Appointments (CHANGES WEEK COMMENCING 8TH APRIL 2024)

Appointment Changes April 2024

From the week commencing Monday the 8th April 2024, we will be making changes to how the appointment system works, this is in line with government guidance and to help patients have better accessibility to appointments and getting the right care they need, when they need it.

You will no longer have to ring at 8am or 12pm to book appointments, you will be sign posted or pre-booked with a clinician within 2 weeks of your non-urgent call. If you require an emergency appointment, there will be slots available on the day for emergencies. If the emergency clinic is full, the reception staff will navigate you to an appropriate service such as NHS 111/A&E Or the Urgent Treatment Centre. If it is not an emergency, you will be offered the next available appointment.

We welcome any feedback regarding the changes and hope that this will elevate some of the pressure currently on patients and the practice.

Meet Your Healthcare Team

Did you know that there are several trained clinicians who support the practice and patients in receiving the the very best tailored care? As the NHS continues to expand, so does what your Healthcare team can do for you. We like most surgery operate care navigation and sign posting to ensure you see the best clinicians for your health concerns. This includes;

Pharmacists
First Contact Physiotherapist
GP Assistants
HCA
Nurses/Nurse Prescribers
GPS
Midwives
Mental Health Nurses (Primary Care Network)
Social Prescribers
Care Co-Ordinators

Additional Services include: Extended Access Clinics, Out Of Hours/NHS 111, Walk In Centres, Urgent Treatment Centres, Accident & Emergency, Live Well Hub, Pharmacy.

Non-Attendance Changes 2024

Over the last few months, we have noticed a large increase in patient’s not attending their appointments. We have a dedicated line for cancellations where you can leave a message, and this will be cancelled. You do not need to wait in the queue to speak to a member of the reception team. We unfortunately do now need to implement a policy, that hopefully will minimise the non-attendance. This is causing a significant impact on the system and starting from the 8^{th of} April we will be sending letters for every consecutive non-attendance. Once you reach 3 within a year, you will then receive a letter advising you that you will be removed from the surgery. We appreciate that emergencies happen, and this cannot always be helped, however keeping us informed then will free the appointment up for someone who is also in desperate need.

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10:00 if you require a home visit please give the receptionist details of your problem. This will enable the doctor to prioritize calls.

A doctor will normally call a patient prior to making a home visit to establish the nature of the patients complaint.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

You can be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Travel vaccines

Please be aware that certain travel vaccinations and medication are not available on the NHS meaning you will have to pay a fee. Please follow the link for more information on travel vaccinations from the NHS website. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Travel-immunisation/Pages/Introduction.aspx

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below:

Home - Fit for Travel - then select the location you are travelling too. We are currently able to offer travel assessments and vaccination, but we ask for at least 8 weeks notice (As per NHS guidelines), the longer notice the better time we can plan and make sure your vaccines are within date. If you do not wish to wait or it is anything under the 8 week mark, you will need to seek advice from a pharmacy service

Travelling in Europe

If you are travelling to Europe a very useful booklet has been published with advice and guidance to help you get the most out of your holiday. To visit please click:- http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/86/en.pdf (this is a large document and may take a minute or two to view)

EXTENDED ACCESS APPOINTMENTS

Did you know your GP surgery is now open longer? GP practices across Witham & Maldon Primary Care Network are working together to provide the right services at a time which is convenient for you. We’ve listened to feedback from people in our local area, and we are making changes to our out-of-hours appointments to deliver better services for you. We understand you may not always be available for appointments during the week due to working, busy schedules and child care. It is the intent of this service to allow more flexibility when patient's are booking.

You can now book evening telephone calls on Wednesdays and Fridays with Dr Killy up until 20:30pm. On weekends we rotate face to face appointments at either The Witham Health Centre (Witham), Collingwood Road (Witham), Fern House Surgery (Witham), Blackwater Surgery (Maldon). These appointments are booked in advance so please speak to reception to book these appointments. Please be aware that if you turn up WITHOUT an appointment to these clinics you will be turned away.

Appointments are now available with: GP'S, Nurse's, Paramedic's, HCA'S.