Latest news page updated 14/02/2011

Booking Doctor Appointments using Patient Partner our Automated Telephone Booking Service

Did you know that you can now book an appointment to see any one of our doctors using Patient Partner? You can telephone the surgery anytime day or night to book an appointment. You do not have to wait until 8am to ring the surgery. You can now book an appointment whenever you want to do so.

If you want to book an appointment in the future, or you visit is not an urgent one and you are happy to be seen in a day or two, Patient Partner is the best option for you to use to book an appointment.

It’s easy to use – all you need to do is select ‘1’ when you ring the surgery and then follow the prompts to book an appointment. You can select if you want to bee seen at West Quay or at Rhoose; if you prefer to see a male or female doctor or if you want to be seen in the morning or afternoon. It’s as simple as that.

There are some limitations. What you can’t do is pick a specific day or time to be seen or which particular doctor you want to see. We also do not offer nurse appointments using Patient Partner although we will be looking to offer this option in the future.

You can also change an appointment, or cancel an appointment using Patient Partner.

NEW SURGERY PREMISES

Booking Appointments

When we move into our new building, we will continue to operate our current appointments system until January 2011.  However, all patients, whether in Barry or Rhoose will be required to ring the new telephone number to book an appointment. 

From January 2011, we will be changing our appointments system to give you more control of when you want to book your appointments.  We will be introducing a system called Patient Partner which will enable you to book an appointment at any time during the day or night without the need to speak to a receptionist (the system will not be available for a short period of time during the early hours of the morning to enable us to back up our appointments system).  Patient Partner will enable you to book appointments, change appointments or cancel appointments.  You will still be able to talk to a receptionist if you wish to do so.

You will also be able to book appointments up to four weeks in advance in some cases using the Patient Partner system.  There will be limitations to this system initially but we aim to enable you to have this facility as soon as possible in the New Year.    

We will also be using Text Messaging to send you a reminder about your appointment.  If we do not have your mobile number, please let the Reception staff know so we can add it to our records.  Please also ensure that we have the correct number so that we can keep you informed of what is happening at the surgery. 

We have also been told that an on-line appointment booking system will soon be available.  This means that you will be able to book your appointment using a computer if you have access to one.  We will let you have further information on this development when we receive it.

Checking In

When you arrive at the new surgery, you will find a self check in system in the main reception area on the ground floor.  You may use this system to check in  to see a doctor or nurse without the need to inform the receptionists.  This will help you check in more quickly particularly if there are long queues at the Reception Desk. 

Patient Call and Patient Information Screens

We have also installed Patient Call and Patient Information Screens on the Ground and First Floors.  The Patient Call system enables a Doctor or Nurse to call you to a consulting room where you can be seen.  The system will announce your name and provide you with information on where to go to see the doctor/nurse. 

The Patient Information Screen will provide you with lots of different information, some of it will be about the Practice and the services we offer.  Other information will be related to specific topics such as healthy eating, exercise, smoking cessation advice and much more.  If, after seeing the information you require further details, you should enquire at Reception where our staff will be pleased to assist you. 

Prescriptions

There will be a collection box located at the front entrance to the surgery which may be used out of hours.  A further collection box will be located at the main Reception Desk located on the Ground Floor. 

We aim to deal with each repeat prescription request within 48 hours.  However, if you are due for a medical review due to the length of time that you have been on a particular type of medication, this may take longer to process.   You should also note that you may not be issued with your repeat medication if you have not been seen for some time and the doctor thinks that you need to have a review of your medication.  If this happens, you will be invited to make an appointment with one of our doctors or nurses.  We will help you  by reminding you when your medication is due for review   We will do this by using a ‘traffic light' system to manage your repeat prescriptions. When you are nearing the end of your approved supply of medication, the surgery will place a green slip when you have three issues left, a yellow slip when you have two issues left and a red one when you have only one issue left.   At this time, you must make an appointment to have your medication reviewed.

Please also note that it is your responsibility to manage your own medication.   Whilst we understand that you may occasionally forget to order your repeat medications until you have run out, the Practice cannot always deal with your requests at such short notice.  If you are going on holiday, you should also inform us in plenty of time to arrange for your medication to be prepared.  If you leave your request too late, the Practice may not be able to process your request in time. 

Sometimes patients call at the surgery to request medication that they may have previously had as an acute prescription.   The Practice is quite happy to consider such requests but these will only be limited to certain medication and for one occasion only.  You will be required to complete a form which will then be assessed by a doctor who will decide if is appropriate for you to have this medication.  The doctor may decide that you need to be seen and you will then be advised to make an appointment to see one of our doctors.  Please note that the 48 hour rule will not apply to these requests and you are advised to contact the Practice by telephone prior to visiting us.

Pharmacy

Unfortunately, there will not be a pharmacy at the premises when we open despite there being a space for one.  A number of local pharmacies have tried to convince the Welsh Assembly Government of the need for us to have a pharmacy close by but to no avail.  We continue to support the local pharmacies in their endeavours to work out of the new premises.

Practice Website

We will also have a new website address, which is:  www.westquaymedicalcentre.co.uk  

We will continue to provide information which we hope you find useful on this site.  You will also still be able to order your repeat medication from this site as well.

Rhoose Medical Centre

Our branch surgery at Rhoose will continue to operate as normal with the following exceptions: 

• We will have a single telephone number for the whole Practice which is 01446-722792.  When you get through to the switchboard you will need to let us know if you want to be seen at either Barry or Rhoose to enable our receptionists to correctly book an appointment for you.   You will also need to ring this number if you want to book an appointment out of hours using our Patient Partner system.

• All of the paperwork for Rhoose patients (other than dealing with repeat prescriptions) will be administered from the new surgery in Barry.

You will still be able to book an appointment at Rhoose surgery in person and all of the repeat prescriptions will be produced there.  We will also be increasing the number of surgeries at Rhoose and will be opening every morning during the week and four afternoons as well.

We are pleased that we finally have a surgery which is fit for purpose to enable us to provide you with a modern environment when you need to see a doctor or nurse.  We look forward to welcoming you to your new surgery.

457 appointments were missed in January 2011

If you were unable to obtain an appointment this week, one of the reasons could be that the number above is the amount of failed attendance for booked appointments. You must contact the surgery in advance to prevent receiving a letter and to allow other patients the opportunity of an appointment.

Doctors Telephone Consultation Service

The Practice has recently introduced a doctor's telephone consultation service at Barry. To find out more about this new service please visit our Appointments page.

SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU

The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more severe and cause more serious complaints.

The typical symptoms are:

- sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38C/100.4F or above), and
- sudden cough

Other symptoms may include:

- headache
- tiredness
- chills
- aching muscles
- limb or joint pain
- diarrhoea or stomach upset
- sore throat
- runny nose
- sneezing, and
- loss of appetite

INFORMATION AND STATISTICS

In the period April 2009 to March 2010, the Practice clinical staff had a total of 71,311 appointments – that’s nearly 6 appointments for each patient registered with the Practice.  Unfortunately, more than 2,500 appointments were missed – this is the equivalent of three GP surgeries per week.  So, please if you cannot make an appointment or you feel that you no longer need an appointment, please let us know so we can re-allocate it to another patient.

During last winter we immunised more than 2,000 patients against seasonal flu and a further 1,800 patients were also vaccinated against swine flu.

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