The Alresford Surgery Newsletter

Dr David Green, Dr Richard Cribb, Dr Peter Stokes
Dr Ann Lowman, Dr Sheila Cassidy, Dr Susan Wright
Station Road, Alresford, Hampshire, SO24 9JL
Telephone No. 01962 732345 Fax: 01962 736034
For general advice or reassurance NHS Direct 0845 46 47
Out of hours 0844 811 3060

Access to your doctor

One of the Governments targets is to provide good access to your GP and we felt it might be helpful to take this opportunity to explain how we try to meet those targets. We aim to offer an appointment within 2 working days (e.g. call made Monday appointment offered by Wednesday) but if a specific doctor is requested this may be longer. For most of the time we achieve this target but when high levels of sickness are being experienced in the community or appointments are reduced due to Bank Holidays we may not be able to offer routine appointments in that timescale.

To help manage the demand when appointments are under pressure or when patients need to be seen urgently we use a Nurse Triage system to ensure patients are seen appropriately. Patients who feel that they need to be seen urgently are asked to call early in the morning from 8.30 and if possible before 9.00. If we have routine appointments available these will be offered but if not details will be taken and a trained 'triage' nurse will call back before 10.30.

She will be able to offer clinical advice, an appointment or home visit with a suitably qualified member of the medical team within an appropriate timescale.

We believe this is the best way to look after our patients and the feedback we have received has been that over 90% of our patients are satisfied with our service.

Quit Smoking - The Law from 1st July

From 1st July 2007 virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England will become smokefree. A smokefree England will ensure a healthier environment, so everyone can socialise, relax, travel, shop and work free from secondhand smoke.

The web site http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/ provides you with information about the new legislation and lets you know how you can play an important part in creating a smokefree England.

We will be offering our next Quit Smoking Clinic starting on 3 July - to join please phone 0845 602 4663 to register and reserve a place.