SUMMER 2010
 

COMMUNITY PHLEBOTOMY SERVICE
New Referral Criteria

If you require a home visit for blood testing please note that the Community Phlebotomy Team have updated their referral criteria. Patients are eligible for domiciliary phlebotomy if:

- it would be detrimental to their condition or recovery if they were to travel to their nearest clinic or GP surgery,
- if they only able to attend their nearest clinic or GP surgery via ambulance or patient transport service,
- they are not able to go out by private car, taxi, mobility scooter or bus. For example, patients who are able to go to the local shops are considered able to use a taxi to attend a clinic for blood testing.

Patients will be discharged from the Community Phlebotomy Team and referred back to their GP or Nurse where a patient is unavailable for a home visit due to any of the above reasons.

 IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HEALTH RECORDS

The NHS is improving the way your health information is stored and managed through the introduction of the electronic Summary Care Record. You should have received a letter advising you of the new Summary Care Records programme and notifying you of the consultation period. Records of patients in our practice will be upload to the national database unless you have advised us otherwise. To remove your consent for the upload you can complete this form and return it to the practice.

EXTENDED OPENING HOURS

We offer additional pre-booked GP appointments on:

Monday mornings 7.15 - 8.00 am.

Alternating Monday and Wednesday evenings 6.30 - 7.30 pm.

Saturday mornings 9.00 - 10.00 am.

The surgery phone lines and doors are closed during the extended period.

Access to the surgery during these times is for patients with appointments only and emergencies should be referred to the out of hours emergency service on 0845 4647 as usual.

Appointments can be booked up to four weeks in advance subject to availability.

The doctors hope the additional hours will assist patients who find it difficult to attend appointments during the working day.

HALF DAY CLOSURES FOR TRAINING

It is necessary to close the practice occasionally for staff and clinicians to undertake training. This is generally a half day closure and full emergency cover is provided by South East Health.

On the following dates the practice will close at lunchtime. Please phone the main surgery number 552212 to hear instructions about who to contact if you need medical attention during this time.

Dates of closure for 2010/2011

24 June 2010
20 July 2010
22 September 2010
11 November 2010
12 January 2011
24 March 2011

We apologise for any inconvenience.

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