Home visits are normally only available to patients who are housebound/bedbound, or at the discretion of the doctor.
On average a doctor can see four patients in surgery in the time it takes to make one single home visit. Sick children will be seen as soon as possible if brought to the surgery. Lack of transport is not a valid reason for a home visit; the doctor is not a taxi service!
Routine visits should be requested from 08:30 to 10:00 and these will usually be made between 12:00 and 15:30.
Emergency visits, for life-threatening cases, can be requested at any time. These are usually put through to the doctor on call who will visit at the appropriate time according to need. Sometimes, for example in collapse with unconsciousness, severe chest pain, or stroke symptoms, it is safer to call 999 first, before the doctor.