Litchdon GP Route Finder
Use this scan-first guide before calling Litchdon Medical Centre, using online contact, booking an appointment, checking doctors, reading NHS reviews, ordering prescriptions, registering, accessing records, or visiting the surgery.
Choose the Right Litchdon Route First
| Need | Use this first | Exact useful detail | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine health/admin help | Online contact | Available Monday-Friday, 8:00am-6:30pm, for straightforward routine health/admin requests. | Do not use for complex or long-term problems. |
| Appointment booking | Online appointment link, phone, or help desk | Phone 01271 323443 or visit the help desk in the main surgery building. | Do not book one slot for two people. |
| Urgent same-day problem | Urgent Care Team | Doctors/nurses prioritise by need and may call back, treat by phone, or invite face-to-face. | Do not use routine request if it must be treated today. |
| Practice closed | NHS 111 | 111 may arrange advice, Primary Care Centre, or home assessment if appropriate. | Do not wait until reopening if genuinely urgent. |
| Repeat prescription | NHS App / online service / dispensary email | Email medication queries/orders to D-ICB.LitchdonDispensary@nhs.net with full name, DOB and mailing address. | Do not omit identifying details. |
| Rural dispensing | Litchdon dispensary | Dispenses to eligible rural patients living more than one mile from a pharmacy/chemist. | Do not assume every patient can collect from dispensary. |
| Medical records | NHS App or SystmOne online portal | Future GP record entries from 31 October 2023 may be visible for over-16s with online account. | Do not expect hospital notes to appear the same way. |
| New registration | Official automated registration form | No proof of address, immigration status, ID or NHS number is required, but NHS number helps accuracy. | Do not expect repeat meds until slip/details are uploaded or handed in. |
Opening Hours, Intercom Access and When to Call
Standard surgery opening
Monday-Friday: 8:00am-6:30pm. Appointment start and finish times can vary.
Routine phone window
For routine enquiries, Litchdon encourages calls between 8:30am and 6:00pm.
Side entrance intercom
Between 8:00-8:15am, 6:00-6:30pm, and evening appointments, use the side entrance buzzer.
| Access issue | Practical answer | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Early arrival | Use side entrance intercom 8:00-8:15am. | Press buzzer and speak to Healthcare Administration Team. |
| Late-day access | Use side entrance intercom 6:00-6:30pm. | Do not assume main door access is available. |
| Evening pre-booked appointment | Enhanced Access evenings are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; last appointment 7:45pm. | Only attend if pre-booked. |
| Out of hours urgent help | Use NHS 111. | Use 999 for emergencies. |
Online Contact: What It Can and Cannot Do
Good for
Straightforward routine health problems, simple advice, treatment requests and admin requests.
Response expectation
The team aims to confirm receipt within 2 working days. Current average routine wait is about 3 weeks.
Not for
Repeat medication processing, booking appointments, complex/long-term issues, emergencies, or anything needing same-day care.
Appointments: Exact Rules Patients Usually Miss
Book through the right channel
Use online appointment link, phone 01271 323443, or visit the help desk in the main surgery building.
Separate appointment per person
Litchdon asks patients to make a separate appointment for each person to be seen.
Know the appointment length
Face-to-face appointments are 15 minutes; telephone appointments are 7.5 minutes.
Telephone callback window
For a telephone appointment, allow a 2-hour window because other appointments or urgent issues can delay calls.
Urgent Care Team
Urgent same-day requests are prioritised by doctors and nurses, who may help by phone or invite you in.
Cancel early
Litchdon says up to 90 appointments in one week can be missed without notice. Cancel by phone or help desk if you cannot attend.
Litchdon Medical Centre Doctors and Staff
The official staff page lists many GPs with different working days and interests. Consulting days can fluctuate, so call the surgery if you want a specific GP or allied health professional.
| Doctor / team | Useful official detail | Patient tip |
|---|---|---|
| Dr George Gardner | Senior partner; trainer for North Devon GP Vocational Training Scheme. | Works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. |
| Dr Angus Jefferies | Special interest in ophthalmology; practice diabetes lead; trainer. | Works Monday, Wednesday and Friday. |
| Dr Simon Jones | Training/medical-student role; interest in expedition and tropical medicine. | Works Tuesday and Friday. |
| Dr Lucy Dallimore | Sexual/reproductive healthcare interest; child safeguarding lead GP. | Works Tuesday and Thursday. |
| Dr Sophia Erdozain | ENT background; minor surgery and end-of-life care interest. | Works Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. |
| Dr Jessica Parker | Prescribing Lead and Executive Partner. | Works Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. |
| Dr Hazel Warner | Lead GP for medical students and veterans. | Works Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. |
| Urgent Care Team | Doctors and nurses prioritise same-day urgent needs. | Use for problems that require treatment that day. |
| Nurses / HCAs / allied team | Litchdon is a training and teaching practice. | Some needs are best handled by non-GP clinicians. |
NHS Reviews, CQC Rating and How to Read Them
CQC overall
CQC lists Litchdon Medical Centre as Overall: Outstanding.
Inspection context
Latest inspection: 5 November 2019. Report published: 18 December 2019. Latest CQC review: 6 July 2023.
Use reviews carefully
Reviews help with context but do not replace urgent medical triage, current access rules, or official practice updates.
| CQC area | Rating | What it means for users |
|---|---|---|
| Safe | Good | Useful safety context, but still use 111/999 when needed. |
| Effective | Good | Care quality context; not a booking route. |
| Caring | Good | Patient-experience context. |
| Responsive | Outstanding | Access/service response context from CQC inspection. |
| Well-led | Outstanding | Practice leadership context. |
Repeat Prescriptions, EPS and Litchdon Dispensary
EPS
Litchdon is set up for Electronic Prescription Service so most prescriptions can go directly to a chosen chemist.
Rural dispensing
Litchdon can dispense to rural patients who live more than one mile from a pharmacy/chemist.
Dispensary email
Medication queries/repeats can go to D-ICB.LitchdonDispensary@nhs.net with full name, DOB and mailing address.
| Prescription issue | Exact Litchdon detail | Patient action |
|---|---|---|
| Medication review | GP reviews repeat medication annually; reception contacts you if blood tests or BP checks are needed. | Do checks early before medication runs out. |
| Dispensary hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30am-6:00pm; closed weekends and bank holidays. | Plan collection before weekends/holidays. |
| Medication callback | Dispensing Team aims to call back within 2-3 hours. | Keep phone available after querying. |
| Controlled drugs | Photo ID required for collector; collect before 12 noon or after 2:00pm. | Do not arrive without ID. |
| HRT PPC | HRT prepayment certificate may cover HRT charges only. | HRT may need a separate prescription form. |
| Medical exemption | Form available from surgery for eligible conditions. | Ask if you are unsure whether your condition qualifies. |
NHS App, SystmOne and Medical Records
NHS App
Litchdon says the NHS App is the easiest way to get online access.
Future GP records
Over-16s with online accounts can automatically see future GP record information entered from 31 October 2023.
Proxy access
Carers or representatives should ask the Healthcare Administration Team about proxy access and consent forms.
New Patient Registration: What Actually Matters
Anyone in England can register
Litchdon says you do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID, or NHS number.
Boundary still matters
Patients in the practice area are welcome; out-of-area registration may be possible but home visits cannot be offered outside catchment.
Named GP
New patients are assigned to a named GP taking on new patients at registration time.
Repeat medication rule
If you take repeat medication, upload or hand in a repeat medication slip. Until this is done, Litchdon says it cannot issue repeat medication.
Processing time
Registration may take up to 2 working days to come through and be processed.
Clarification route
For registration clarification, call in, phone 01271 323443, or email D-ICB.AdminLitchdon@nhs.net.
Services, Blood Tests and Local Healthcare Notes
| Service / need | Official detail | Patient action |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary-care blood tests | Litchdon may undertake Royal Devon secondary-care blood tests under conditions. | You must make the appointment and attend with the correct form or printed labels. |
| Community Collect | Secondary-care request should be made on Epic and identified as Community Collect. | Confirm hospital team has requested it correctly. |
| Community Phlebotomy Service | Contact: 01395 519922 or rde-tr.communityphlebotomyservice@nhs.net. | Use if clarification is needed about the hospital blood-test request. |
| Home visits | Reserved for patients a doctor considers unfit to travel. | Call before 11:00 and leave a number. |
| Training practice | Practice trains GP registrars, hospital doctors, medical students and nursing students. | You can refuse video recording; recordings are confidential and deleted after use. |
| On-site pharmacy | Litchdon notes an on-site branch of Allied Pharmacy. | Use pharmacist for free health and medication advice where appropriate. |
Common Litchdon Searches Explained
| Search phrase | What the user likely wants | Best practical answer |
|---|---|---|
| Litchdon Medical Centre doctors | Named GP list and interests | Use official staff page; consulting days fluctuate, so call for current availability. |
| Litchdon Medical Centre NHS reviews | Quality/review context | Use NHS profile and CQC. CQC currently lists Overall Outstanding. |
| Litchdon Medical Centre opening hours | Open today / when to call | Usually Mon-Fri 8am-6:30pm; routine calls encouraged 8:30am-6pm. |
| Litchdon Medical Centre prescriptions | Repeat meds, dispensary, EPS | Use NHS App/online services or dispensary email; rural dispensing has eligibility rules. |
| Litchdon House | Nearby dermatology service | Litchdon House is Royal Devon dermatology opposite the medical centre and usually needs GP referral. |
| Litchdon Medical Centre photos | Building/map/arrival | Use map and official address; for early/late access use side entrance intercom. |
Map: Litchdon Medical Centre Barnstaple
Use the map for Landkey Road, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 9LL. For early morning, late afternoon or enhanced access appointments, remember the side entrance intercom note.
Litchdon GP Route Planner
Choose your situation to get a short action list.
Copy-Paste Scripts
Urgent same-day issue
Hello, I’m registered at Litchdon Medical Centre. I need same-day help for ______. Symptoms started ______. I do not have chest pain, severe breathlessness or 999 symptoms. Should this go to the Urgent Care Team?Medication query
Hello, I need help with ______. My full name is ______, date of birth ______, address ______. I requested the medication on ______ and my nominated pharmacy/dispensary route is ______.Medical record / proxy access
Hello, I need advice about online record access / proxy access for ______. Can you tell me which form is required and whether identity verification or patient consent is needed?Hospital blood test
Hello, the hospital has asked me to have blood tests at Litchdon. I have / do not have the printed labels or form. Has the request been made as Community Collect, and can I book the blood-test appointment?Official Links After the Explanation
Litchdon Medical Centre FAQ
Where is Litchdon Medical Centre?
Litchdon Medical Centre is at Landkey Road, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 9LL.
What is the phone number for Litchdon Medical Centre?
The main phone number is 01271 323443.
What are Litchdon Medical Centre opening hours?
The surgery is normally open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:30pm. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
When should I phone for routine enquiries?
Litchdon encourages routine phone enquiries between 8:30am and 6:00pm to help manage calls efficiently.
Can I contact Litchdon Medical Centre online?
Yes. Online contact is available Monday-Friday, 8:00am-6:30pm, for straightforward routine health problems and admin requests. It is not for repeat medication processing or appointment booking.
How long are Litchdon appointments?
The practice says face-to-face appointments are 15 minutes and telephone appointments are 7.5 minutes. Book separate appointments for separate people.
What is Litchdon Medical Centre CQC rating?
CQC lists Litchdon Medical Centre as Overall: Outstanding, with Safe, Effective and Caring rated Good and Responsive and Well-led rated Outstanding.
How do I order repeat prescriptions?
Use online services/NHS App where enabled, or contact the Dispensary Team by email at D-ICB.LitchdonDispensary@nhs.net with full name, date of birth and mailing address.
Does Litchdon Medical Centre have a dispensary?
Yes. Litchdon is a dispensing practice for eligible rural patients who live more than one mile from a pharmacy/chemist. The dispensary is open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-6:00pm.
Can I register with Litchdon Medical Centre without ID?
Yes. The practice says you do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID or NHS number to register, although NHS number helps accuracy.
Can out-of-area patients register?
Out-of-area registration may be possible, but Litchdon says it cannot offer home visits if you live outside the catchment area.
What should I do when the surgery is closed?
Use NHS 111 for urgent medical attention when the surgery is closed. Call 999 for genuine emergencies such as chest pain or shortness of breath.