The Practice operates a "phone call first" system whereby patients needing help from a doctor each day (including requests for home visits) initially receive a phone call from the doctor.  Many medical issues involving results, certificates or tests can be dealt with this way without the need to visit the surgery.  If examination is required then a "face to face" appointment is booked by the doctor.

If you are medically unfit to visit the health centre, please phone the surgery before 11.30am. You will be asked by the receptionist to provide brief details of the problem and the doctor will phone you to decide the best way to deal with your condition.

We expect home visits at all other times to be restricted to cases of extreme urgency and this will be assessed by the duty doctor. Genuine emergencies will be given top priority at all times.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby.

The Minor Ailments Service is available through Community Pharmacies. 

Patients can speak to a Pharmacist and receive treatment for the following conditions free of charge:

• Acne
• Athlete's foot
• Ear wax
• Diarrhoea
• Headlice
• Groin Area Infection
• Mouth ulcers
• Oral thrush
• Threadworms
• Vaginal thrush
• Haemorrhoids
• Scabies
• Verrucae

By freeing up appointments/ request for telephone calls to a GP about these symptoms allows your GP to spend time dealing with more complex medical problems.

A free smoking cessation service with nicotine replacement therapy and support is also provided by the local pharmacies.

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

You can also complete our appointment cancellation notification request form. This can only be used if your appointment has been arranged for more than 24 hours in advance (excluding weekends and public holidays). You can also text to cancel your appointment.

If you need help when we are closed

Click here for information about out-of-hours arrangements.

Please tell us:

• If there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional you would prefer to respond
• If you would prefer to consult with the doctor or nurse by phone, face-to-face, by video call or by text or email
• If you need a chaperone
• If you need an interpreter
• If you have any other access or communication needs

We have a texting service which allows you to receive confirmation and reminders about your appointments.

To have this service you will need to register by completing a consent form.

Please remember to update your contact details with us when you change address, telephone numbers and email address.

Complete our SMS Reminder Form

Riverside Practice is a teaching Practice. There may be times when the clinician that you are seeing has a student/trainee along with them observing the consultation. If you are uncomfortable with them being there the clinician will ask them to leave.

There may be times when there will be a need to video certain consultations. This of course will only be done with your consent.

From Monday to Friday between 9am and 9pm – patients with urgent but not life threatening symptoms should phone 0300 123 3 111 before attending the Emergency Departments or Minor Injuries Services at Daisy Hill, Craigavon Area or South Tyrone hospitals.

If you think the symptoms are potentially critical, like a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma, do not delay in phoning an ambulance or getting the patient to the Emergency Department if you can.

Text relay number is: 18001 0300 123 3 111 or you can use the ‘Interpreter Now’ app

The GP Out of Hours service is responsible for providing out of hours services. If you need a doctor urgently, you may contact the doctor on call by telephoning: 

02838 399201

Call 999 in an emergency. Chest pains and/or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.