News

Current Vacancies at The Practice

The Practice is currently looking to recruit to the following position:-

Lead Receptionist

We are currently looking to recruit a permanent Lead Receptionist role to join our busy team. The successful candidate will be patient focused, a good team player and flexible in their approach.
Hours: To be agreed on appointment in the region of 28 per week. Weekday shifts working Monday – Friday. Additional hours may be required for planned and unplanned absences.
Main duties of the job
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• EMIS user skills
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising) – Responsible for the generation and maintenance of all non-clinical staff rotas including holiday requests and cover for non-planned absences
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving & analytical skills
• Work with the Practice Manager on the recruitment of newly appointed staff
• Lead on induction and training of new staff
• Supervise, monitor and support the reception team
• Have a full working knowledge of the appointment system
• Ensure patient information and health records are correct and up to date where applicable
• Provide cover for reception when required
The Practice provides 5 weeks holidays pro-rota plus bank holidays and a staff uniform.
If you would like more details please contact the Practice Manager on 01829 753050 for an informal discussion or send in your CV to the surgery.

The closing date for applications is 29th December 2023.

PRACTICE NEWSLETTER

newsletter August 2023

Transfer of Primary Care Complaints Function to ICBs

Transfer of primary care complaints function to ICBs

On 1 July 2023, the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner was changed.

Rather than contacting NHS England, patients will now contact their ICB. Members of the public will still be able to make a complaint to the provider. This is NOT changing.

Members of the public wishing to make a complaint to the commissioner of a primary care service can contact NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s Patient Experience Team via the details on our website.

How you make a complaint about primary care services is changing on 1 July 2023

You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of NHS care, treatment or service, and this is written into the NHS Constitution on GOV.UK.

From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing.

By primary care services we mean GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services.

There are two ways you can make a complaint:

• You can complain to the healthcare provider: this is the organisation where you received the NHS service, for example a GP surgery or dental surgery.
• You can complain to the commissioner of the service: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care you received.

After 1 July 2023 if you want to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner you will now contact NHS Cheshire and Merseyside integrated care board instead of NHS England.

You can do this by:

• Telephone: 0800 132 996
• E-mail: enquiries@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk
• Writing to us at:  Patient Experience Team, No 1 Lakeside, 920 Centre Park Square, Warrington, WA11QY.

If you want to make a complaint directly to the provider of the primary care service, you still can – that does not change on the 1 July 2023.

Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.

Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler.

Find out more about how to feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service 

Important Information Regarding Prescription Requests

To continue dispensing your medication in an efficient and safe manner we are extending our period in which you need to place your prescription request. We have made this decision in part due to medication reviews being carried out by our pharmacy team, along with continued delays and shortages in medication to ensure we can fulfil each prescription efficiently.
We advise Patients to order their repeat prescription medication at least 4 working days in advance. The table below shows you when your medication will be ready to collect from the day in which you submit your prescription request. This new process will come in to affect on the 1st of May 2023.

Handing in Prescription before 11am          Collection After 2pm

Monday                                                                Friday

Tuesday                                                               Monday

Wednesday                                                         Tuesday

Thursday                                                            Wednesday

Friday                                                                 Thursday

All urgent acute prescriptions will be done on the day where possible.
Thank you for your continued support.
Your Dispensary Team

Enhanced Access

Travel Vaccines

Going on holiday abroad, thinking of travelling? You may require travel vaccinations.

Please contact the surgery at least 6 weeks prior to travel and request a travel telephone appointment with the nurse. The nurse will complete a travel assessment form with you during your telephone appointment then book you in for vaccinations if needed.

Please bear in mind that if you are requesting an appointment less than 6 weeks prior to travel you may be signposted to a private travel clinic for vaccinations.

Please click on the link below for more information:-

NaTHNaC – Home (travelhealthpro.org.uk)

Enhanced Access

Enhanced Access

Enhanced Access – Patient Feedback

Primary Care Networks have been commissioned to deliver an Enhanced Access provision in the form of GP services outside of the core opening hours i.e. Monday to Friday between 8am and 6.30pm.

From October 2022, the Rural Alliance Practices will be offering an extended access service to patients during the week from 6.30pm to 8pm Monday to Friday and on Saturdays 9am to 5pm.

As such patients are now invited to complete the Enhanced Access Patient Feedback Survey in order for us to understand your views and needs.

Please help us by completing the short survey below. Please note the information is being collated by Bunbury Medical Practice on behalf of the all six Practices in the Rural Alliance PCN.

Thank you for your help.

https://bunburymedicalcentre.gpsurgery.net/enhanced-access-patient-feedback/

Polite Request Regarding Prescription Collections

Due to staffing shortages within the practice, where possible, please collect your medication from the surgery after 12 noon until further notice.
This will greatly help to reduce pressure on staff.
Your cooperation is appreciated.

NHS Digital Proposals : GP Data for Planning and Research

The Government has recently enacted a law requiring GPs to send copies of their patient’s records to NHS Digital, where they may be used for research and planning. This will include records going back 10 years and virtually anything new we record about you into the future.

You may be aware through the media about this scheme. This has caused controversy, in particular with regards to the times scale to publicise this change and the lack of national information regarding this.

At a time when GP Practices are extremely busy (currently your practice continues to see about a third higher activity than pre pandemic) the lack of national information has led to a large number of people contacting the surgery in the last week understandably concerned.

As GPs we too have concerns around the implementation of the scheme and would share the points of view expressed in this letter jointly from the British Medical Association and Royal College of GPs to NHS Digital

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/Files/News/rcgp-bma-letter-gpdpr.ashx?la=en

This is a complex area and the web page below from NHS Digital does explain things quite well.

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/transparency-notice#opting-out-of-nhs-digital-collecting-your-data-type-1-opt-out-

The original deadline regarding the need to fill in the attached form and return to us by the 23rd June may now be extended as the start date for these proposals has been moved back from 1 July to 1 September but you should consider your wishes as soon as possible.

Opt Out Form

We are well aware of the very tight timescales here but we would like to stress again that this is a decision made by NHS Digital and not by your practice. This issue is nothing to do with providing direct care when you need it.

If you do not want your data to be used in this way there are two ways to stop it happening.

Stop data leaving the practice, aka “Type 1 objection”.

To stop your GP records being sent from us to NHS Digital in the first place you can ask us to place a “type 1 objection” in your records. We will do this for you. Please let us know by phone, e-mail or letter. At the moment this must be done before the 23rd June (but see above extension). You can also use this form Opt Out FormHERE. We will of course always share any records necessary for your care, such as a referral to a local hospital.

Stop NHS Digital using your data for planning or research, the “NHS Data Opt Out”.

NHS Digital also collects by default data from other sources, hospitals or clinics etc. This data can be used for planning and research including commercial research outside the NHS. You can learn more about how NHS Digital uses your data here: General Practice Data for Planning and Research: GP Practice Privacy Notice – NHS Digital.
You have the choice to stop this happening if you wish but it has to be actioned directly with NHS Digital, we cannot do this for you. To stop data NHS Digital collects on you being used for anything other than direct care go to the NHS Digital web site and search for national opt out. Then scroll to the bottom of the page to read how to action.