Some Important Dates to Note
The
Public Holidays
The Surgery will be CLOSED ALL DAY on Monday 5th May 2008 and Monday 26th May 2008.
Please make sure you have enough medication to last you over the holiday period.
Other Practice Closures over the next few months:
Protected Learning Time – The Practice will CLOSE AT 12.30pm on the following dates:
Wednesday 21st May 2008
Wednesday 27th August 2008
Thursday 23rd October 2008
Thursday 5th February 2009
Wednesday 25th March 2009
If you have an emergency during any of these Practice Closures that cannot wait until the surgery reopens you should call NHS ADOC on 08454 24 24 24.
In a LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY DIAL 999 and ask for AMBULANCE
New features on our telephone system
If you’ve telephoned the surgery recently you will have noticed some changes to how your call is answered. We have upgraded our telephone system to include a call management facility which allows us to monitor ‘real time’ demand on the phones. This means we can now see when there’s heavy demand for a particular line, assign ‘backup’ staff to open more lines when demand is heavy and provide automated information to callers if they are ‘queued’ at times of peak demand. We hope patients will appreciate the benefit of this investment in technology.
Prescription Charges
From 1st April 2008 the cost of the per item prescription charge has been reduced from £6.85 to £5.00. Also, the cost of a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) has been reduced to £48.00 for a 12 month certificate and £17.00 for a 4 month certificate. If you have a PPC that is still valid beyond 1st April 2008 you will be able to claim a partial refund of your existing PPC. Claim forms are available from your local pharmacy.
Business Persons’ Surgeries – Trial Period We offered these Lunchtime Surgeries for a period of three months on a trial basis in response to feedback from our Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. During this period we found in fact there was little actual demand for the surgeries from the people they were intended for. We have now decided to withdraw the Business Persons’ Surgery and revert to our normal Surgery times.
Patient Participation Group The PPG met on Friday 11th April 2008 in the Conference Room at the Surgery. Minutes are available to patients registered at this practice on request. See the PPG Webpage for an update
From The Suggestion Box We welcome constructive comments and suggestions for improving services to our patients. In response to recent suggestions:
You told us that we sometimes don’t tell you when surgeries are running late.
The Receptionist on duty at the front desk should inform you when you arrive if she knows the surgery is running late and your appointment is likely to be delayed. Delays can happen very suddenly though and you might already be waiting in one of the forward waiting areas when a delay happens. If you have been kept waiting for 20 minutes after your appointment time, please return to the reception desk to allow us to investigate and offer a solution.
You told us you can’t get a ‘Same Day’ or ‘Emergency’ appointment without speaking to our Triage Nurse (or Doctor).
Our Triage system means we can guarantee that if you have a clinical need to be seen today there will be an appointment available for you. Our Triage Nurse (or Doctor) will call you back to offer advice or an appointment as necessary. There are always pre-bookable appointments available on subsequent days if your need is less urgent. Please make sure you are available at your given number when our Triage Nurse returns your call.