English (UK) 
Cymraeg FAQs
Can I request a home visit?
As home visits take place between the clinician’s morning and afternoon surgeries, we request that you please contact the surgery before 10:30 a.m. Please select the home visit option on the telephone system.
I think that I need Carers for my relative, who should I contact?
Take look at the adult support services available through Pembrokeshire Social Services.
Can I ask to speak to a Doctor on the telephone?
We now offer telephone consultations with our clinicians. When booking an appointment, you can express a preference of which clinician you wish to see. We may not always be able to accommodate your request, depending on the clinical rota and your availability, but where possible, we will try to arrange an appointment with your preferred clinician. If we are unable to accommodate your request, a reason will be provided and you may be asked to see an another clinician.
Who do I contact regarding my outpatients appointment?
If you would like to arrange, confirm, alter or cancel an outpatient appointment call your designated hospital:
South Pembrokeshire Hospital – 01646 682114
Tenby Cottage Hospital – 01834 845400
Withybush General Hospital – 01437 764545.
Our outpatient appointments are arranged at the earliest opportunity. This is particularly the case for patients who are suspected of having life-threatening conditions such as cancer.
When will I have my test results?
Your GP may request various tests or investigations for you, some of which would be carried out in the GP surgery and some would be carried out in hospital. The most common of these would be blood tests and x-rays.
If your GP has requested tests or investigations we would contact you regarding the results should any further action be required.
If you do need to contact us regarding any results that we have requested, please ring after 10:00 a.m.
If you are referred in to the hospital to see a Specialist Consultant or Team and they request any tests or investigations , they would be responsible for contacting you about the results. If you need to chase up any results requested by a Specialist Consultant or Team you need to contact the hospital directly as we would not necessarily be sent these results.
Who should I call out-of-hours?
If you require acute medical advice/treatment outside of our operating hours, please contact NHS 111.
NHS 111 is a FREE service which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your call will be answered by a specially trained call handler who will ask you a series of questions which will allow the service to signpost you to the correct clinician.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or any of the following symptoms:
- Severe bleeding
- Sudden collapse
- Loss of consciousness
- Chest pain
- Breathing difficulties
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
- Severe burns or scalds
- signs or symptoms of a stroke – Click HERE for common signs and symptoms as advised by the Stroke Association
- Feelings of self-harm or suicide
- Seizure
Please DO NOT wait until we re-open and call 999/attend your nearest Emergency Department (A&E) IMMEDIATELY.
Can I have a chaperone during my consultation?
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for a consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required.
Chaperoning is the process of having a third person present during such consultations to:
- provide support, both emotional and sometimes physical to the patient.
- to protect the doctor against allegations of improper behaviour during such consultations, and sometimes to provide practical support.
The practice has a chaperone policy – if you need to have an examination that may make you feel uncomfortable you may ask for a member of staff (who has been trained to be a chaperone) to be present for the examination in addition to the doctor or nurse.
If you think you may need this service, please let reception know when you book in so we can ensure a member of staff is available.
If a chaperone is not requested in advance, we will endeavour to arrange one at the time, however, it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment (within a reasonable timeframe) if a chaperone is unavailable at the time of your appointment.
Below is some information regarding best practice for the use of chaperones:
- Any patient can request a chaperone for any consultation. As this will usually require a second clinician to attend, please give us as much advance notice as possible so we can make a chaperone available.
- Chaperones should be offered to patients for intimate examinations. Your GP/ Nurse should consider what defines “intimate” and should judge this from the patient’s perspective.
- We must all be aware of and respect cultural differences. Religious beliefs may also have a bearing on the patient’s decision over whether to have a chaperone present.
- It is Practice policy that the best person to have act as a chaperone would be a member of the clinical team. That clinician will have been fully trained to act as a clinical chaperone.
- The patient should be introduced to the chaperone before the examination can proceed. The chaperone will need to be present during the examination.
- A clinician may wish to have a chaperone present for their own reputational protection.
- We will never force a chaperone on an unwilling patient. If this facility is declined by a patient the clinician should note that in the patient’s medical records.
- If the clinician does not wish to proceed in the absence of a chaperone, they should explain this to the patient and the reasons why. The patient might then reconsider or agree to see a different doctor on another occasion.
- The clinician should not assume that a chaperone is not needed just because they are the same sex as the patient.
- Using a chaperone every time you examine a patient is impractical – the patient and the clinician should use their judgment about individual situations to decide when a chaperone is appropriate.
Staff who undertake the role of a chaperone will have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.