Getting in Touch Between Consultations
Questions often arise once you are putting a treatment plan into practice. You may need a practical clarification, notice a change in how you feel, or find that work, sleep or family circumstances are making the plan harder to follow.
A useful message helps me understand what has changed and decide with you whether a brief reply, a short clinical review or a fuller consultation is the best next step.
How to contact me
For clinical correspondence, email karl@elderroots.co.uk. Please keep individual health questions out of Facebook comments and social-media messages.
The website contact form is available for a brief enquiry. You do not need to put your full medical history into it. If records or further information are needed, I will explain what to send through the practice email route.
What to include in your message
A concise account is usually the most useful starting point:
- What would you like help with?
- What has changed, and when did it begin?
- Have any prescribed medicines, supplements or herbal products changed?
- Is there a practical difficulty with the treatment plan that we need to consider?
You do not need to assemble your entire medical archive. Relevant test results or correspondence can be requested where they will help answer the question.
When a fuller review may be needed
Some questions can be resolved briefly. Others require me to revisit the clinical record, assess new information, check medicine interactions or reconsider the treatment plan.
New symptoms, a significant flare, medication changes, hospital letters or blood results may need a written mini-consult or a return consultation. A substantial change in treatment usually needs more time than an exchange of short messages can provide.
If your circumstances or prescribed treatment change, please let me know so that we can consider whether your herbal care needs reviewing. Continue to follow your prescribing clinician's instructions for prescribed medicines.
Response times
I normally acknowledge initial enquiries within two working days, where possible. Scheduled care-pathway check-ins are normally answered within three working days.
More complex clinical questions may take longer because they require records review or other clinical work. An acknowledgement and a completed clinical response are different stages.
Working days are Monday to Friday. Messages are not monitored continuously.
What is included and when a fee applies
Simple administrative matters, such as clarifying appointment arrangements, are free. If your care plan includes scheduled check-ins, those follow the arrangements agreed with you.
Additional work requiring clinical judgement, records review or treatment decisions may carry a fee. Depending on the issue, this could be a minor clinical query, a mini-consult, a prescription adjustment or a full follow-up consultation.
I will explain the appropriate level of review and the relevant cost before chargeable work goes ahead, wherever possible. Current charges are listed on the Services and Fees page.
Urgent concerns
Elder Roots does not provide emergency or out-of-hours care. Please do not wait for a practice reply if you need urgent medical help.
Contact your GP or the appropriate local NHS urgent-care service. NHS 111 can help when you need medical help now; call 999 for a life-threatening emergency.
Not sure which type of contact you need?
Start with a brief email explaining what you would like help with. I can advise on the appropriate next step and any relevant fee before we arrange further work.
