Litchdon Medical Centre
Landkey Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX32 9LL
UK

Online Appointments We can now offer appointments online - to register please pick up a form from Reception. New Childhood Vaccination Programme from 4th September 2006 For more information visit www.immunisation.nhs.uk Mary Golden Practice Manager

Newsletter - Summer 2008

Ordering repeat medication on the internet

We closed our telephone line for ordering repeat medicines in April. This was done to prevent misunderstandings taking place and to increase the efficiency of the staff in preparing repeat prescriptions. When you order your repeat medicine, the staff check your list of drugs to ensure the medicine you want is on repeat, repeat medication is for ongoing or chronic conditions, so for example antibiotics are seldom on your repeat list, but drugs to lower your cholesterol will be. So many patients are now on four or more repeat medicines, ordering them has become more complex. With this in mind you can now order your medicines via the internet.  You will need to register to be given your password and PIN number, but you can do this over the phone, the Reception staff will post you your PIN and password. Alternatively you can call in at Reception and register. You may also let a friend or relative order them for you but you must give them your password and PIN. Don’t worry it won’t be the same PIN as your bank card!

If you are not on the Net then you can order your medicines by post and fax, or order them when you collect your medication by ticking the boxes on the slip which accompanies your prescription.  If you collect your prescription at one of the other Chemists in the town there is a collection service which runs between the surgeries and the Chemists.  If you require your prescription delivered, then this can be arranged, there is a nominal charge for this service. If you have a query about your medication then you can still speak to our Dispensary staff by dialling the main surgery number and either asking for Dispensary or in the afternoons by pressing Option1.

New Appointments System

We started this in February and although we have modified it a little it is working well.  You will have noticed when you book an appointment you are offered a phone call with your Doctor, and you are asked the reason for the appointment.  This is to enable your Doctor, who knows you, to deal with your problem over the telephone rather than coming to the surgery. If you do not want to tell our Reception staff the reason you want to see the Doctor that is not a problem. About 30% of appointments are for things like medicine reviews and certificates, which often do not need a face to face appointment.

One stop shop for chronic disease

From April this year we are trying a new system for sending for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and coronary heart disease. You will be sent a letter in the month of your birthday, asking you to have blood tests before making an appointment with the nurses for your annual review.  If you need to be seen before your birthday we will be sending for you if necessary.  This is to start a “one stop shop” so you do not have to attend more than appointment to get checked over. This will take more than a year to fully implement, but we hope it will save you attending more times than necessary.

Treatment Room Refurbishment

The practice has been able to secure funds to redesign our Nurses Treatment Room.  This building is 18 years old and the work the nurses do now is far different these days.   We are making another treatment area to try to separate patients more and remove the bottleneck at the doorway.  Work will commence during the first week in July so please bear with us during the summer, you may be seen elsewhere and possibly in Litchdon House. There will inevitably be a considerable amount of disruption as little of the work can be done at weekends.

Extended Hours

In line with government policy we will be offering pre-bookable appointments on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. These appointments will be after normal surgeries have finished for the day, we will not have other services available such as nurses, blood tests or other tests, but if you require a routine appointment with your doctor and you want to be seen later in the evening please contact your Receptionist who will advise you.  We will be closing the Medical Centre at the normal time and using a video entry phone on our back door for patients attending these appointments. This service will begin on Wednesday 2nd July 2008.

Finally

Please be careful when turning into and leaving the car park, we have had several incidents recently where people have turned into on coming traffic, no one has been hurt but having a collision is till quite a shock and upheaval sorting out the damage to vehicles. Be safe and have a happy and healthy summer.