How to Book
You are able to make an appointment with us in a variety of ways.
Online Booking Services
The easiest way is to complete an SystmConnect form online. Please provide as much information as possible to enable our Care Navigators to direct you to the most appropriate clinician for your needs.
You will then be sent a link offering you a range of appointment dates and times at each site for you to book your own appointment.
We also offer a limited number of pre-bookable GP appointments online. To use this you will need an account on Systmonline. If you have not got one already you will need to register with the online booking service, you will then be provided with a unique login username and password.
Once logged in you can book, view and cancel appointments. You can also request repeat medication prescriptions.
Non-urgent advice: Patient notice
Please do not book any nursing services (such as dressings or injections) using online booking as the GP will not be able to do these procedures and you will need to re-book with a nurse.
If you are unsure who to see, please complete an eConsult so we can advise you on the best clinician for your needs and send you the appropriate booking link.
Telephone Booking
If you are unable to use web based services, please call reception to book appointments but please be aware our phone lines are extremely busy, especially between 8am – 10am. You can also attend in person to book via reception.
General Information
You can opt to be seen at either the Hertford or Ware site and may choose to see any doctor you wish, but if possible please remain with the same doctor during any one illness.
It is important that a separate appointment is made for each member of the family who wishes to be seen, even if you consider that it will be “something quick”.
If you cannot keep an appointment please remember to cancel it so it may be offered to someone else.
Should you have any questions or comments about booking appointments and our online services please contact reception who will pass your comment or query on to someone who will endeavour to help you.
Blood Test Bookings
You can have your blood test at Hertford County Hospital Pathology Unit which is open 08:00 – 15:45 Monday – Friday or Bowling Road Clinic, Ware which is open Monday 13:30 – 15:45 and Wednesday and Friday 08:30 – 11:45. Children under the age of 5 years may need to attend QE2 or Lister hospital for their blood test.
Please take the form that the doctor has given you to the unit, as this will instruct them which tests are required. Certain tests require specific conditions to ensure accurate results.
A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test.
For example, a blood test can be used to:
- assess your general state of health
- confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
- see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning
A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface.
Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand; the child’s hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.
You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.