Frimley Green Medical Centre

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WEBSITE NEWS UPDATE – 7^th May 2008

Are you a Dispensing Patient? - Click here for information about our dispensary service

OUT OF HOURS…...I FEEL ILL— WHAT SHALL I DO ?
From 18.30 to 08.30 during the week and throughout the weekend, the Doctors provide an emergency service through North Hampshire Urgent Care (also known as GPCall). Routine matters, including making appointments, can NOT be dealt with during these times. If you have a problem that will not wait, you can contact the Doctor covering out of hours by ringing  01189 365649

PATIENT UK -
A free Web site giving you access to Patient Information Leaflets. Users can browse the site by medical subject and post images to accompany their comments.  A directory of UK health, disease, illness and related medical websites that provide patient information. Details of over 2000 self help groups, patient groups and similar organisations, fully cross referenced and details checked annually.

www.patient.co.uk

NURSE PRACTITIONER & SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS
Some of you will be aware that we have introduced a Nurse Practitioner Service to the Medical Centre, currently 3 days a week. Any patient wishing to see a Doctor on a same day basis, will be telephoned by the Nurse Practitioner to discuss the problem. For a wide range of medical conditions, it is not always necessary to see a Doctor, as many can be managed at home with medical advice. For many patients, this can save you a trip to the surgery. Should you subsequently need to see a Doctor, we will make the necessary arrangements with you on the phone. 

We view this as an enhancement to our appointment service and like any change we will learn as we go along. As always, your comments are welcome. Please speak to or email the Practice Manager

ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE ABROAD
Whatever your reasons for going abroad, you may be entitled to medical care at
reduced cost or sometimes free. Your entitlement will vary based on whether you are going to an European Economic Area country (EEA) or elsewhere in the world.
European Economic Area
If you are going on a holiday or a business trip, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which offers you access to reduced-cost medical treatment.
Non-EEA countries 
You may also receive free healthcare if you are travelling outside the European
Economic Area (EEA) provided that the country in question has a reciprocal healthcare arrangement with the UK. 
To Apply Online for your EHIC visit :

www.ehic.org.uk

For Country By Country Guidance visit :

www.nhs.uk

NEW PATIENT REGISTRATIONS
Our registration process has changed to enable us to comply with Department of Health guidelines.

You are entitled to the full range of NHS Services only if you are ORDINARILY RESIDENT in the UNITED KINGDOM (In the UK lawfully, voluntarily and as part of your settled life.) this is irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, or previous payment of UK taxes and National Insurance. A person who intends to stay in the UK for less than six months would not usually be regarded as ordinarily resident and therefore would not be eligible to full registration.

Our doctors need the correct medical records for you. In order for these to be traced we will need to know your Full Name, date of birth, current address and previous doctor.

This should be supported by production of two supporting documents to confirm these details one of which MUST confirm your address is within our catchment area.

• Provide supporting evidence of identity i.e. National Passport, Photo Driving Licence, National Identity Card, Application Registration Card (ARC) and visa where applicable..

• Personal bank / credit card, National Insurance card, NHS Medical Card.

• Evidence that you are ordinarily resident in the UK and have been for 6 months. I.e. Utility Bill, Tenancy agreement, Bank Statements, Mortgage statements, Council Tax bill, or other official / Government correspondence verifying proof of address.

If you have just come into the UK from a Non EEA Country, we will need proof that you intend to work or study in the UK

New patients wanting to register will be asked to complete 2 forms – one to provide details of previous doctor, personal details etc and the other to provide your doctors here with health information such as past operations, medication, immunisations etc. Patients suffering from certain conditions e.g. Asthma, Diabetes, Heart Disease etc will be asked for additional data and may be offered tests as part of the process. Please help us to help you, by completing these forms as fully as possible.

CARERS
If you are a Carer for someone, we would like to know so that we can update our records. In addition, if you could do with some help or support, we can provide you with our Carer’s factsheet that is full of useful telephone numbers and organisations set up to support Carers. If you would like more information, pick up a factsheet at reception or alternatively email the Practice Manager at ian.friend@nhs.net  Reception also keep a folder from Surrey Heath Carers full of useful information – please ask if you would like to see it. Or you can visit their website at www.surreyheathcarers.org.uk

TRAVEL VACCINATIONS
Are you going abroad on holiday ? We offer a comprehensive travel vaccine service and we are also a National Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. Ideally, you should aim to contact us 6 to 8 weeks before your departure in case you need a course of travel injections.  

When you make an appointment at reception, you will be given a date and approx time for one of our travel nurses to give you a ring to discuss your requirements. If subsequently you need certain vaccinations, the nurse will make the appointment for you to attend at a convenient time.

60 YEARS OF THE NHS
On July 5 2008, the National Health Service will celebrate its 60th birthday. But did you know that :

·        Staff across the NHS are in contact with over 1.5 million patients and their families every day

·        Each month, 23 million people (more than three times the population of London) visit their GP surgery or practice nurse.

·        Full-time GPs treat an average of 255 patients a week.

Repeat Prescriptions

For those requiring regular medication, our repeat prescriptions system is designed to be convenient and safe. It allows you to obtain treatments for up to one year before needing to be reviewed by the Doctor.

The Doctor will give you the repeat prescription form to re-order treatments. We need your request two working days before you plan to collect the prescription. Please note that, for safety reasons, we are unable to accept requests for treatment over the phone. If the required medicine is not on your re-order form, a form to complete is available at the reception desk. Written requests by post, email and fax are also accepted. Our Dispensers, Jill Ward & Linda Hadden, are able to deal with many general medication enquiries.

Test Results

Please phone the surgery after 2 pm for test results. When a test is taken, the Doctor or Nurse usually indicates how long it will take for the result to come back. In general terms :

Please note - the results are seen by the Doctor and available to you within 24 hours of receipt by the surgery. These are the times that it takes for the test to be performed and then the result to be sent to the surgery by the hospital.

Medical Certificates

You are not required to see the Doctor for a certificate for periods of illness lasting less than seven working days or one week. For periods between four and seven days, the form required is Form SC2 which can be collected from Reception. NHS certificates will not be given out for illness periods under one week. If your employer insists on documentation, there is a standard letter that you can collect from Reception. The Doctor is able to issue a Private Certificate. There is currently a fee of £13.00 for Private Certificates.

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Complaints

We are all aware that things do sometimes go wrong or that you may be dissatisfied in other ways with your care. If you have comments or questions about any aspect if your care or treatment at FGMC, then we are happy to discuss these with you. In the first instance, we suggest that you contact our Practice Manager Ian Friend, by phone or in writing. We have a written complaints policy and there are copies of this available at the reception desk.

Advice for Young People

We are well aware how difficult it can be for younger patients to get discreet, confidential advice, particularly if the problem concerns sex advice or contraception. Respecting your right to confidential help is as important to us as it is to you. Your problems are never discussed with others. People under 16 years will always be given totally confidential advice.

Emergency contraception works best if taken within 24 hours of sex. It can be given up to 3 days later and other methods can be used up to several days after sex. Even when we are short of appointments, please make it clear to the receptionist if you need to discuss emergency contraception and we will always see you the same day.

Please do not be afraid to ask - if you cannot come to see us, the doctors and nurses can give initial advice over the phone. All young people can also get advice from the local Family Planning Clinics (01483 576208) or the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic at Frimley Park Hospital (01276 604604)

Meningitis
Are you aged under 24?        Have you missed out on meningitis vaccination?
Please contact the surgery to arrange this vital vaccination

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Practice Charter

Our Commitment To You

We aim to provide you with a helpful, efficient and professional service. We will seek to meet your health needs as they arise to the best of our ability. We aim to provide routine access to a GP within 2 working days and work hard to ensure that you have same day access to an appointment if this is appropriate. You can expect to be treated with respect and courtesy. Your rights to confidentiality will be respected at all times. You are entitled to access to your medical records as laid out in the Data Protection Act. You can expect to be offered explanations and information about your health, illnesses and treatments.

Your Responsibilities To Us

We expect you to treat the Doctor's and Staff with the same respect and courtesy that we show to you. You have a responsibility to attend appointments that you have made or to notify the practice if you are unable to attend. You have a responsibility only to request a home visit from the GP if you are unable to attend the surgery for medical reasons. You have a responsibility to use the service out of hours in case of emergencies only. Misuse of the services we provide will ultimately be to the detriment of all in our community. You should notify us promptly of any changes in your personal details, especially of a change in telephone number.

Normal practice opening hours are:

Sat / Sun       Closed

Out of Hours Service

From 18.30 to 08.30 during the week and throughout the weekend, the Doctors provide an emergency service through Frimley Primary Care Service who are based at Frimley Park Hospital. If you do become ill during these times, such that you cannot wait until the surgery re-opens, you can phone the service on 0118 936 5649 or alternatively you can the Medical Centre on 01252 835016 and listen to the message. 

A call handler will ask you for some brief details about yourself and the nature of your problem. One of the doctors or nurses will then phone you back and discuss your problem. You may be given advice on how to manage your problem or if you need to be seen you may be invited to attend the Primary Care Centre based at Frimley Park Hospital. If there is a medical reason why you cannot attend the centre, you may be visited at home.

Please note that all calls are recorded for patient safety. The telephones in the Primary Care Centre are all withheld numbers and if your telephone does not accept such calls, we may have difficulties in contacting you. Please be prepared to offer an alternative number if this is the case. Please be patient, the line may be engaged during busy periods.

If you require health information and advice, you cam also phone NHSDirect on 0845 4647 or visit their website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

You can also ask your local pharmacist for help and advice on common ailments and problems.

www.frimleypcs.org.uk