We are currently experiencing a power cut. We have been told this should take around an hour to fix.  Please bear with us as our phone system and clinical system are down.

We are currently experiencing a power cut. We have been told this should take around an hour to fix.  Please bear with us as our phone system and clinical system are down.

Our Service is regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Please offer feedback on care you have received from us via https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care/PPVGFOCProvderchannel2023

UPDATE - system now back up and working:  10.30 am

Please note we are currently experiencing issues with our telephone system.  We apologise for any inconvenience.  The fault has been reported.  Please bear with us whilst the technical team try to resolve.  10.15 am Friday, 20th Sepember. 

Flu and Covid vaccinations are now available:

Saturday 5th October 9am - 1pm

Saturday 12th October 9am - 1pm

Saturday 19th October 9am - 1pm

You are eligible for both a flu and covid vaccination if you are aged over 65 or in a clinical at risk group.

For further information click on the link below

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/

Dr Pryse will be retiring from the practice on 31^st August 2024.  We would like to thank her for her contribution over the last four and half years and wish her a long and happy retirement.

Update - Monday 22nd July - all systems now operational.

Friday, 19th July 8.20 am - please be aware that our systems are currently down.  We are unable to book any appointments and have no access to records.  Please check back here for updates.  We apologise for any inconvenience. 

Covid boosters will be offered this spring to adults aged of 75 years, residents in a care home for older adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.  We will be visiting the care homes and housebound starting the week of 15th April and running clinics in May and June for eligible patients.  We will contact you if you are eligible in the next few weeks.

The internet has been fixed.  Please bear with us whilst we deal with the backlog. 

We are still waiting for BT to fix our internet. This is a difficult time and will cause a delay in appointments, telephone calls, and prescriptions .  See here for further updates when available.

Thank you for your patience.

The internet is down at the practice and we are currently unable to book any appointments.

Please bear with us. We will be up and running as soon as possible.

Flu & Covid appointments are now available:

Saturday 30th September (patients aged over 65 years) - NOW FULL

Saturday 7th October (patients aged under 65 years in a clinical risk group) 

Saturday 14th October (patients aged over 65 years) - NOW FULL

Saturday 21st October (patients aged over 65 years)

If you have already booked a flu vaccination, you will be asked on the day whether you would also like a covid vaccination ( Depending on eligibility)

Please be aware, in view of the change to the planned clinics, and the need to also vaccinate against covid, there may be a short wait for your appointment.

The covid spring booster campaign runs from 17th April to 30th June.  Eligible patients will be those aged 75years and over, living in a residential home and over 5 years old who are immunosupressed.  We will be running clinics in the Practice on Saturdays during this period.

Confirmed dates are Saturday 22nd April from 9am to 2pm and Saturday 13th May 9am to 2pm

If you are eligible and would like to book an appointment, please give the surgery a call.

As you are aware we have been engaging on the potential closure of Butchery branch. Following this engagement, we have had agreement from NHS Kent and Medway ICB to move ahead with the closure of the branch site. We are now working on the practicalities of merging both sites and bringing our workforce and systems together.  As you are aware, we have already increased capacity at the main site with additional consulting rooms, a training room and much needed administrative space.

Please be aware that there are currently serious IT connectivity issues across Kent and Medway and this is impacting on the practice and all internet based functionality. There is a delay accessing emails submitted to kmicb.smp@nhs.net since Thursday last week.  If you are waiting for a response, please be aware.  If you have submitted a repeat prescription request via email there will be a delay.  The local ICB are working urgently to try to resolve this issue.  Please bear with us. 

Patients will be aware of the current extension project at Sandwich Medical Practice, which will incorporate 8 additional clinical rooms, a training room and more admin space.  The project is due to complete by the end of January.  This will allow our services to be delivered from one location, in modern, fit for purpose premises, and will result in the closure of The Butchery Surgery by Spring 2023.

The survey is now closed.  Thank you to those who participated.  Results will be published here mid-February.

From 1^st October there will be a change in how appointments are offered outside the core hours of 8 am - 6.30 pm.  The Primary Care Network will hold the contract for enhanced access and will sub-contract the service to Channel Health Alliance (CHA).  The five practices within our PCN (which covers Deal and Sandwich) will each be allocated a share of these appointments.  An additional 51 hours of appointments will be provided in total for patients within and outside core hours.

Patients can be seen at Deal Hospital between 6.30 pm – 8 pm Monday – Friday, and Saturday and Sunday.  These appointments will continue to be booked by contacting the practice in the usual way.  There is a mix of GP and other healthcare professional appointments available including physiotherapy.  There will be a wound clinic on Sunday between 9 am – 5 pm.  Please note that when we are full to capacity here, you may be offered an appointment in Deal as an alternative.

Sandwich Medical Practice joins with the entire nation and Commonwealth to express our deepest sorrow at the death of her Majesty The Queen.  

We thank her for her extraordinary service and our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.

On Monday, 19th September the State Funeral will be held and we will be closing the practice, in line with Government guidance, as a mark of respect.

The practice will re-open on Tuesday, 20th September.

If patients require medical assistance on 19th September, they should ring 111 or 999 in an emergency.

The autumn booster vaccination programme will begin week commencing 12th September and will cover patients in the following groups:

Residents in care homes
Frontline health and social care workers
All adults aged 50 and over
Persons aged 5-49 in a clinical risk group
16 - 49 years olds who are carers

Boosters will be delivered from the vaccination site in Broadstairs (Curry's) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. 

Appointments will be made via the National Booking System (NBS) for those with internet/smartphone access, or by calling 119.   NBS appointments go live on 5th September 2022 for over 75's and those who are at risk.  Others will receive an invitation to book an appointment with the wider rollout commencing week beginning 12th September. 

The practice will be organising boosters for housebound patients and those in care homes.

UPDATE - 29th September - the vaccination centre are now accepting walk-ins.

We are now booking appointments for our 2022-23 flu clinics.  We will be running three Saturday morning clinics from 8 am - 1 pm on the following dates:  An appointment is required for ALL clinics.

Saturday, 19th November - slots still available. 

If you are aged 50-64, flu vaccination clinics for this group will be held at a later date.  Please do not contact us if you are in this group as we cannot book appointments at this time and further details will be communicated when available. 

Flu vaccination clinics are available each year commencing in late September for all patients over the age of 65 and other 'at risk' patients.

Are you 65 years of age or older?

Do you suffer from:

• Respiratory disease
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Diabetes
• A weak immune system
• Or have you had a stroke?

If your answer to any of these questions is YES, then your doctor recommends that you are protected against influenza.

You CANNOT catch flu from the vaccine.

We do not offer a walk in clinic.  For our Saturday clinics you will be given a window of time to attend (15 minutes) with other patients as we have up to 6 staff vaccinating at the same time who are able to vaccinate a large number of patients within these time frames.  PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE YOUR ALLOTTED TIME.  We often find patients ignore their appointment time and arrive early because of shopping, a day out, or because another family member had an earlier appointment.  This causes delays and confusion whilst our teams try to find your name in our clinical appointments system of 500-600 other appointments.  If you do arrive early, you may be asked to take a seat in our waiting room until your appointment time.  

This is a very fast moving clinic.  Patients arrive, walk straight through - preferably with their arm ready, with no need to close doors or undress, are vaccinated and leave.  We do not deal with any general queries during Saturday flu clinics.  

Reminders are issued to those eligible for the free vaccine by way of the very successful text messaging system.  We do not issue postal letters to eligible patients due to high numbers and the cost implications involved.  Therefore if you are an eligible patient, or are a carer for an eligible patient, we recommend you provide us with your mobile number.  You do not have to wait to receive a reminder to book your appointment, if you know you qualify.  However, please be aware that you will be asked by our reception team to briefly state why you are eligible. 

Message from NHS Kent and Medway - Issue with IT systems                               

We apologise for any delays patients may experience in receiving test results recently. Due to a problem with the IT systems used by the hospital there have been issues in receiving test results from pathology (blood tests) and radiology (x-rays) in the normal way. 
 
These IT issues have caused significant difficulties and additional work for your GP practice as they had to undertake additional work to help resolve this.
 
Please be assured that urgent test results are prioritised in the usual way.
 
We apologise for any inconvenience or concern this may have caused.
 
NHS Kent and Medway

We are pleased to announce that a project to extend and improve Sandwich Medical Practice is now progressing, with an intended start on site of 19^th April 2022.  This will provide an additional 8 consulting rooms, a training room and much needed administrative space.

We are grateful for the support we have received from NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) and Kent & Medway Commissioning Consortium Group (KMCCG).  We are also very grateful for the support this initiative has received from Sandwich Town Council and Dover District Council.

This is part of a broad strategy to improve recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in Sandwich.

The project should be complete by January 2023 and will significantly improve primary care facilities for patients locally. 

We apologise in advance for any temporary disruption this building project may cause. There may be additional pressure on parking, particularly at busy times.  We have been told that there is plenty of capacity at Gazen Salts car park as an alternative for visitors to the town.

Patient access will not be affected.

As more people start to travel again we wanted to update you with regards to offering travel vaccinations to our patients.

We are advised by NHSE, BMA and RCGP that travel vaccinations remain a low clincal priority, set against the context of the wider pandemic NHS recovery, patient access, long term condition management and offering the covid vaccination programme.

However we recognise that they remain important to our patients, so we will will deliver these to our patients depending on capacity.

We will endeavour to do what we can, but given the wider demands on our time which are clincially urgent, you may be advised that the time window for your vaccinations is inconvenient for your travel plans.

In this scenario if we have no availability to accomodate your needs, we will signpost you to local private travel providers, who may also be able to serve any additional needs for Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, meningitis vaccines, rabies, TB and yellow fever.

Dr McWilliams will be leaving the Practice at the end of February after being with us for the past four years.  We know that he will be missed by both the staff and patients and we wish him well for the future.

We are currently experiencing a high level of staff absence due to Covid-19 infections.  This may affect availability of appointments over the next few weeks.  It may also be necessary to cancel some non-urgent appointments to deal with the increased workload this has created within the practice.

Please bear with us during this difficult time. 

Following the announcement from Boris Johnson on Sunday we have been asked to supply extra resources to help the vaccination effort and administer as many covid vaccinations as possible before the end of December. 

We have been working with team SAGA since the start of the booster programme and have been told to put on hold any routine work to free up as many staff as possible to vaccinate at the SAGA site.

We will be cancelling any routine yearly reviews until the New Year to enable us contribute to the effort.  This is a huge task and requires resources to be diverted,  so please bear with us.

There is still time to book your flu vaccination. 

We have a clinic on Saturday 11th December 9am to 12.30pm.  Please call the surgery to book an appointment.

TOTAL APPOINTMENTS ( last four weeks)        4444

(1516 were booked on the same day)

FACE TO FACE                                                2291

TELEPHONE                                                   2081

HOME VISITS                                                 69

PATIENT DID NOT ATTEND                               217

Saturday 23rd October 8am to 1pm

Saturday 30th October 8am to 1pm

Saturday 13th November 8am to 1pm

Please call us to book your appointment

You may have seen on the news that there is a problem with delivery of flu vaccinations this year due to a shortage of drivers.

Unfortunately this means that we are unable to plan our flu clinics until we have been notified of the date of our first delivery. This may be well into October.  We appreciate this is not ideal and is frustrating for us all.

If you already have an appointment we will need to cancel it until we have an update from the suppliers.

As soon as we are able to arrange a clinic we will send you a text.  If we do not have an up to date mobile number for you, please let us know what it is.

This news page will be regularly updated as information becomes available.

There is currently a major system outage across East Kent affecting computer systems at surgeries.  

Please bear with us as they try to restore functionality. 

UPDATE:  10.45 am  systems are now all working.

To help practices better meet the needs of patients who require care over the Bank Holiday weekend, the online consultation system (eConsult) will NOT be available from 6.30 pm on Friday, 27th August to 8 am on Tuesday, 31st August 2021.

If you need urgent care, NHS 111 is there for you 24 hours a day.  Pharmacists are experts in medicines and can help you with minor health concerns.  You can find out opening hours of pharmacies near you on the NHS England website.

Unfortunately there is currently a national shortage of blood sample bottles.  We have been instructed not to take blood with the exception of urgent blood tests.  The GP will decide if you need an urgent blood test.  Routine blood tests will therefore be cancelled as they will not be processed by the laboratory.  If you have an appointment booked already for a blood test, we will contact you if this needs to be cancelled. 

We will provide updates with further information as and when it is made available to us.

The results of the latest GP survey are available.  Please click on the link below to view the results.

 http://gp-patient.co.uk/report?practicecode=G82063

We are delighted to welcome Dr Joanna Bonnett to the practice. She will be working two days per week.

Following local and national guidelines, the requirement to wear a face mask and socially distance in all healthcare settings will continue beyond this date.  This applies to Sandwich Medical Practice and includes patients and staff.  This is for the protection of all.

The latest GP appointment figures in England were published recently, which show that general practices in Kent and Medway delivered over 155,000 more appointments in March than they did the month before, and over 200,000 more than they did in February 2020, before the pandemic.

Kent and Medway GPs have also overseen the delivery of almost one million of Kent and Medway’s vaccines so far.

These figures underline the immense efforts that our team, and all practices across the country, are making in providing care to their communities and the intense workload pressures that staff are under as we continue to respond to the pandemic alongside patients’ wider health needs.

Here at Sandwich Medical Practice in March 2021 we had 5,459 appointments, of which:

2,336 were face to face
141 were home visits
2,853 were telephone consultations
129 were video/online consultations

In March, we took 12,853 calls from patients, averaging over 3,000 per week.

We will be continuing to use triage to make sure that you get to see the right person, in the right way as quickly as possible.  We also need to maintain changes put in place for the protection of staff and patients alike due to the limits of the size of our practice reception areas.  But we are open, and our team need support, patience and understanding as they work harder than ever before.

Thank you.

Please note that Dr Jonathan Webster retires as a Partner of the practice today.  We are very grateful to him for his hard work and commitment, particularly during the merger of the two practices almost two years ago.  We are very fortunate that Dr Webster has decided to stay on as a salaried GP and he will be working one day a week at the Practice.

FOR THE LATES INFORMATION ON COVID VACCINATIONS - SEE THE RED BUTTON ON THE HOME PAGE.

Covid-19 vaccinations for our patients will be delivered from Dover Health Centre by Channel Health Alliance from 14th January 2021.  Channel Health Alliance is a collaborative federation of 28 GP practices within South Kent Coast CCG.

There will be home visits for housebound patients.

Patients are being invited based on the national priority list. Please be patient and wait to be contacted about when the vaccine is available for you.  You do not need to contact the surgery about getting the Covid-19 vaccine.  You will receive a letter, text or phone call from Channel Health Alliance (CHA) in due course.  Please DO NOT contact them directly as they will be unable to help with your queries.

Our phone lines are very busy; please help us to keep lines open for people needing to make appointments for other health matters.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If you have questions about the vaccine please read the information below.

Why is the vaccine not available from our own surgery?

Across the country GPs are working in groups of practices to provide the Covid-19 vaccine. We understand that people would like to get the vaccine from their own practice but unfortunately this is not possible at this time. If this changes we will update this information.

Should I come for a vaccine if I have symptoms of Covid-19?

No. If you or someone in your immediate household has symptoms of the virus it is essential that you self-isolate and book a test. Your vaccine can be re-arranged after your self-isolation.

If I’ve had Covid-19 do I need the vaccines?

Yes, getting vaccinated is just as important for those who have already had Covid-19 as it is for those who haven’t.

How soon after having Covid-19 can I have the vaccine?

It is recommended that people wait 4 weeks after recovering from Covid-19 or from being tested positive but not experiencing symptoms. We will rearrange invitations if you are in this situation when first invited to have the vaccine.

When will the second dose be given?

From 30 December the national guidance changed and second doses will now be scheduled for 10-12 weeks after the first dose.

Can I pay for the vaccines privately?

No, all Covid-19 vaccines are being provided free by the NHS. If you see any offers to get the vaccine privately it will be a scam and you must not contact them.

Find out more: For more information about the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Kent and Medway please visit www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

An NHS England Directive currently prohibits GP surgeries delivering the vaccination from individual practice premises.

Groups of practices are organised into Primary Care Networks (PCNs).  Sandwich Medical Practice is one of five surgeries who form part of Deal and Sandwich PCN.

The CCG has contracted with a separate  organisation to deliver the vaccine on behalf of patients registered in Sandwich, Deal and Dover and the approved vaccination site is Dover Health Centre.  This is the only site that has been approved.

We would prefer this to be more local for our patients but until such time as the rules change, this is the only option available.

Some patients registered at this GP practice will soon be invited to take part in a national survey about their experiences of local NHS services.

It covers issues that concern patients, such as access to care and satisfaction with treatment.

If you receive a questionnaire, please help NHS England by filling it in as soon as possible.

It is really important that we hear your views, even if you have received a questionnaire like this before.  Your response will help us to improve GP practice and other local NHS services so they better meet your needs.

Did you know you can access Social Prescribing through the surgery?  We have Social Prescriber Link Workers who work across the Deal and Sandwich Primary Care Network.  They can help you address social issues which are negatively impacting on your health and wellbeing.  They have links with local voluntary care organisations who they work closely with, and can help you with information and guidance on local resources available to you.

They have recently lauched a Facebook page to try and reach a wider patient group which provides a wealth of information.  You can access this through the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/Deal-Sandwich-PCN-Social-Prescribing-108273851137397/

As you will be aware the Covid vaccination programme has already started in some local areas and many of you are anxious to know when it will begin for our patients.

Sandwich Medical Practice is part of the Deal and Sandwich Primary Care Network.  The vaccination programme has to be delivered at network level – individual practices are not permitted to deliver this on their own at the present time. 

We are awaiting confirmation from our CCG that a suitable vaccination site has been approved.  This should be within the next few days and we hope to start vaccinating our patients from the middle of January, subject to availability of vaccines.

The vaccine programme will be rolled out to priority groups, as detailed in the guidance below:

https://www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/your-health/coronavirus/covid19vaccine

As soon as we have further information, we will let you know.  Please keep an eye on the website for up-to-date information.

Covid-19 vaccinations will be provided through a range of local NHS services.  The vaccines will be available to everyone over 18 years old.  People will be invited for vaccination based on a nationally set priority list.  The elderly and most at risk from Covid-19 will be vaccinated first.

We are not currently providing Covid-19 vaccines.  We will update this page when more information about local vaccine services is confirmed.

You do not need to contact the surgery until you receive a letter, text or phone call about getting the Covid-19 vaccine.  Our phone lines are very busy and we would appreciate your support to keep phone lines open for people needing to make appoinments for other health matters.

The vaccination programme will take several months to work through everyone, so it could be some time before you are contacted.

Please help protect yourself, friends and loved ones by getting vaccinated when you are invited.

Find out more

For more information about the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Kent & Medway please visit

www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

For national information about the vaccine visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

With the merger of Market Place Surgery and The Butchery Surgery in May 2019, it has been necessary for us to review and update our practice boundary.  This defines the area within which patients can be accepted for registration at the Practice.  Once agreed, it forms part of our contract with Kent and Medway Commissioning Consortium Group (KMCCG).

We have the largest practice boundary within our locality (Sandwich/Deal/Dover), and being semi-rural, need to cover a wider area.  This can present challenges in trying to meet the needs of those who are registered some distance from our main site in Sandwich.  In considering our boundary, our aim is to ensure that we are able to provide the full range of services to patients who fall within the defined vicinity and to achieve a more regular and consistent border.  We have made minor changes to the boundary, expanding it slightly to the north and reducing a little to the south.   Please see the map below for comparison.   

It is important to note that these changes will not affect any patients who may now fall outside the boundary who are currently registered with us.  Your registration will continue unaffected.  The new boundary rules would only apply to new registration requests.  Our neighbouring practices are also being consulted on the proposed changes to ensure adequate cover exists across the locality.  Patients will continue to be offered choice where more than one practice covers the same area.

As part of the consultation process, we wish to seek the views of patients on this proposal.  If you wish to make any comments, please email ccccg.smp@nhs.net  The deadline for feedback is 30^th October 2020.

G82063 Sandwich Proposed Boundary Map

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic we continue to have measures in place for the safety of our staff and patients.

 The front door is locked and you will need to ring the bell for access if you have an appointment.

This controls the amount of patients that we can have in the waiting room to maintain social distancing.  Please wear a face covering to your appointment.

 If you want to order a prescription, the paper request can be put in the letter box for processing, or you can send your request to us electronically using one the apps available. (The NHS app, Patient Access, myGP). Your prescription will be sent electronically to the chemist of your choice.

 All GP appointments are by telephone initially.  If the Doctor needs to see you in person they will arrange a time for you to come in to see them.

 We are making more use of digital technology.  The Doctor may send you a text message with information or request a photograph.  We are using the eConsult system which is available on this website or via the NHS app.  This enables you to make contact with the Doctor at a time that is convenient to you.  Once we receive your eConsult, someone from the practice will reply to you before the end of the next working day.

 We are slowly reintroducing  routine nursing appointments following the guidance given to us from the NHS.  The following are available to book:

Immunisations – this includes childhood immunisations, influenza, pneumococcal, shingles.
New patient reviews
Medication reviews
Diabetic checks – blood tests and foot checks initially, followed by a telephone review from the diabetic nurse.
Asthma & COPD reviews – by telephone
Pill checks – by telephone
HRT checks – by telephone
Hypertension reviews – we would encourage you to monitor your blood pressure at home and send us the results for the nurse or doctor to review.
Mental health reviews
Learning Disability reviews
Fitting of coils and implants
Ear syringing

 At the present time we are unable to offer the following:

24 hour blood pressure monitoring
Minor Surgery
NHS health checks

Please try to be patient with our receptions team who are doing their best to help you whilst following the guidance given to them by the Doctors.

The flu vaccination is the best protection for you and those around you which is why it is offered for free for those most at risk.

Vaccinations started in September and continue over the winter months, with appointments available throughout the season (so there is still plenty of time to book). Priority is given to those who are most at risk of flu. GP practices and pharmacies receive phased deliveries of the vaccine and flu clinics are scheduled to coincide with these deliveries. 

By staggering appointments over the winter months, we can help protect as many people as possible from flu.

If you are aged between 50 and 64 , we are now booking appointments throughout December.  Please give the surgery a call if you would like to book an appointment.

If you are a household member or a carer of a shielded patient, you are eligible for the flu vaccination. Please contact your GP practice for more information or visit your local community pharmacy.

For parents/carers of two and three year olds, you should receive an invitation for your child to have the vaccination at their GP practice before the winter. If you haven’t heard by early November, contact the practice directly to make an appointment. 

For primary school-aged children and those in Year 7 at secondary school, a vaccination session will be held at school during the autumn term. Your local healthcare team will contact you via the school.

We now offer online consultations via a service called eConsult.  It would be really helpful if all consultation requests are made this way, if possible, in order for us to streamline how we offer services during these 'covid times'.

eConsult is available via our practice website 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, so there will be no need to sit at your phone redialling at 8 am to try and make an appointment, and you do not need to try and explain to the receptionist why you are requesting an appointment.  You complete all the details required by the clinician via eConsult and once submitted, this goes straight to the clinicians for triage.  We will get back to you by 6.30 pm the next working day, or sooner.

Click on the banner on our homepage.

We are now using AccuRx SMS to message patients.  AccurRx is a system that allows us to easily send text messages to patients.  It means we can message you quickly and securely, so you do not have to wait around for us to phone.  AccuRx SMS can be used to respond to simple queries, or to send you advice following a consultation.

The practice name will always appear at the bottom of the message we send you, so please help us by keeping your contact details up-to-date.

We are also looking to introduce video consultation in the future.

Please note, for children under 18 years of age, you will still need to ring the practice.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WITH EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY, 18th MARCH, THE BUTCHERY SURGERY WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE AND ALL PATIENTS WILL ATTEND MARKET PLACE SURGERY.

All GP appointments will be by telephone.  The doctor will assess your condition and offer advice or an appointment, where appropriate. 

The latest information on symptoms of coronovirus infection can be found on:

 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 

If you have a cough or fever, DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY, PHARMACY OR HOSPITAL.  Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.

Please follow the public health advice on the NHS Website to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus.

Travel Advice

We are unable to offer advice on fitness to travel regarding Covid-19.

Please either call 111 for advice or refer to the latest information and guidance from Public Health England.

The decision to travel remains with the individual, unless the Government issues a directive prohibiting travel to specific areas or destinations.

Insurers and travel companies should be basing their decisions to offer refunds on advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Public Health England, not letters from GPs.

We are delighted to announce that Dr Rebecca Pryse has joined the practice as a new Partner and will be working 3 days per week.

Dr Pryse has been working as a locum GP for us for some time, so will be known to some of you already.  Dr Pryse brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the practice and was previously a partner at a practice in Buckingham.

We would also like to share with you news of two imminent retirements.  Dr Chris Healy and Dr Anne Weatherley will both be retiring from general practice at the end of March.  We are very grateful to them both for continuing to work as part of the team whilst the practice settled after the merger.  We wish them both a very long and happy retirement.

We have launched our new website this week.  This is still in development, so please bear with us as we add further information and links.  We hope you like the new look and find the site easy to navigate.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Click here for information about how to access healthcare services.

The practice supports doctors in training and hosts Foundation Year 2 doctors on 4 month rotations.  Our current placement is Dr Priya Maini, who will be working with us from August to December.

We are pleased to welcome two new salaried doctors to the team.  Dr Suzanne Barclay joined the practice in April, and Dr Carissa Eldred in July.  Dr Barclay previously worked in Faversham, and Dr Eldred worked in Ramsgate.  Both GPs will be working 3 days per week.  We are now able to offer coil and contraceptive implant fittings, which will be carried out by Dr Eldred.