Lordshill H/C
Newsletter
Summer/Autumn 2016 Edition 1
GP
Practices ARE struggling at the moment. There are problems when trying to recruit new doctors and, with the increased pressure they face from various regulatory bodies, practices are being forced to merge with neighbouring practices or even close. As economic pressures within the NHS build, staff at Lordshill Health Centre continue to work hard to try to find ways by which a patient can be seen by the most suitable health professional at the best time. We have always operated a ‘personal list’ whereby a patient is encouraged to see their usual doctor for their on-going routine care. When a doctor is on holiday, pressure on appointments can occur. We would ask that you wait to see your usual Doctor for your routine review. This may mean waiting for a few days more, but it makes for much better continuity of care. However, if you see another Doctor and they request tests or investigations, we would ask that you return to see the same Doctor to discuss the results. This ensures good quality continuity of care. Obviously, in the event of an emergency or a new symptom of concern, we ask you book to see another GP in case your condition needs more immediate action Likewise, any tests arranged as part of your hospital appointment are NOT shared with us at the surgery. They
will be discussed with you at your follow up hospital appointment.
Please read our notice opposite on prescriptions and emergency appointments. We are trying to find ways to alleviate the mounting pressures on our GPs so we can continue to give you the high quality of care you deserve.
Debbie Charman
Practice Manager
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Prescriptions
For the past few months we have had difficulty in meeting our 48hr service when generating prescriptions and acknowledge this has caused much frustration to all concerned. We have 10,700+ patients with a large number taking some form of medication, so have a high volume of prescriptions to process on a daily basis. We have reviewed our procedures, and feel the safest way to achieve patient satisfaction is to increase our turn-a-round time to 72hrs, giving our reception team and GPs one extra day to process. We will start this change from 1st August 2016. We hope by giving ourselves an extra day, prescriptions will be ready for collection on the day stated.
We thank you for your co-operation with this change
From August 2016 Prescription collection times will be as follows:-
Order Monday –Thursday after 4PM
Order Tuesday –Friday after 4PM
Order Wednesday –Monday after 4PM
Order Thursday –Tuesday after 4PM
Order Friday –Wednesday after 4PM
Mobile Numbers
Please don’t forget to inform us of mobile telephone number changes. We are communicating more and more with patients by text these days and it is important that the information we hold for you is accurate.
Emergency Appointments
When you request an emergency appointment with the doctor, the appointment will be added to an already full surgery and will be to discuss your immediate (acute) medical problem only.
You will be seen as soon as possible but it may be that you will have to wait and we ask that you remain patient whilst waiting.
Emergency appointments are for acute medical conditions only and are NOT for issues such as:-
1) Medical certificate requests
2) Medication requests
3) Medication reviews (even if a doctor has requested a review)
4) Long standing chronic illnesses
5) Bypassing the appointment system
6) Form Filling
We would also like to stress one appointment is for one person only
We would like to thank you for not abusing the emergency appointment system as doing so impacts upon the doctor’s routine appointments and home visits for the day.
Dental Problems
A recent study in the British Journal of General Practice has highlighted the need to remind patients to see their dentist if they have a dental problem. Many patients see their doctor believing that antibiotics are required, however antibiotics are often inappropriate and increase resistance and do not replace a long term treatment plan from a dentist, which may or may not involve extraction or root canal treatment. If you attend the surgery with toothache, or what appears to be a dental problem, you will be advised to see a dentist. If you are not registered with a dentist, please ring NHS 111 or go to the NHS
Choices website to find a dentist.
Why GPs sometimes charge fees
Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?
It is important to understand that many GPs are not employed by the NHS. They are self-employed and they have to cover their costs - staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc - in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work, the fees charged by GPs contribute towards their costs.
What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The Government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients, including the provision of ongoing medical treatment.
In recent years, however, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work.
Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to ensure that information provided to them is true and accurate.
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients:
· Letter to schools re absenteeism
· Holiday insurance certificates
· Reports for health clubs to certify that patients are fit to exercise
· Private Sick Certificate
· Passport Forms
· Fitness to Travel Letter
· Holiday cancellation letter
· Blue Badge Letter
· HGV/PLV/Taxi/Scuba Diving medicals
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions:
· life assurance and income protection reports for insurance companies
· reports for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in connection with disability living allowance and attendance allowance
· medical reports for local authorities in connection with adoption and fostering
Do GPs have to do non-NHS work for their patients?
With certain limited exceptions, for example a GP confirming that one of their patients is not fit for jury service, GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients.
Whilst GPs will always attempt to assist their patients with the completion of forms, for example for insurance purposes, they are not required to do such non-NHS work.
Is it true that the BMA (British Medical Association) sets fees for non-NHS work?
The BMA suggest fees that GPs may charge their patients for non-NHS work (ie work not covered under their contract with the NHS) in order to help GPs set their own professional fees.
However, the fees suggested by the BMA are intended for guidance only; they are not recommendations and a doctor is not obliged to charge the rates they suggest.
Can a fee be charged by a GP for the completion of cremation forms?
It is important to differentiate between death certificates (which must be completed free of charge) and cremation forms.
Cremation forms, unlike death certificates, require doctors to make certain investigations which do not form part of their NHS duties.
A deceased person cannot be cremated until the cause of death is definitely known and properly recorded. Before cremation can take place two certificates need to be signed, one by the GP and one by another doctor.
Cremation form 4 must be, as stated, completed by the registered medical practitioner who attended the deceased during their last illness.
Form 5 must be completed by a registered medical practitioner who is neither a partner nor a relative of the doctor who completed form.
A fee can be charged for the completion of both forms 4 and 5 as this does not form part of a doctor's NHS duties.
Doctors normally charge these fees to the funeral director, who, generally passes on the cost to the family. Doctors are also entitled to charge a mileage allowance, where appropriate.
The fees for cremation forms 4 and 5 (which are agreed with the National Association of Funeral Directors, NAFD, the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, SAIF, and Co-operative Funeralcare) are available on the BMA website
Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?
Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his or her patients.
Most GPs have a very heavy workload and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they have to take some paperwork home at night and weekends.
I only need the doctor's signature - what is the problem?
When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true.
In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the doctor might have to check the patient's entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (the doctors' regulatory body) or even the Police.
What will I be charged?
It is up to individual doctors to decide how much they will charge, The BMA produce lists of suggested fees which many doctors use. Surgeries often have lists of fees on the waiting room wall based on these suggested fees.
What can I do to help?
Not all documents need a signature by a doctor, for example passport applications. You can ask another person in a position of trust to sign such documents free of charge.
If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your GP if he or she is prepared to complete them at the same time to speed up the process.
Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight. Urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and this will cost more.
What type of report work doesn't have to be done by my GP?
There is some medical examination and report work that can be done by any doctor, not only a patient's GP. For this work there are no set or recommended fees which means doctors may set their own fees.
Accessible Information Standard
The aim of the accessible information standard is to ensure patients and carers with a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information they can access and understand and receive any communication support they need.
Do you have any particular communication preferences? For example, do you have impaired sight and therefore need us to write to you in large print?
We want to get better at communicating with our patients. We want to make sure you can read and understand the information we send you. If you find it hard to read our letters or if you need someone to support you at appointments, please let us know
We want to know if you need information in braille, large print or easy read
Please make reception aware of your preferences so that we can make a note in your medical record and comply with your request.
Out of Hours
Weekends, bank holidays and evenings HUB ACCESS – To help improve our access, we are now able to offer patients who need to be seen in the evening or at the weekend an appointment with a GP or HCA at a hub. The West hubs are at Aldermoor Surgery and Shirley Health Centre. All consultations are reported back via the computer system so patients clinical notes are kept up-to-date (consent will be required for this).
Appointments at the hub are booked via Lordshill Health Centre.
Please note this is NOT a walk-in-service
You can also attend: The Minor Injury Unit, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YG
Open every day from 8.00am to 10.00pm.
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
IN THE EVENT OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY PLEASE DIAL 999