Should I use this page, or skip it?
Use this page if you have a UK GP appointment coming and want to make a short slot count. Skip it and call 999 if you have life-threatening symptoms now. Use the urgent-care service for your UK nation if you need urgent help today and cannot wait for the booked time.
This is a preparation guide, not a diagnosis tool. It will not tell you what is wrong. It will help you hand over the facts a clinician needs.
There is a tickable version at the GP appointment checklist.
How should I prepare for a GP appointment?
Write a short timeline and list your priorities. Bring medicine names, allergy details, home readings, relevant letters and photographs of intermittent symptoms where useful. Lead with the problem that worries you most — do not save it for the last thirty seconds.
Time is limited. Tell the clinician about your concerns at the start, so you can agree what to cover and whether another appointment is needed.
What should I write down before I go?
A useful note includes: when it started, whether it is getting worse, what you have already tried, and how it affects sleep, work, eating, mood or caring for other people. “I have had a headache” is weaker than “daily since Tuesday, worse in the morning, ibuprofen takes the edge off, I missed work yesterday.”
Include red flags in plain language if they apply: unexplained weight loss, night sweats, blood, collapse, chest pain, sudden weakness, or a new severe headache. Do not downplay them because you feel embarrassed.
If you found something worrying online, bring your question or the page with you so you can discuss it.
What should I bring?
Bring a list of every medicine, inhaler, contraceptive, herbal product and supplement, plus known allergies. If you are unsure of the names, bring the packets or ask your pharmacy for a list. If you have a repeat-prescription list from the NHS App or a pharmacy, that is enough.
Bring home readings if you have them: blood pressure, blood glucose, peak flow, temperature, or a photo of a rash that comes and goes. Bring letters from other clinics. Bring a urine sample only if the practice asked.
Tell the practice in advance if you need an interpreter, a longer slot, a chaperone, a ground-floor room, or to have someone with you. Accessibility is not a favour; it is how the appointment becomes usable.
What should I say during the appointment?
Describe what you are experiencing rather than only naming a diagnosis you found online. Mention family history, recent travel, pregnancy possibility, alcohol, smoking, and the impact on function. If you are frightened, say that — it changes how the clinician safety-nets.
If you have more than one problem, put them on the table in order. The clinician can then plan: deal with the dangerous one now, book the rest. You can also raise a concern later if it is difficult to talk about.
You can disagree. “I am still worried about X” is a legitimate sentence. You can also ask for the plan in writing or to have it repeated.
What should I confirm before I leave?
Repeat the plan in your own words. Confirm tests, treatment, expected recovery, safety-net symptoms, who contacts whom, and when to chase results. “No news is good news” is not a results system.
Ask what worsening looks like and which number to use — practice, 111 or 999. If a new medicine is started, ask what it is for, common side effects, and what to do if you miss a dose. A pharmacist can go over the same points when you collect it.
If you needed a fit note, check the dates and whether it says “not fit” or “may be fit” with adjustments.
Who should skip this page?
Skip this page if you need emergency care, an urgent 111 triage, or a dental emergency. It is also the wrong page if you do not have a GP — use NHS Find a GP, then 111 if you need care before you are registered.
Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency even if you already have an appointment booked.
For help tracking results after your appointment, see getting your NHS test results.
Common questions
- Can I discuss more than one problem?
- Yes, but time is limited. State your priorities at the start so the clinician can plan what is safe to cover and arrange follow-up if needed.
- Can I bring someone with me?
- Usually yes. Tell the practice if you need a supporter, interpreter, chaperone or accessibility adjustment.
- What should I ask about a new medicine?
- Ask what it is for, how to take it, likely benefits, common and serious side effects, interactions, monitoring and what to do if a dose is missed.
- Should I look my symptoms up first?
- You can, but describe what you are experiencing rather than only naming a diagnosis from the internet. Mention what you found if it is worrying you — clinicians would rather hear it than guess.
- What if I need a fit note?
- Say so at the start. For the first 7 calendar days employees usually self-certify. From day 8 an eligible clinician can issue a fit note after an assessment. See our fit-note guide.
- How do I get test results?
- Ask who contacts whom, and by when. Do not assume 'no news is good news'. If the date passes, chase the practice.
- Can I record the appointment?
- Ask first. Many clinicians are comfortable if you want to remember the plan. Explain how a recording would help you remember the discussion, or ask for a written summary.