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Below is a plethora of information for Patients and
Prospective Patients at Branch End Surgery. We hope you can find any information you require about the surgery on this page or other parts of the website. If there is anything missing that you think we should have on this page please feel free to get in touch using the Feedback Form. Thank you. |
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NEW AND PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS We accept patients moving newly into the practice area. Registration involves the completion of a form and our transmitting the information from the form via computer link to the relevant Trust. All new patients are expected to see a nurse or doctor soon after registration for a health check. This enables us to assess what care or advice you may require and ensures that the doctor has all your relevant health information to hand. Even if you feel perfectly well, we feel it is important that you take this opportunity to have a check. MAKING CONTACT SURGERY OPENING TIMES The surgery is staffed continuously from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on weekdays except for Thursday afternoons. Occasionally between 1.00 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. we will have an answer phone on to allow for staff training, however, the surgery remains open at this time. Consultations generally take place at the following times: Monday to Friday: 8.30 a.m. 10.00 a.m. 3.00 p.m. 5.00 p.m. except Thursdays due to half day closing at 1.00 p.m. (A doctor is always on call for emergencies) An appointment should be made for each member of the family requiring a consultation. Please see 'Getting the Most out of a Consultation' for further information. Always notify the receptionist of your arrival at the surgery so that you can be directed to the appropriate waiting area. If you need to cancel an appointment, please telephone to cancel in good time so that the appointment can be offered to someone else. Consultations are by appointment only. Appointments are normally for 10 minutes but, if you feel your problem may take longer, a longer appointment can be arranged. Annual diabetic reviews, medicals and minor surgery require half hour appointments. Appointment times may be varied in the future in response to changing requirements. Details may be found in reception from time to time. TELEPHONE CALLS You may book a telephone call with a doctor or nurse. The Surgery offers Doctor telephone consultation appointments for patients who have a problem and feel it could be dealt with over the telephone. They are available: Only after morning surgery between 10.30am 11.30am We also have Nurse telephone consultation appointments if you need to get results of Blood Tests or if you have a general query about your health. They are available : Only after morning surgery between 11.00am 12.00noon The number to use is the usual Surgery line 01661 842626 CHAPERONES You may request a chaperone at any time during a consultation. A doctor or nurse may offer you a chaperone if they feel it appropriate. GROUND FLOOR CONSULTING ROOMS We recognise that some of our patients have difficulty with the stairs and are more than happy to see you in a ground floor consulting room, on request. DISABLED ACCESS Access to the building has been greatly enhanced by the installation of automatic doors and widening the access route to the downstairs consulting rooms. EMERGENCIES During the day, a doctor is always available for emergencies using the usual telephone number. If you think your problem is urgent, the receptionist will be able to offer you an appointment the same day, or suggest that you speak to a doctor or practice nurse. If the surgery is fully booked, you may have to wait for a vacancy later in the day and it may not be possible to see the doctor of your choice. For less urgent, routine problems, it is essential that you make an appointment. This will enable you to see a doctor or nurse of your choice at a time most convenient to you. If you think your problem can be dealt with over the telephone, a doctor or nurse will be happy to give you advice. If you wish to speak to a doctor or nurse, please ask for a telephone consultation which are bookable at the end of each morning surgery. OUT OF HOURS When the surgery is closed phone 0845 60 80 320 if you have a problem which cannot wait until the surgery re-opens. This number is also given on the practice answer phone. Responsibility for providing medical services when the practice is closed lies with Northumberland Care Trust. Northern Doctors Urgent Care currently provides the out of hours service. Northern Doctors Urgent Care Out of Hours Service is available when the practice is closed : Monday Thursday 5.30 p.m. 8.00 a.m. Weekends 5.30p.m. Friday to 8.00 a.m. Monday Your personal details, together with details of your problem will then be taken by a trained message handler who will pass on any symptom based problem to an Northern Doctors Urgent Care doctor who will triage your problem and decide on the best course of action. The nearest walk-in centre is at Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road. HOME VISITS We invest a great deal of time, effort and money in providing excellent facilities at the surgery for assessment and treatment where there is access to several members of our team. We expect you to attend the surgery for both routine and more urgent treatment. We cannot offer you these facilities at home and therefore home visits are restricted to patients who are genuinely medically incapable of travelling to the surgery. Home Visits also take more time than surgery appointments and can affect the availability of our Doctors for surgery appointments. If you require a home visit during normal Monday to Friday surgery hours, please telephone before 10.00 a.m. if at all possible. This will enable the doctors to plan their rounds. REPEAT PRESCRIBING If you are on long term medication, we have a computerised system which allows you to obtain a number of repeats without seeing your doctor. After an interval agreed with your doctor, you will be asked to make an appointment for a check up. The purpose will be to monitor your condition and to ensure that you are taking the most effective treatment and to check that your current dosage is still the most appropriate. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND FOR THESE REGULAR MEDICATION REVIEWS AS REQUESTED BY YOUR DOCTOR Please note that, in accordance with national guidelines, the practice usually prescribes a 28 day supply of any drug. OBTAINING A REPEAT PRESCRIPTION Requests for repeat prescriptions should be made at least two working days before the medication is required. This allows us time to prepare, check and sign the prescription. If your medicines are dispensed by the practice, it also allows time for less common drugs to be ordered. Either: Hand in your computer slip at reception, indicating clearly which drug you require Or Send your computer slip by post, enclosing a stamped, self addressed envelope if you require your prescription to be returned to you. Or Telephone the Prescription Hotline on 01661 845945. This is Available Mon - Fri 10:30am - 12:30pm & 2pm - 4pm (Please note it is not available on a Thursday afternoon) DISPENSING The practice is allowed to dispense drugs from the surgery only to patients who live in areas distant from a chemist, and visitors to the practice area. Our staff will inform you if this applies to you. If it does, you will be able to obtain your medicines from the surgery rather than from the chemist. COLLECTION TIME: 8.30 a.m. 6.00 p.m.
SPECIAL CARE AND CLINICS Antenatal care Care is usually shared between the hospital, midwife and doctor. Patients are usually seen initially by the midwife in her own Booking and Antenatal clinics held on Wednesdays . Family Planning The doctors are fully trained to provide a full range of contraceptive services, including the fitting of intra-uterine devices, hormonal implants, emergency contraception free of charge. Condoms may also be obtained from doctors, nurses, health visitors or from reception. Appointments for these services may be made in normal surgery. The practice nurses, health visitors and midwife are available to give more general contraceptive advice. Diabetes We work closely with the local hospitals to provide a shared care plan of follow up for diabetes. If you are diabetic, it is very important that your diabetes is closely monitored at the practice or in the hospital outpatients department in order to prevent any complications. If you receive your diabetic care at the surgery, you will normally see a specially trained nurse twice yearly and be checked at least annually by one of the doctors and you will be offered a consultations with a dietician and a chiropodist. In addition, as part of our diabetic screening programme, you will be offered an appointment to have an annual photograph of your eyes taken at the surgery. Asthma The majority of asthmatic patients are reviewed by our specially trained practice nurses, either in an asthma clinic or during normal surgery. If you are an asthmatic, it is important that you are reviewed regularly to ensure that you are not suffering symptoms which require treatment and that your treatment is still the best available. Cervical Smears The practice nurses carry out the majority of cervical cytology screening (smears) during normal surgery hours. You are advised to have a smear once every three years, unless otherwise indicated. Minor Surgery The practice is able to offer a wide range of surgical procedures. If you require a minor operation which can be carried out in the surgery, you will be advised by your doctor who will explain how to arrange a minor surgery appointment. Child Health The practice organises and carries out routine developmental checks on all children under five years old. These checks are performed by the doctor or health visitor in the clinic or in your own home. The Child Health Clinic is run weekly by the health visitor and doctor. In addition, the health visitor holds a separate weekly clinic for routine immunisations. The clinic provides advice on routine health care and immunisations only. If your child is ill, please make a normal surgery appointment instead. THIS CLINIC IS FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN; SMALL BABIES MAY CATCH INFECTIONS BROUGHT INTO THE CLINIC BY ILL CHILDREN If you are uncertain when your childs immunisations are due, please ask your health visitor doctor or a practice nurse. IMMUNISATIONS ARE IMPORTANT PLEASE DONT FORGET THEM Recommended vaccination schedule: 2 months 1st dose diphtheria, pertussis,tetanus, polio and meningitis C, HiB 3 months 2nd dose 4 months 3rd dose 13-15 months MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) 4 years booster diphtheria, tetanus, polio, acellular pertussis and MMR 15-18 years booster diphtheria tetanus and polio
PRIVATE MEDICAL SERVICES There is some work which the doctors are not contracted by the NHS to carry out and for this a charge will usually be made. This includes BUPA/PPP forms, medical certificates, signing of passport applications and various special examinations for employment, school or sport. A full list is displayed at reception, together with current prices which are based on national guidelines. IMMUNISATIONS AND TRAVEL IMMUNISATIONS All patients are advised to ensure that their immunisations are up to date. If you are in any doubt, please ask. In addition to routine immunisations, the practice offers a comprehensive travel immunisation and advice service. To access this service, please let the practice nurse know your travel details as soon as possible before the date of travel to enable a travel health schedule to be planned for you. In general, we require a minimum of six weeks notice to ensure the completion of courses of travel vaccinations. The practice nurse can discuss the vaccination schedule with you and advise of any associated costs. Branch End Surgery is a designated Yellow Fever Centre. IF YOU MOVE HOUSE If you move house, please let us know your new address. If it is outside the practice area, we will normally, regretfully have to ask you to change to a practice nearer your new home. If you are in any doubt whether your new address is within our practice area, please ask to speak to a Partner. (In exceptional cases, we may allow patients to remain on the practice list if on the fringe of the area). PATIENTS COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS We do our best to ensure that the service we provide is appropriate to the nature and urgency of your problem and your circumstances. We also aim for high quality service. However, there may be occasions when you may feel that we have failed to meet your expectations. If this is the case, then we would welcome your comments to enable us to improve our service to you. We offer a practice complaints procedure to deal with comments, suggestions and complaints about the service we provide. Our practice manager is able to give further advice. PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU.
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