Holmhead Phone Queue Guide
If you searched for Holmhead Medical Practice, the key detail is knowing when to phone, when the routine line closes, how same-day urgent appointments work, when to use NHS Near Me, how to order prescriptions without calling, and when NHS 24 on 111 is safer.
This guide puts the official practice details into a practical patient route map first, then gives official links only after the relevant steps and warnings.
About Holmhead Medical Practice Kilmarnock
Holmhead Medical Practice is the GP surgery also shown through the Portland Road Surgery website. The most useful patient details are not hidden in one place: phone queue rules, appointment timing, prescription rules, home visits, staff names, new-patient registration and complaint routes sit across different official pages.
Official practice
Holmhead Medical Practice / Portland Road Surgery.
Location
31 Portland Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DJ.
Best user route
Pick the task first: appointment, triage, prescription, fit note, home visit, registration, complaint, NHS 24 or 999.
What Do You Need from Holmhead Medical Practice Today?
Use this section before phoning. It helps avoid calling at the wrong time, asking reception to do something the official site says cannot be done by phone, or using the emergency route for a routine task.
Routine GP appointment
- Pre-bookable appointment blocks open every Tuesday.
- Reception asks basic details to route you safely.
- You can ask for a preferred clinician if available.
Urgent same-day issue
- Urgent appointments are available to book from 8:30am to 11:00am.
- Opening-hours page says triage appointments should be requested before 11am.
- After 3:30pm routine lines close; urgent medical problems only.
Repeat prescription
- Prescription requests can no longer be taken by telephone.
- Use the repeat list, written request or online request route.
- Allow 7 working days before attending the pharmacy.
Fit note
- Seven days or less usually means self-certification.
- More than seven days may need a GP medical certificate.
- Early renewal requests are not processed.
Home visit
- Phone between 8:30am and 10:00am if possible.
- Use only if genuinely unable to attend due to sickness or injury.
- The visiting GP assesses urgency and the best team member.
Closed or urgent?
- When closed, call NHS 24 / NHS ADOC on 111.
- Emergency symptoms: call 999.
- NHS ADOC may arrange advice, Crosshouse consultation or home visit.
Holmhead Medical Practice Phone, Address and Opening Hours
| Need | Official detail | Practical user note |
|---|---|---|
| Address | Portland Road Surgery, 31 Portland Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DJ. | Use this exact address for maps, forms and official verification. |
| Reception | 01563 522118. | Use this for appointments, nurse appointments, home visits and reception help. |
| Surgery opening | Monday to Friday: 8:00am–12:30pm and 1:30pm–5:30pm. | The surgery closes for lunch between 12:30pm and 1:30pm. |
| Telephone lines | Monday to Friday: 8:30am–12:30pm and 2:00pm–5:30pm. | Phone access does not exactly match the building opening window. |
| Routine calls | Routine telephone lines close at 3:30pm. | After 3:30pm, urgent medical problems only are handled. |
| Weekend | Closed. | Use NHS 24 on 111 if urgent and not a 999 emergency. |
Phone System: Queue, Call Recording and Best Time to Call
Holmhead’s homepage gives an unusually useful phone-queue explanation. Use it to understand why you may hear a message, a queue, or an engaged tone.
Calls recorded
The practice says all calls are recorded in their entirety for training and monitoring purposes.
Queue capacity
If you hear the recorded message, you are connected and added to the queue. The system can queue up to 20 people.
Engaged tone
If you hear the engaged tone, more than 20 people are waiting and all lines are busy. Try again later.
How Appointments Work at Holmhead Medical Practice
The appointment page says the next block of pre-bookable appointments opens every Tuesday. For urgent on-the-day appointments, phone between 8:30am and 11:00am Monday to Friday.
For routine appointments, ask after the Tuesday release
The diary for the next block of pre-bookable appointments opens every Tuesday. You may be able to pre-book with your preferred clinician.
For urgent same-day issues, call 8:30am–11:00am
The practice says urgent appointments are available to book from 8:30am until 11:00am Monday to Friday.
Tell reception the reason
Reception asks basic details so the clinician has required information and the appointment can be booked with the correct clinician.
Consider non-GP routes
The practice lists alternatives such as pharmacist, mental health practitioner, Eyecare Ayrshire, Pharmacy First, A&E, Minor Injuries Unit and dentist where appropriate.
Cancel if you cannot attend
Tell reception if you cannot attend. The practice warns that persistent defaulters may be removed from the list.
Urgent Triage: Before 11am and After 3:30pm
| Situation | Official route | Patient action |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent on-the-day appointment | Phone 8:30am–11:00am Monday to Friday. | Give symptoms, start date, urgency, medication and safe callback number. |
| Triage appointment | Opening-hours page says triage appointments are available to book on the day by contacting the practice before 11am. | Call before 11am; do not leave it until late afternoon. |
| After 3:30pm | Routine lines close; urgent medical problems only are handled. | Use this only for problems that cannot reasonably wait until the next working day. |
| Closed | NHS 24 / NHS ADOC on 111. | Use 111 if urgent and not life-threatening; use 999 for emergency symptoms. |
NHS Near Me Video Appointments
Video consultation
The appointment page says the practice offers NHS Near Me video appointments powered by Attend Anywhere.
Pre-booked only
You must have a booked video appointment with the practice to use this service.
Join timing
The page says to enter the waiting room not more than 5 minutes before the appointment. If you cannot connect, phone 01563 522118.
Repeat Prescriptions: 7 Working Days and No Telephone Requests
The prescription page says prescription requests can no longer be taken by telephone. It also says not to phone the practice to check if a prescription has been processed.
| Prescription need | Official detail | Useful action |
|---|---|---|
| Online ordering | The practice links an online repeat prescription order route. | Use only for medication previously prescribed by a GP. |
| Right-hand repeat list | Long-term repeat medication appears on the right side of the prescription. | Hand in or post the repeat list when you need more medication. |
| Medicine not listed | If not listed on the right-hand side, a handwritten or online request is required. | Give medicine name, strength and reason. |
| Nominated pharmacy | The prescription goes to the pharmacy you are coded for. | To change pharmacy, speak to reception or sign a new pharmacy agreement. |
| Early ordering | The practice says it will not issue requests placed more than 14 days in advance. | Order early enough, but not too early. |
| Processing time | Allow 7 working days before attending the pharmacy. | Order before holidays, travel and weekends. |
| Phone requests | Prescription requests can no longer be taken by telephone. | Do not call reception to order repeat medication. |
Fit Notes and Self-Certification
| Situation | Official detail | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Off sick 7 days or less | Your employer should not ask for a doctor’s certificate; this is covered by self-certification. | Use your employer’s form or HMRC SC2 route if needed. |
| More than 7 days | You will need a medical certificate if off sick for more than seven days, including weekends and bank holidays. | Request a fit note when due. |
| Renewal | Fit notes can be back-dated, so it is not necessary to make an emergency appointment to renew one. | Do not use emergency appointment slots for routine renewal. |
| Forward dating | Fit notes cannot be forward dated. Request on the day it needs renewed. | Early requests will not be processed. |
| No practice/hospital evidence | If the practice has not seen you and has no medical information, you will not be able to get a certificate without phoning first. | Call the practice and explain the evidence/history. |
| Hospital care | If under hospital care, the certificate may be issued by the hospital rather than the practice. | Ask the hospital team before assuming the GP must issue it. |
Home Visits: 8:30am–10:00am and Genuine Need Rule
Request early
If possible, phone between 8:30am and 10:00am if you need a house visit that day.
Only if unable to attend
The practice asks patients to request a house call only if genuinely unable, because of sickness or injury, to come to the surgery.
GP assesses urgency
Home visit requests are passed to the visiting GP, who assesses urgency and decides the most appropriate team member.
Doctors, Nurses and Practice Team
The official staff page lists current names and roles. Staff details can change, so use the official page for live checking.
Doctors listed
Dr Sohail Sardar, Dr W A Frew, Dr Danny Tham, Dr Sarah Reid, Dr Lyn Welsh, Dr Hannah Boyd, Dr Niamh Carey and Dr Mohammed Murtaza are listed on the official staff page.
Nurse appointment
Practice nurse appointments are listed as available daily from 08:00–16:30 by calling 01563 522118. Gemma Cooper is listed under nurses.
Management and admin
Isobel Turner is listed as Practice Manager, Rachael McHutchison as Team Leader, and the practice says it has secretaries and administration staff.
Community midwives
The official staff page says to contact a midwife on 01563 578595.
District nurse
The official staff page says to contact a District Nurse on 01563 826521.
Health visitor
The official staff page says to contact a Health Visitor on 01563 825911.
Open staff pageNew Patients, Medication Safety and Temporary Registration
The new-patient page says the practice completes registration forms to request records and asks for identification where possible. It also asks for a medical questionnaire because records can take a few weeks to arrive.
| New patient point | Official detail | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| Registration form | Used so the practice can request records from the previous surgery. | Complete forms accurately and allow time for records transfer. |
| ID | The page says identification is requested where possible. | Bring ID if available, but ask reception if you do not have it. |
| Medication | Patients on medication should ensure adequate supply from previous surgery, as the practice may prefer not to prescribe until records arrive. | Do not move practice with only a few tablets left. |
| Children under 6 | The practice needs accurate childhood immunisation information and uses a recall system. | Bring immunisation details if registering a child. |
| Temporary patients | Emergency treatment is available for 14 days; temporary registration can last up to three months. | Contact the local practice you wish to use. |
| Medication policy | The practice says it will not issue certain addiction-related or potentially abused drugs to new or temporary patients. | Speak to your existing GP/specialist service before moving care. |
Languages, Communication and Non-English Support
Practice languages
The new-patient page says Punjabi, Urdu and Arabic are languages spoken by members of the practice team.
Translated NHS factsheets
The page links NHS fact sheets in multiple languages explaining GP/NHS roles, registration and emergency access.
Better call wording
If you need language support, tell reception early: “I need help in Punjabi / Urdu / Arabic / another language.”
Scam Call Warning from the Practice
The official homepage includes a patient alert about scam calls pretending to be from GP practices and asking people to update personal details online.
Do not share sensitive data
The practice says GP practices will never ask for sensitive personal information in that way.
Verify directly
If unsure, contact Holmhead using the official number rather than a number from a suspicious call or text.
Report suspicious calls
The practice alert says similar calls should be reported to Police Scotland by calling 101.
Staff Training Closures and Public Holidays
The official homepage lists 2026 staff-training closure dates and public holidays. Check live notices before travelling because these can change.
| Closure type | Official listed date | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Staff training | Tuesday 25 August 2026, from 12:30pm. | Plan prescriptions and routine calls before the half-day closure. |
| Staff training | Wednesday 18 November 2026, from 12:30pm. | Use NHS 24 on 111 if urgent while closed. |
| Public holiday | Friday 18 September 2026. | Order prescriptions early. |
| Public holiday | Monday 21 September 2026. | Expect weekend-plus-holiday pressure afterwards. |
| Public holiday | Friday 25 December 2026 and Monday 28 December 2026. | Do not leave medication requests to Christmas week. |
| Public holiday | Friday 1 January 2027 and Monday 4 January 2027. | Check official update before New Year. |
Complaints and Suggestions
The official complaints page says the practice operates a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about NHS services in Scotland after the complaints process is finished.
Start with the practice
If you have a complaint or concern about service from doctors or staff, let the practice know through the complaints route.
Final stage
If still dissatisfied after the NHS complaint process, the SPSO may look at the complaint, subject to its rules.
SPSO phone
The official complaints page lists SPSO Freephone: 0800 377 7330.
Privacy, Communication Recording and Data Rights
Patient file communication
The homepage says all forms of communication are recorded in the patient file.
Records held
The privacy page says records can include address, carer, emergency contacts, appointments, clinic visits, notes, treatment, test results and information from other health professionals.
Access requests
The privacy page says Data Subject Access Requests should be made to the practice and that the practice is required to respond within one month.
Scotland Note: Why This Page Uses NHS 24, Not CQC
Holmhead Medical Practice is in Scotland. For this reason, the useful patient routes are NHS Scotland, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS 24 / NHS ADOC and the official practice website. CQC is an England regulator and is not the correct quality-source button for this Scottish GP article.
Common Holmhead Medical Practice Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Best route | Do not do this |
|---|---|---|
| Engaged tone when calling | Try again later; the homepage says this means more than 20 callers are already queued. | Do not assume the surgery is closed if it is during listed hours. |
| Need urgent same-day appointment | Phone 8:30am–11:00am and explain the issue clearly. | Do not leave urgent same-day contact until after 3:30pm unless it cannot wait. |
| Need routine appointment | Ask about the Tuesday release of pre-bookable appointments. | Do not expect a preferred clinician to always be available immediately. |
| Need prescription | Use online, written, repeat list or pharmacy route; allow 7 working days. | Do not telephone to order or check a repeat prescription. |
| Need fit-note renewal | Request on the day it needs renewed; backdating is possible. | Do not request early; the practice says early requests will not be processed. |
| Need home visit | Phone between 8:30am and 10:00am if possible. | Do not request a house call if you can safely attend the surgery. |
| Scam call asks for details | Hang up, verify using the official practice number, and report suspicious calls to Police Scotland on 101. | Do not share sensitive details with unsolicited callers. |
Holmhead Route Planner
Choose your task and get a practical next step. This runs in your browser only and does not send information anywhere.
Select your task above.
Copy-and-Use Scripts
Appointment call
I am registered with Holmhead Medical Practice. I need help with ______. It started ______. It is urgent/routine because ______. I can take a call at ______.Prescription request
Patient name: ______. Date of birth: ______. Medicine name and strength: ______. Pharmacy: ______. This is on / not on my repeat list.Fit note request
I need a fit note from ______ because I have been off work for more than seven days. I have / have not already discussed this problem with the practice or hospital.Home visit request
I am requesting a home visit because I am genuinely unable to attend surgery due to ______. Symptoms started ______. Best callback number is ______.Map: Holmhead Medical Practice / Portland Road Surgery
Use this map for 31 Portland Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DJ. Check opening hours, lunch closure and holiday notices before travelling.
Official Resources
Use these official links after reading the relevant section above. This guide explains the detail first; the link is for action and verification.
Related MedicalGroupUK Guides
These related NHS Scotland GP guides help users compare phone access, prescription rules, appointment wording and NHS 24 routes.
Holmhead Medical Practice FAQs
What is Holmhead Medical Practice?
Holmhead Medical Practice is an NHS Scotland GP practice also shown as Portland Road Surgery in Kilmarnock.
Where is Holmhead Medical Practice?
The NHS 24 listing shows Portland Road Surgery, 31 Portland Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DJ.
What is the Holmhead Medical Practice phone number?
The official reception number is 01563 522118.
What are the surgery opening hours?
The official opening-hours page lists Monday to Friday, 8:00am–12:30pm and 1:30pm–5:30pm.
What are the telephone-line hours?
The official opening-hours page says telephone lines are open 8:30am–12:30pm and 2:00pm–5:30pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays and pre-arranged training days.
When do routine telephone lines close?
The homepage and opening-hours page say routine telephone lines close at 3:30pm. After 3:30pm, urgent medical problems only are handled.
What does the engaged tone mean?
The homepage says the queue can hold up to 20 callers. If you hear the engaged tone, more than 20 people are waiting and all lines are busy.
Are calls recorded?
Yes. The homepage says all calls are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
How do I book a routine appointment?
The appointment page says the next block of pre-bookable appointments opens every Tuesday. You may be able to pre-book with a preferred clinician.
How do urgent on-the-day appointments work?
The appointment page says urgent appointments are available to book from 8:30am until 11:00am Monday to Friday.
Why does reception ask what the appointment is about?
The appointment page says reception asks basic details because the information is required by the clinician and helps book the correct clinician.
Can I choose a doctor?
The appointment page says patients are free to choose which doctor they consult with, though availability and clinician interests may affect the best route.
Does Holmhead offer NHS Near Me video appointments?
Yes. The appointment page says the practice offers NHS Near Me video appointments, but you must have a booked video appointment with the practice.
How do I request a home visit?
Phone 01563 522118 or call at reception. If possible, phone between 8:30am and 10:00am for a house visit that day.
Who should request a home visit?
The practice asks patients to request a house call only if genuinely unable, because of sickness or injury, to attend the surgery.
How do I order repeat prescriptions?
Use the online route, the right-hand repeat list, handwritten request where needed, post or pharmacy route. Telephone prescription requests are not accepted.
Can I order prescriptions by phone?
No. The prescription page says prescription requests can no longer be taken by telephone.
How long should I allow for prescriptions?
The prescription page says to allow 7 working days before attending the pharmacy.
Can I order prescriptions more than 14 days early?
The prescription page says requests placed more than 14 days in advance will not be issued.
Can I phone to check whether my prescription is processed?
The prescription page asks patients not to call the practice to check if a prescription has been processed.
How do fit notes work for seven days or less?
The fit-note page says if you are off work sick for seven days or less, your employer should not ask for a doctor’s certificate. This is covered by self-certification.
When do I need a medical certificate?
You need a medical certificate if you are off work sick for more than seven days, counting weekends and bank holidays.
Can fit notes be forward dated?
No. The official fit-note page says fit notes cannot be forward dated and early requests will not be processed.
Who are the doctors at Holmhead Medical Practice?
The official staff page lists Dr Sohail Sardar, Dr W A Frew, Dr Danny Tham, Dr Sarah Reid, Dr Lyn Welsh, Dr Hannah Boyd, Dr Niamh Carey and Dr Mohammed Murtaza.
How do new patients register?
The new-patient page says a registration form and medical questionnaire are completed so records can be requested from the previous surgery.
What should patients on medication do before registering?
The new-patient page says patients on medication should ensure they have an adequate supply from their previous surgery because the practice may prefer not to prescribe until records arrive.
Does Holmhead support other languages?
The new-patient page says Punjabi, Urdu and Arabic are languages spoken by members of the practice team.
What should I do if I get a suspicious GP call?
Do not share sensitive information. Verify by calling the official practice number, and report suspicious activity to Police Scotland on 101.
What happens when Holmhead Medical Practice is closed?
The out-of-hours service is provided by NHS ADOC. Phone 111 to contact NHS ADOC. For emergencies, call 999.
Does Holmhead have a CQC rating?
Holmhead Medical Practice is in Scotland, so CQC is not the correct regulator source for this article. Use the official practice website, NHS Scotland and NHS 24 sources.
Is this the official Holmhead Medical Practice website?
No. This is an independent MedicalGroupUK.org guide. Use the official Holmhead Medical Practice, NHS 24 and NHS Inform links for live action and verification.