About Us
Welcome to Goldington Avenue Surgery.
The team are here to provide all patients with a professional and caring healthcare experience in friendly and personal surroundings. With discretion and confidentiality guaranteed your welfare is safe, secure and in good hands.
A heartfelt plea to all our patients
We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards verbal abuse. Shouting, swearing, or aggressive behaviour towards our team will not be tolerated. This behaviour directly impacts staff wellbeing and compromises our ability to deliver service. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone violating this policy.
Blood test appointments
Using the online booking service (available 24/7). Patients will need to register online at https://myappointments.online/login or call on 01234 607075
For urgent blood test
Your blood test form is attached as discussed, marked as urgent.
They are done at Gilbert Hitchcock House on Kimbolton Road, open Monday to Friday 9-4pm, by appointments only but they will try to accommodate you sooner if marked as urgent. Please call the Phlebotomy team on 01234 792160 (Monday–Friday, 10am–3pm).
Booking an appointment in person by visiting the department. Patients will be given an appointment, if available, at the next appointment time for that day, or offered an appointment for another day.
Children’s Blood Tests Children under 16 need to attend the Paediatric Outpatient unit located in: Children’s Outpatients Department, Cygnet Wing, Bedford Hospital, Kempston Road, Bedford, MK42 9D
Disabled Access
Intercom system – there is an intercom at the front door in the event that you require assistance to enter the building
Automated door openers – there is a push button at the main door and internal door to automatically open them
Doorway widths – every doorway is wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair – if you would benefit from use of the practice wheelchair, to or from your car into the practice, please ask one of the reception team and they will make this available to you. Although please bear in mind that they cannot help you into the wheelchair.
Stair lift – for access to our upstairs consultation rooms
Hearing loop – a portable hearing loop is available for use in any part of the practice
Patient toilet – which is wheelchair accessible
Braille signs – each consultation room, waiting room and patient toilet, have a braille sign
Our Our Union Street site is fully accessible on the ground floor, featuring automatic doors and dedicated accessible parking spaces.
Home Visits
Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible.
You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls
You can also be visited at home by a community nurse (formerly known as District Nurses) 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 or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.
My Hospital Journey
A web page has been developed, which is available on the Bedfordshire Hospitals Trust website to provide you with information on why there are long waits in the system in certain departments, what is being done to reduce the waiting lists, how we are working to keep you safe when attending hospital for appointments, how and when you will be communicated with, how you can manage your condition while you wait, and how you can prepare for surgery to ensure you are fit enough for it to proceed when your appointment is issued to avoid any further delays.
The link below will take you to the ‘My Hospital Journey’ web page for Bedford and Luton & Dunstable Hospitals.
My hospital journey – Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
There is also information on these pages where you can follow a link to view average waiting time information for each department and find further help whilst you are waiting, including links to information about the NHS App and the platforms developed by NHS England/NHS Improvement: My Planned Care and Decision Support tools.
More information on these platforms are detailed below:
NHS App
Owned and run by the NHS, the NHS App is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone and iPad/tablet, including ordering/managing prescriptions/repeat prescriptions, viewing health information, managing appointments and referrals, and much, much more.
You can also access the NHS App services from the browser on your desktop or laptop computer. To find out more about what the NHS App can offer simply go to: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app
My Planned Care
This online platform contains average waiting time information for 1st Outpatient Appointment and further treatment for each speciality under the Hospital Trust.
The platform includes helpful advice and information such as how to manage pain, finding mental health support, keeping healthy, and information for accessing financial help and other local support whilst you wait. It can also help you to prepare for your appointment or operation, including how to form a plan for your care and treatment alongside your healthcare professional.
Updated weekly, the site is easy-to-use and has ‘open-access’ so carers, friends, relatives and NHS teams can also easily access this information.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – My Planned Care NHS
Decision Support Tools
NHS England has added new information to their website to support shared decision making between you, as a patient, and your clinician. We hope you will find they are useful before, during or between consultations, depending on your care pathway. They can help you to understand your condition, the treatment options available to you and support you to make a decision on the best treatment option for you depending on your personal circumstances and desired outcome.
NHS England » Decision support tools: making a decision about a health condition
Training Practice
Learning Organisation
Goldington Avenue is an Approved Learning Organisation
We are proud to be an approved learning organisation. This means that we play an important role in the education and development of healthcare professionals who come to learn and work alongside our experienced clinical team.
By supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals, we help ensure that patients continue to receive high-quality care, both now and in the future.
How Does This Affect You?
As a training practice, you may occasionally see learners involved in your care.
Learners may observe appointments to better understand how healthcare is delivered in general practice. We will always let you know who is present and ask for your permission beforehand. If you would prefer not to have a learner present, simply let us know. Your decision will always be respected and will not affect your care in any way.
You may also be offered an appointment with one of our resident doctors. These are fully qualified doctors who are undertaking additional specialist training, usually with the aim of becoming a General Practitioner (GP). Details of our current learners can be found on our website.
Our Resident Doctors
Our resident doctors are qualified medical practitioners who can:
Assess and diagnose medical conditions
Prescribe medication
Arrange investigations
Make referrals to specialist services
Provide treatment and ongoing care
Every resident doctor is supported by an experienced named supervising GP. Depending on their level of experience, consultations may be reviewed by the supervising GP, or the doctor may discuss their management plan with their supervisor to ensure the highest standards of patient care.
Why Is Training Important?
Having learners within the practice benefits both patients and the wider healthcare community.
As a training practice we ensure that we:
Maintain high clinical standards and best practice
Encourage a culture of learning and continuous improvement
Support the development of future healthcare professionals
Strengthen the local healthcare workforce
Attract talented clinicians to work within general practice
Most of Goldington Avenues experienced GPs began their careers as trainees in the practice and we are pleased and proud that they have stayed with us to care for our patients and develop the next generation of health care professionals.
Who Learns at Our Practice?
Medical Students
We host medical students from all years of the University of Cambridge. Students may spend anything from a single day to four weeks with us, gaining valuable experience of general practice and patient-centred care.
Foundation Year 2 (F2) Doctors
F2 doctors are in the early stages of their medical careers following qualification. They join us to gain experience in general practice as part of their foundation training programme.
GP Specialty Trainees
GP Specialty Trainees are experienced doctors undertaking advanced training to become qualified General Practitioners. They work closely with our clinical team while continuing to develop their skills and expertise.
Pharmacy Students and Trainee Pharmacists
We also support the training of pharmacy students and trainee pharmacists, helping them gain practical experience in primary care.
Maintaining High Standards and Quality
We are regularly reviewed and re-approved as a training organisation by the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Training Hub. This ensures that we continue to provide high-quality training, supervision and learning opportunities.
Our educators are appropriately trained, approved and regularly reviewed to maintain excellent educational standards.
Every learner has a named supervisor who is responsible for ensuring that safe, effective and compassionate patient care is delivered at all times. Depending on the learner’s experience, the supervisor may join the consultation, review the consultation afterwards, or discuss the patient’s care plan before any decisions are finalised.
Interested in Training With Us?
We are a welcoming, supportive and well-organised practice where trainees can learn alongside experienced clinicians and educators.
As a learner within our practice, you will benefit from:
Dedicated one-to-one supervision with an experienced educational supervisor each week
Weekly teaching sessions and tutorials delivered by the whole team
Exposure to the full breadth of general practice
Opportunities to contribute to clinical meetings and team learning
A supportive environment focused on professional development and wellbeing
We are committed to helping trainees develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for a successful career in healthcare.
Visiting The Practice
At our Goldington Avenue site there is limited parking available near our practice, in and around the surrounding roads. Please consider cycling, as we have a bike rack that you can lock your bike to, or consider walking if you live nearby, to alleviate the parking stress that is often experienced in this area.
At our Union Street Clinic site there is an onsite car park, with some parking spaces available, however when we are running at full capacity there are not sufficient parking spaces for all patients. There is parking in the road outside, but this is ‘pay to park’. Please also consider walking if you live nearby.
This information supports the practices travel plan as recently requested by the local authority in planning application number 22/00292/FUL