EPS.

What are the benefits of Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
  • More efficient and convenient for patients and staff.
  • Reduces paper.
  • Safer, faster and more efficient.
  • Patients don't have to visit their GP for a prescription.
  • Patients won't have a paper prescription to lose.

If you don’t want your prescription to be sent electronically, tell your GP.

If you want to change or cancel your nomination, speak to your nominated pharmacist or dispensing appliance contractor.
It is important to tell them before your next prescription is due or your prescription may be sent to the wrong place.

For more information visit http://www.hscic.gov.uk/epspatients or your pharmacy.

Is Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) reliable, secure and confidential?

Yes. Your electronic prescription will be seen by the same people in GP practices, pharmacies and NHS prescription payment and fraud agencies that see your paper prescription now.

Sometimes dispensers may see that you have nominated another dispenser. For example, if you forget who you have nominated and ask them to check or, if you have nominated more than one dispenser. Dispensers will also see all the items on your reorder slip if you are on repeat prescriptions.

How can you use Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

You need to choose a place for your GP practice to electronically send your prescription to. This is called nomination. This could be a pharmacy local to your home or work address.

Ask any pharmacy or a member of the reception team to add your nomination for you. You don’t need a computer to do this.

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