Ballater Surgery Automated Appointments Booking Service
Our automated telephone booking service helps you, it helps us. Your keypad is all you need to make appointments with our doctors. There’s no need to wait for the receptionist to answer your call.
You can make an appointment at any time of day or night. Just follow simple instructions: your appointment is made in a few seconds.
You will have the choice of seeing your own doctor or, if in a rush, the first available doctor. You will also be able to specify a male or female doctor.
You will, however, need to ask one of our receptionists if you want to see one of our practice nurses.
How it works
When you call the surgery number (01689 826664) the first option you will hear is the automated service. The operator explains that this service enables you to book, cancel or change the date or time made on the automated system. If you want to use it, just
press 1; if not then hold on and wait for a receptionist to assist you.
Obviously we need to identify you for our automated service: you are asked to key in your date of birth (in six digits eg 18.11.38), and then your home telephone or mobile number including the area code (eg 01689 824 567). Once you have done that simply press the star key.
To make a new appointment.
Press 1.You will now be asked whether you would like to see ‘Any Doctor’. If so, press 1. If you want to see a male doctor, press 2; if you want to see a female doctor, press 3.
When you have done that, you’ll hear the first available appointment with either a male or female doctor. If it suits you, press 0. You will then hear confirmation of the name of the doctor and time and date of the appointment.
If that date is not suitable or if you would to see that doctor at another time that day, press 1. You will hear what available time he/she has and if that is convenient, press 0. If you want the next day, press 3. To go to the last available appointment, press 6. To go to the last appointment of the day, press 8. To return to the main menu, press # or to repeat the options, press 9.
Again, you will hear a suggested time for that doctor and if it is convenient for you, press 0 and you will then hear confirmation of the booking.
You will then hear a suggested day and time for another doctor. If that suits you, then you press 0 and this date and time will be confirmed with the name of the doctor you have selected.
To cancel or change the date and time of an appointment. Once you have pressed the star key, you will have the options for cancelling or changing the date and/or time of a pre-booked appointment withthe automated system. You then press 2 and key in the details requested. If you want to return to the main menu press 3.
Remember – you can book an appointment at any time of day or night. The service is only for appointments with doctors and blood tests. Please telephone the receptionists to make appointments to see one of the practice nurses.
PLEASE USE THE AUTOMATED SERVICE WHENEVER YOU CAN. If you do, it means our receptionists can get on with other work. It makes it easier to make an appointment with our doctors. Above all, it helps us to give you, the patient, a faster and better medical service.