GP Surgeries in Chichester
General practice and primary healthcare
Chichester is served by several GP surgeries providing primary healthcare to the city and its immediate surroundings. The practices are part of the NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board and offer the standard range of general practice services including consultations, prescriptions, referrals, vaccinations, health checks and chronic disease management.
The main surgeries in and around Chichester include practices in the city centre, Parklands and the surrounding residential areas. Each practice serves a defined catchment area, and residents are expected to register with a surgery within reasonable distance of their home. Most practices have several GPs, along with practice nurses, healthcare assistants and increasingly other clinicians such as pharmacists, physiotherapists and mental health practitioners working as part of the wider primary care team.
Getting a GP appointment in Chichester can be challenging, as it is across much of the NHS. Demand for appointments exceeds capacity, and patients often report difficulty getting through on the telephone or securing a same-day or next-day appointment. Most practices now offer online booking and triage systems, where patients submit their symptoms or requests online and are directed to the most appropriate clinician or service. This has improved efficiency but has not eliminated the frustration of waiting for routine appointments.
For urgent but non-emergency problems, the NHS 111 service provides telephone and online triage, directing patients to the most appropriate service. Chichester also benefits from the urgent treatment centre and minor injuries services at St Richard's Hospital, which can deal with problems that are too urgent for a GP appointment but do not require the full emergency department.
The practices in Chichester participate in national screening programmes, vaccination campaigns and health promotion activities. Flu and Covid vaccinations are offered seasonally, and the practices run clinics for chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease.
Prescriptions from Chichester GPs can be collected from any of the pharmacies in the city, and most practices now offer electronic prescriptions that are sent directly to the patient's nominated pharmacy. Repeat prescriptions can be ordered online through the NHS App or the practice's own website.
Registering with a GP surgery in Chichester is straightforward for residents within the catchment area. New patients complete a registration form and are usually offered a health check. The process takes a few days, after which the full range of services is available.
For urgent but non-emergency problems, the NHS 111 service provides telephone and online triage, directing patients to the most appropriate service based on their symptoms. Chichester also benefits from the urgent treatment centre and minor injuries services at St Richard Hospital, which can deal with problems that are too urgent for a GP appointment but do not require the full emergency department. This tiered system of access helps to manage demand, though navigating it can feel confusing for patients who simply want to see a doctor.
The practices in Chichester participate in national screening programmes, vaccination campaigns and health promotion activities. Flu and Covid vaccinations are offered seasonally, and the practices run clinics for chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease. These long-term condition clinics are managed by practice nurses and healthcare assistants, with GP oversight.
Prescriptions from Chichester GPs can be collected from any of the pharmacies in the city, and most practices now offer electronic prescriptions that are sent directly to the patient nominated pharmacy without the need for a paper slip. Repeat prescriptions can be ordered online through the NHS App or the practice own website, a convenience that saves time for patients with ongoing medication needs.
Registering with a GP surgery in Chichester is straightforward for residents within the catchment area. New patients complete a registration form and are usually offered a new patient health check within a few weeks.