Heathcote Medical Centre
Patient Newsletter July 2016
Reminder of Opening Times
Appointment Availability
The surgery is open
As is the case for all GP practices, demand easily outstrips
supply of routine appointments. Here at Heathcote we offer

Monday - Friday 08:00 - 18:30 (core opening hours)
telephone consultations with doctors in circumstances where

Appointments can be made at reception from
the 10 minute face to face appointment is not necessary and
08.30
encourage our patients to explore whether this would be

appropriate by giving information to our trained
Telephone lines are open between 08:30 - 12.45
receptionists. We would also remind our patients that many
and 14:00 - 18:00
issues can be effectively covered by our nursing and
We also offer bookable extended hours late appointments on
healthcare assistant team.
Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 18:30 until 20:30.
To assist us in maximising appointment availability we
After closing times patients should telephone 111 to access
politely ask all patients who no longer need an appointment
out of hours care for issues which cannot await the surgery
to cancel them. It is not necessary to speak to a receptionist
reopening.
– you can use our automated system and leave a message,
even out of hours. Please do make use of this to free up
much needed appointment time.
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Practice/NHS News
GP forward view
Extended Access to Routine
Patients may have been aware that a long awaited
Appointments
investment into general practice is planned over the next 5
Local practices have joined to together in a joint venture to
years. We would invite our patients to look at the plan by
provide more appointments to patients locally. The
following this link.
appointments are available to book through the practice.
Who knows whether and how this will be affected by the
Please note this service is for pre-booked appointments and
Brexit vote. The RCGP is campaigning to ensure that the
is not a walk in service.
pledges surrounding investment are delivered despite the
decision to leave the EU. The hotly contested political
The appointments are available at two hubs – one at the
debate will be whether the claims of increased funding to
Derby Medical Practice in the Ebbisham Centre and the other
the NHS post Brexit materialise.
at Leatherhead Community Hospital. As far as possible the
service is being covered by local GPs.
What is certain is that general practice must transform
against the background of recruitment problems of staff,
The appointments are from 18.30 to 21.00 Monday to Friday,
workload and the increasing pressures of an increasing and
and 09.00 to 13.30 Saturday and 09.00 to 12.30 Sunday.
ageing population with more complex needs. It is possible
over the coming years that closer working with other health
Given that patients will have a 10 minute appointment with
professionals will be in place - paramedics, clinical
a doctor they have not met before, patients with chronic
pharmacists and physicians associates - and closer working
conditions or requiring continuity will be advised against
with community teams with GPs collaborating to provide
using the service. The doctors at the hubs will be able to
services.
access patient records and will send a report back to the
practice following the appointment.
Within this area there have been examples of initiatives such
as the opening of the hubs at the Ebbisham Centre and
Leatherhead Community Hospital (see opposite) and the
Please note that whilst appointments can be made here,
opening of a Community Assessment & Diagnostic Unit run by
should a patient need to cancel an appointment they will
GPs for GPs from Epsom hospital. The aim of this unit is to
need to contact the hubs directly.
avoid hospital admissions for the frail.
For more information and location maps please see
We have asked our Patient Participation Group to help
www.gphealthpartners.co.uk
communicate the stresses faced by general practice and to
assist patients in making the most effective use of their GP
service and the various community and national support
services. Over the coming months they will be highlighting
various conditions and helping to sign post patients to other
sources of help.
Of course, prevention is better than cure and with a firm
emphasis on supporting healthy lifestyles, the Patient Group
may be able to help arrange talks and training to groups of
patients. The Group wants to hear your view so please do
read their section within this newsletter and get involved.
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Immunisations and Flu Clinic
We remind patients who are aged 65 or over on 31 March 2017 or have a serious medical condition to have a flu vaccination
in the Autumn. We have set the dates for our first two flu clinics as follows:Saturday 24 September – 8-9 am pre booked and 9-11am walk in (no appointment necessary)
Saturday 8 October pre booked 9-11.
Please contact the surgery if you wish to be booked in, or simply turn up on the 24 September between 9 and 11. The walkin will generally be quieter later in the morning should you wish to reduce any potential waiting time.
If you do not wish to be vaccinated, please advise us so we can record this.
The children’s flu programme for 2016/17 will be delivered as follows:
• two, three and four year olds (but not five years or older on 31 August 2016) (date of birth between 1.9.2011 and
31.8.2014) by GPs; and
• children of appropriate age for school years one, two and three will have a service commissioned by NHS England, in
schools in the majority of areas.
Over 65s and those with serious conditions are also eligible to have the pneumococcal vaccine. Pneumococcal infections can
lead to serious conditions such as pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia.
Shingles vaccinations are, from 1 September open to those aged 70-73 as at 1 September 2016 and those aged 79 on that
date.
Meningitis ACWY is available to patients aged 18 years at 31 August 2015 and to those going to university aged between 19
and 25 years.
CQC Update
The practice was inspected by the CQC in December 2015 and we are pleased to announce that the practice has been rated
“good”. There is a link to the full report from the practice website under the latest news link. You can also access the
report via the CQC website.
Free Health Checks Service
We are able to offer health checks to patients aged between 40 and 74 who are not already being treated for medical
conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. The check is to assess your risk of developing diabetes,
heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and dementia. If there are any warning signs, then together we can do something
about it.
The check should take about 20-30 minutes and is based on straightforward questions and measurements such as age,
gender, family history, height, weight and blood pressure. There will also be a simple blood test to check for cholesterol and
diabetes.
Following the check, you will receive free personalised advice about what you can do to stay healthy. For more information
please see the website: http://www.healthcheck.nhs.uk/
If you wish to make an appointment with one of our health care assistants please see reception or call the surgery at your
convenience.
Surrey Travel Clinic - Before You Fly
If you are travelling this summer, please consider your vaccination requirements. Ask reception for an assessment form
which will include countries and areas within countries you intend to visit in order that we can advise you. Please note not
all vaccinations are covered by NHS services and hence may incur a charge.
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Joiners
We are pleased to welcome several new staff members. We have had the benefit of two registrars for the last few months,
Dr. Nishi Rajaratnam and Dr. Rupert Critchley. Both have now completed their training and we are very pleased to confirm
that Nishi will be joining us as a GP from September. Dr. Critchley is moving to pastures new at the end of the summer and
we wish him well and thank him for his contribution to the practice.
Three of our salaried GPs have returned from maternity leave – Dr. Rahman, Dr. Murphy and Dr. Patel. We are sure our
patients welcome their return as we do. Unfortunately Dr. Murphy’s return was limited as she has decided to locum. We
thank Dr. Murphy for her years of service and wish her well with her new venture.
Retirements
One of our secretaries Gina Garlic retired to the south coast in June. Gina has been a real asset to the practice and will be
missed.
Car Park
Many of our patients will be aware that we have lost several spaces in the car park temporarily due to an accident causing
damage to the wall. We have had no choice but to protect patients and their vehicles by cordoning off the affected area.
The matter is in the hands of insurers and we can only apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please do factor this is to
your travel arrangements to and from the surgery. In the short term more patients will have to park away from the surgery.
Message From The Patient Participation Group
The Patient Participation Group at Heathcote is a small group whose role is to work with the practice to improve the
services for the patient and to support the practice. Via two-way communication the patient's views and expectations can be
expressed and the changes and developments in health care discussed. The group aim to work collaboratively and positively
with the practice to improve services for the patient and to support the practice.
We have been patients here for a long time and appreciate the care received and we are pleased that there was such a good
result from the recent Care Quality Commission inspection. We plan to arrange talks on different health matters and this
would be easier if there were more members in the group. Please do consider joining us as the group is open to everyone
who is a patient at Heathcote.
This is a time of national manpower shortage with an increasing demand on medical services, so here are our TOP TIPS for
getting the most out of your contact with the Practice.
TOP TIPS
1. Cancel appointments not required – select option 1 when phoning – no need to speak with reception
2. Request repeat medication in good time
3. Remember appointments are usually for ten minutes
4. Consider whether a Telephone Consultation be suitable?
5. Have you considered getting information from your pharmacist?
6. Please respect those less mobile and consider parking further away from the surgery. Expect the car park to be busy and
factor this into your travel time.
7. Please DO NOT PARK in the Disabled or Staff bays.
Patients are invited to contact us at
[email protected]. Please note that this email inbox will be monitored
weekly and MUST NOT be used for any clinical correspondence
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