Latest News - April 08

Booking Online

Many patients are now using the online booking facility, and the feedback we have had is that you like it and find it very convenient. We ask that you book appointments (at this early stage of the scheme) with your own GP only for issues that you have seen your GP with in the past. Other facilities will become available in the future such as leaving non-urgent messages but please note that this is not available yet. (As always in case of an emergency dial 999 or 112 from both land lines & mobiles).

Ordering Prescriptions Online

Again we have had very positive feedback from patients. However we have noticed a problem which you have also fed back to us. Because there is no reply saying the prescription request has been received – many patients seem to be ordering and then ringing to make sure it’s gone through, which it inevitably has. We will correct this, and thank you for feeding back to us. Your feedback helps us to try and run things in the surgery to help you, so please keep feeding back your comments & ideas. Although we don't respond to you directly, we do act upon them.

Prescription charge rises
Please note the the government have raised prescription charges by 25p from 1^st April 2008. The cost of an NHS prescription will now be £7.10 per item..

Pre-Payment Certificates

If you pay for four or more prescription items in three months, or 15 or more items within 12 months then you could save money by purchasing a Pre-Payment Certificate. The price from 01.04.08 has also risen :-

• 3-month pre-payment certificate costs £27.85
• 12-month pre-payment certificate costs £102.50

A Prepayment Certificate may be purchased online at: http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/ppc_intro.htm or talk to our Pharmacist about obtaining a certificate.

A Guide to prescription exemptions
 

NHS prescriptions are normally charged at a specific fee for each item. However, many people are exempt from paying these prescription charges.

If at the time you have your prescription dispensed you fall into one of the groups below then you should be exempt from charges.

• You are under 16
• You are 16 to 18 and in full-time education
• You are 60 or over
• You are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid exemption certificate
• You have a specified medical condition and have a valid exemption certificate
• You have a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without help from another person and have a valid exemption certificate
• You are getting or your partner gets:
   - Income support
   - Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
   - Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• You are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate
• You are named on a valid HC2 certificate
• You are a war pensioner, the prescription is for your accepted disablement and you have a valid war pension exemption certificate

There are also some situations in which medicines are supplied free:
• Prescribed contraceptives
• Medication administered at a hospital or a NHS Walk in Centre
• Medication personally administered by a GP
• Medication supplied at a hospital or PCT clinic for the treatment of a sexually transmissible infection

Our dispensay staff will be happy to tell you all about exemptions

Questionnaires

There are 3 questionnaires circulating at present these are a requirement of the PCT and DOH to show the facilities offered within the practice.  The questionnaires are as follows:

1. GPAQ - circulated by practice staff as part of our new contract, quiet a lengthy questionnaire but valuable to the practice to ask patients their views on our services.  As in previous years the results will be on display in the surgery for your appraisal and comment.

2. MORI Poll-The GP Patient Survey, Hospital Choice. A government survey to be given to patients hen they are referred to a specialist at a hospital, asking just 3 questions on choice of hospital.

3. The Government's Patient Experience Survey, which will be circulated to a random sample of patients.

We thank our patients for their continued involvement in their practice, by completing the above questionnaires and by being involved in discussing the results and way forward with the practice.

 
Halton Surgery

After months of planning,  finally the development of the new surgery and attached pharmacy is well underway. Ducketts builders took over control of the site at the beginning of December. We are working towards moving into the new premises, along with Halton Pharmacy (C R Healthcare) and a branch of Carnforth Sub Post Office, mid May. 

We thank all our patients and the residents of Halton for their support in achieving this. We think this exciting development will be a great improvement in medical services for our patients in Halton, and a service for the community. We also apologise for any inconvenience to our neighbours while the building work is underway.

Extended Hours

"Your GP’s surgery works hard to ensure that most patients can be seen as soon as possible, using the resources that are given to us by the Government".

We understand that many patients have to work and sometimes may struggle to get an appointment time that fits in with work and other commitments. At present, your GP surgery is contracted to provide services between 8am –6.30pm Monday to Friday and out of hours care is provided by your local Primary Care Organisation.

We work hard to ensure that those who need emergency appointments can see a doctor as soon as possible and satisfaction levels with GP services remain very high. Nationally eight out of ten patients say they are happy with current opening hours.

You may have read reports that GPs have refused to extend their opening hours for patients. In fact, the BMA, the doctors’ trade union, has offered for GPs to work longer hours. However, we would not want patient care to suffer as a result of any changes. The Government is not offering any extra money for surgeries to open longer and we want to ensure that longer opening hours are properly funded. For this reason we currently remain opposed to the proposed changes. This letter aims to explain why we think this, and why we are fearful that the Government may be using this issue to introduce further reforms, through the back door, that will affect patient care.” (full letter on display in the waiting room)

Home visits

“GPs still carry out a number of home visits each day, If a patient comes to the surgery they can be examined and treated more quickly and in a much better environment.  However, if your doctor knows you are housebound the he or she will visit you at home.”

Quality of care

“In 2004  the government brought in a way of measuring the quality of care GP’s provide to patients.  It was designed to raise standards.  In 2005 UK GPs hit nine in ten of these targets (91%).  This year they hit nearly 97%.”  This practice has always achieved the highest targets each year of the new contract and endeavours to promote “Best Practice” e.g. patients with more complex requirements such as diabetes, asthma and other long term conditions are regularly cared for by the appropriate clinical team within the practice.

Access

Simply access is the ability to see a healthcare professional within 24 hours and a GP within 48 hours.  This surgery offers this each day, Unfortunately we cannot always offer you the GP of your choice at the site of your choice.

Extracts from BMA documents on display in the waiting room.

Comings and goings:

· Shirley Chambers, Nurse Practitioner, has now moved to working part time.

· Martin Higgins joined the surgery as a Nurse Practitioner in January 2008.

· Dr Aye Win joined the Surgery as a Foundation Year 2 doctor in December for a 4 month period as part of her ongoing training.  A further FY2 doctor will join the practice this year.

· Dr Deepika Ravuri who left the practice in August, had a baby girl in December, We send our congratulations to her and her husband.

Touch-screen Technology

We have installed a touch-screen check-in system at the main surgery, which should save you time at the surgery and improve patient confidentiality.

When you arrive for your appointment with the doctor or nurse, you can let us know you have arrived using the touch-screen, which is positioned to the left of the reception desk. Just follow the simple on-screen instructions to book yourself in, then take a seat in the usual way.

Don't worry, help will be on hand, especially during the first few weeks when everyone is getting used to the system, and the receptionists will still be there behind their desks to answer your queries. In a way, it's like having an extra receptionist, leaving the others free to help patients needing to make appointments or collect prescriptions, with shorter queues for all!

Information Governance.  Information Management & Technology.

The practice has been working hard to ensure that the health information about your medical history we have in your records is up to date, accurate and secure. Information regarding your health will be kept on computer under the terms of the  Data Protection Act (1998). Our policy is to maintain complete confidentiality and all our staff are contracted to adhere to this. Information held is anonymous and used in audit to benefit future health care. In addition your demographic data is head on the National Spine as part of the Summary Care Record. If patient-specific information is required by anybody other than attached medical personnel, your explicit permission will be sought, as no information will be given to a third party without your written consent. You do have the right to access to your medical records in accordance with the Access to Records Act 1990. Please contact the Practice Manager for further information. Please Click here for an information leaflet informing you of how we protect and use your health information.

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