Summary Care Record
In March all Suffolk patients will have received a letter from the Primary Care Trust about the Summary Care Record, the project to upload some information from GP records onto a national database which would be available to A&E and Out of Hours Doctors.
PCT staff will be holding a ‘drop- in’ session at Shotley Surgery in the morning of Wednesday 19th May where there will be leaflets and someone to answer questions on this topic.
If you decide you do not want to have a summary care record created, you should complete an opt out form which is available from the internet or from either of our two surgeries. This needs to be returned to the Practice within 12 weeks of receiving the letter and then we will add a code to your medical record to prevent information being sent.
Partnership Change
After over 30 years of work as a GP in the Shotley Peninsula, Dr John Williams retired on 31st March 2010. His wife Sally, also a GP in Ipswich, retired on the same day. Staff held a party to mark the event at the Butt and Oyster at Pin Mill, which was a sad event but also a celebration as John and Sally plan a very active and full retirement. We wish them both the very best in this new phase of their lives.
As a result of John’s retirement we welcome Dr Sidhu Gada to the Practice. He is a very experienced GP having worked for many years in the Coventry area, he is a member of two Royal Colleges and a qualified appraiser of other GPs. We expect he will become an integral part of the Practice team very quickly.
Extra
Doctors’ Appointments on Saturday and Monday mornings
Having agreed in 2004 that GPs should no longer provide Saturday
surgeries, the Government has now changed its mind. As a result, from
4th October we will open 8.30-10.30am on Saturdays at Holbrook Surgery
only.
As required by the Government’s rules, this is NOT an emergency clinic
but is for pre booked appointments with a doctor. You will not be able
ring up or to book ‘on the day’ and if you need urgent medical attention
you will still need to see the Out of Hours service which is based at
Riverside Clinic (299622) or contact NHS Direct (0845 46 47). You will
need to book the Saturday and early Monday appointments by 6.30pm on the
preceding Friday.However if you have regular repeat medicines, you can
arrange to collect them on Saturday mornings provided you have given the
Dispensary at least 48 hours notice, have ordered them from Holbrook
Surgery and said you will collect from there on Saturday.
Both Holbrook and Shotley surgeries will also open at 7am on Mondays
from 6th October, again for patients who have pre booked appointments
with the doctor.
We do hope that these extra appointments will make it easier for
patients, particularly those who work, to see a doctor.
New Service!
You can now make, change or cancel doctors'
appointments online. You must register for this in advance - just take
two pieces if identification to Reception and they will explain the next
steps.
New Weight Loss Service for
Adults
Would you like to lose some weight for the good of your health?
Are you over 18 years old and need to lose a stone or more?
Are you put off joining a slimming group because of the weekly fees?
If so, make an appointment with a Practice Nurse to discuss weight
management strategies.
Appointments are available every morning and some evenings – just ring
your local surgery.
Wasted Appointments
Last month over 13 hours of doctors’ and nurses’ time was wasted because
some patients who had booked appointments did not attend.
PLEASE let us know in advance if you cannot make the time and
date you had arranged.
Even short notice will allow us to offer the appointment to someone
else.
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