ASHBURTON SURGERY
Eastern Road
Ashburton TQ13 7AP
Telephone 01364 652731
Facsimile 01364 654273
Staff changes
Welcome to Olivia Edmunds who is undertaking an apprenticeship to become another member of our Reception team.
Venetia Lawrence has joined our nursing team to provide general nursing duties and travel clinic services.
Credit/debit card payments
You may pay for any chargeable services using our credit/debit card machine. Like all similar machines it is sometimes prone to erratic behaviour but in the main works well.
Phlebotomy/BP checks
Jess Armstrong and Jay Daniell, two of our receptionists, are now fully trained to take blood samples, check INR levels for people on warfarin and measure blood pressure.
Regular Clinical Staff Slots: who works when?
Although none of the doctors is here full-time we do try hard to ensure that you can see the most appropriate doctor when you need to.
Mon / Tue / Wed / Thu / FriStaff / Role / a / p / a / p / a / p / a / p / a / p
Dr Paul Thomas / GP
Dr Kate Field / GP
Dr Steph Dyer / GP
Dr Nick Cartmell / GP
Dr Ben Titford / GP
Dr Craig Thompson / GPT
Belinda Owen / NP
Janet Snoxall / N
Venetia Giles / N
Jane Mann / AP
Lynette Lacey / P
Jess Armstrong / P
Jay Daniell / P
Key: GPT= GP trainee, NP=nurse practitioner, N=nurse, AP=assistant practitioner, P=phlebotomist. = normally has surgery session.
Late evening surgery runs on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 6.15pm and 7.45pm. It is intended for people who cannot easily attend surgery during normal hours, for example due to work commitments.
Medication reviews
Thank you all very much for your understanding and co-operation with the new system for undertaking medication reviews. We hope it has resulted in fewer visits to the Surgery for many of you which means more appointments are available for urgent problems.
Please check the medication review date on your repeat prescription slip and if it falls before April 2014 contact Reception to arrange the necessary checks and tests so we can update you for another year. Thank you!
National Health Check programme
If you are aged between 40 and 79 and have no existing on-going medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease), you will be invited for a health check when your age ends in the number 0 or 5 (eg 55, or 70). The check includes a simple questionnaire, blood pressure check, weight measurement and blood test.
Once we have all the results we will send you a summary which includes advice on how you can make simple changes to improve your current and future health.
New online services available in 2014
From January 2014 it will be possible for you to undertake the following actions online without having to ring Reception or drop in to the Surgery:
· Order repeat prescriptions;
· Book a routine appointment with your preferred member of staff.
· Cancel a previously booked appointment.
In order to make use of these services you will need a unique online username and password. If you already order your repeat prescriptions online then you will now be able to use the same login details to manage your appointments. If you don’t yet have online access please attend Reception in person (we cannot issue security details to anyone else) and they will give you your unique username and password and instructions on how to set up your access online from your home computer.
Note: you should only book a phlebotomy (blood test) appointment if you have been asked to do so by a member of staff here or a local hospital.
Constipation
This is a common condition and can be readily managed without prescription medications:
· Regular exercise is v helpful
· Eat a high fibre diet
· Fruit containing sorbitol (or juice)
· Drink plenty of fluids
· Psyllium herbal remedy
· Lactulose, senokot from Chemist
Surgery Website
www.ashburtonsurgery.co.uk
The Surgery Website has improved dramatically in the past few months. New facilities include:
· Link to online repeat prescription and appointment management service (specific login details required).
· Information leaflets about local services which you can refer yourself to without seeing your GP:
o Physiotherapy.
o Depression/Anxiety service.
o Dementia support service.
o Memory Café.
o DASH.
o Bank Youth Project.
· Patient survey: tell us what you think about what we offer and see the results.
· Useful weblinks to help you answer questions you have or self-manage your situation.
· Carers information.
· Pregnancy information.
· Daily Sparkle therapeutic reminiscence newspaper.
· Information on long term diseases/conditions.
· Advice on how to deal with minor conditions without needing to see a GP or nurse.
Please take a look!
Book ahead!
Some patients may still not be aware that we now offer appointments each week with each doctor that can be booked in advance. This may be useful for people who have a busy diary and can plan ahead, those requiring a non-urgent appointment to review medication, or for those who prefer to see a specific doctor.
Urgent prescriptions
If a GP issues you an urgent prescription following a telephone appointment, in order to avoid disappointment please don’t try to collect it until after:
· 3pm the same day, if we dispense to you and have the drug in stock.
· 5pm the same day, if collecting from Lloyds.
· 11.30am the next day if we dispense to you but have to order it in.
Your email address
Please would you let us know your email address?
It is very useful for us to be able contact you occasionally about important things even when you aren’t needing to come in for other reasons, for example if there is a new Patient Survey to complete online (your opinion matters and helps us make improvements to the service we offer).
If you are registered for online repeat prescription ordering and appointment management we may also need to contact you if there are technical problems with the website or you have a query.
Winter infections
Ashburton Surgery’s antibiotic prescribing rates are one of the lowest in Devon which is a very good thing in order to avoid:
· The development of resistant bugs in our community.
· The risk of side effects like diarrhoea.
· The risk of more important gut infection with clostridium difficile.
As you know, your body’s immune system will be perfectly able to fight most winter infections and indeed antibiotics are usually no value because the infection is caused by a virus not a bacterium.
You can easily help yourself with symptoms: see our website or your local Pharmacist for advice.
Useful phone numbers
Surgery 01364 652731
Health Visitor 01364 645730
DASH 01364 653335
NHS Direct 0845 4647
Devon Doctors 0845 6710270
Dentist finder 01392 822348
Moor Dental Care 01364 652850
Hospitals
Torbay 01803 614567
Newton Abbot 01626 324500
RD&E Exeter 01392 411611
Derriford 0845 1558155
Telephone system
Just a reminder: you can save time by dialling the option you need immediately without hearing the whole message:
Press / For: / When:1 / Appointments / 8.30am-6pm
2 / Results / 11am-6pm
3 / Dispensary/ Prescription queries / 9.30am-6pm
Hold / Receptionist / 8.30am-6pm
DASH: no lifting!
Patients using DASH services please note:
Volunteers are not permitted to provide any assistance with getting you into or out of their car especially if you use a wheelchair to get to the car. This is, of course, to avoid the risk of any back damage being sustained by a volunteer or any injury to you if you should fall.
You may be asked, when booking DASH help, whether you are likely to need help: please be realistic about your requirements to avoid difficulties when the volunteer arrives later.