The Surgery

Mount Avenue
Shenfield
CM13 2NL

Tel: Brentwood 0844 477 8706
Fax: Brentwood 0870 890 2491
Calling from overseas +44 870 890 2490

Drs Martin Lissmann, Kannan Athreya, Patrick Ward, Sarah Neill,
Sapna Subhani, Karen Adey & Kajan Kanagasabai

WELCOME TO THE SURGERY

BACKGROUND

The Practice has been in existence since 1914, having been founded by Dr Fiddes, and is now housed in purpose-built premises built in 1970 but extended in 1989/90 and again in 1994/95. There are currently seven partners at the surgery, four full time (Dr Lissmann, Dr Athreya, Dr Ward and Dr Kanagasabai) and three part time (Dr Neill, Dr Subhani and Dr Adey). The Practice provides a range of essential, national and local medical services under the General Medical Services Contract (see separate section).

The Practice area covers Shenfield and Hutton only. We are not a limited partnership.

SURGERY HOURS

The practice premises are open during the following times:

EMERGENCY 'OUT OF HOURS' SERVICE

This is provided for our patients via the Essex Ambulance Trust and is the responsibility of South West Essex PCT.

It covers the hours when the Surgery is closed, ie from 6.30pm each evening until 8.00am on weekdays, all bank holidays and weekends (except Saturday mornings).

If you require urgent medical attention at these times, telephone 0844 477 8706 and you will be automatically transferred to the out-of-hours service.

NHS DIRECT, a Nurse-led telephone advice line, is also available on 0845 4647.

ACCESS TO SURGERY

Very limited parking is available at the enclosed side of the surgery only.

PLEASE PARK CONSIDERATELY AT ALL TIMES AND DO NOT PARK IN THE DOCTOR OR STAFF PARKING AREAS.

We do not accept any responsibility for vehicles in the car park; these are parked entirely at owners' risk. Wheelchair access is at the main entrance. The downstairs patients' toilet has facilities for the disabled and baby-changing facilities.

A lift is available for access to the upstairs consultation rooms.

Practice News and Notices

 

We have now received and reviewed our 2008/9 National Survey Results. Whilst overall the results are good/satisfactory there are some areas where we need to improve.

It is clear that some patients are not up to date with the services and current operation of the Practice. To improve this understanding for the future I have decided to issue a Patient Newsletter with further issues to be provided in the future.

 

EXTENDED HOURS

 

Since October 2008 we have opened on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (until 8.00pm) for GP appointments only, as well as continuing with our Saturday morning Surgeries (8.30 to 12 noon) for both GP and Practice nurse appointments.

 

The National contract requires these EXTENDED HOURS times to be dedicated to provide pre-booked appointments rather than the ‘urgent surgeries’ (that was formerly the position on Saturday mornings.)

 

Whilst the number of appointments is limited A FULL RECEPTION SERVICE is available during all Extended Hours periods including:

 

• Collection of Prescriptions
• Booking of future appointments
• Checking Test Results
• Registration for New Patients

 

SEEING THE DOCTOR YOU PREFER

 

It is appreciated that most patients would like the continuity of seeing the same GP.However; we have to balance this against the needs of the full practice population which currently numbers just over 14000.

 

We are fortunate to have both male and female GP’s, which can also influence a patient’s preference, and we do book appointments up to 4 weeks in advance to enable patients with chronic medical problems to re-book a ‘follow up’ appointment with the same GP if required.

 

If you have an acute medical problem however, it is expected that you will see any of the GP that have ‘available’ appointments and this may include the Daily Duty Doctor.

 

 

 

TELEPHONE APPOINTMENTS

 

We offer telephone appointments for GPs and Practice Nurses which are available for patients (or Clinicians) to book where a ‘face to face’ meeting is not essential.

 

The Doctor or nurse will telephone you at home or at work at an approximately agreed time and this saves the use of face to face appointments. These calls are in addition to the usual patient slots.

 

 

APPOINTMENT WAIT TIMES

 

It is appreciated that appointment time slots will on occasions ‘slip’ meaning that a patient will be seen later than the expected time booking.

 

This usually means that the GP (or Nurse) has needed to spend more time with a patient than planned. This could be due to needing to organise emergency care or admission to hospital.

 

Wait times can become protracted and we ask for your patience especially busy days (e.g. Mondays and post bank holidays) and on all days where you have been given an appointment with the ‘Duty Doctor’.

 

 

TEST RESULTS

 

Many of our results are now reported ‘electronically’ which means they are received quicker but the GP needs time to review and annotate the result before the Reception staff can advise individual patients of the outcome.

 

We continue to see patients regularly contact us before the result has been reviewed and I would suggest  that a minimum of 7 working days is left between the test ( blood test, x-ray ultrasound etc) unless the GP as requested it urgently, before contacting us.

 

Our ‘Test Results’ telephone message advises patients to telephone for results between 11.00am and 12.45pm and between 5.00pm and 6.30pm.This is so we can concentrate on supporting the patients, doctors and nurses during the main clinic times and it also prevents patients waiting for substantial times in a telephone queue. We aim to respond quicker within these dedicated times.

 

FEEDBACK

 

If you wish to give feedback on this Newsletter of any aspect of the Surgery please contact

David Walker

Practice Manager

 

 SWINE FLU VACCINATIONS

 Due to the substantial numbers of patients in the 'at risk' categories specified by the DOH it is taking longer to 'call ' all eligible patients for this vaccination programme.Please also be aware that we are instructed to immunise te under 65's first.We will invite all appropriate patients as sson as possible.