Compass News: Spring 2008
Dr James Hunt Joins the Practice We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Hunt to the Practice.
Dr James Hunt joined the Practice at the beginning of April as a full time GP, holding regular weekly surgeries at Brixham and Galmpton.
After extensive interviews during the second half of 2007, Dr Hunt was selected from a very strong group of applicants.
Dr Hunt is married with three children and lives with his wife in Newton Abbot.
Educated at Torquay Boys Grammar School before studying medicine at the University of Wales College of Medicine, Dr Hunt has held various House Registrar positions at Torbay Hospital before joining Devon Square Surgery where he recently completed his MRCGP.
Additions to our Nursing Team We are pleased to announce that Lorraine Boundy has joined the practice from the beginning of May. Lorraine brings a considerable amount of Primary Care nursing experience to our team having gained her SRN in 1975. Lorraine lists her special interest in Asthma, Family Planning and Sexual Health especially in the younger population.
In June Zoe Dowell will join us as a qualified HCA (Health Care Assistant). Zoe is currently employed at Torbay Hospital as an HCA on a Gastroenterology Ward working as a apart of a multi-disciplinary team. Zoe is married with a family and lives in Paignton where she has recently joined the Rowing Club.
Extending Services to our Galmpton Practice To provide a more comprehensive service to those patients calling our Galmpton line, we will be automatically switching the telephone call to our Brixham surgery. This will enable the reception at Galmpton to concentrate on patients, in person at the reception desk while colleagues deal with Galmpton surgery calls.
Galmpton patients using either 855897 (Brixham number) or 842284 (Galmpton number) will be able to select to order a repeat prescription or book a routine appointment as before, but will also now be able to speak to our Medical Team (See Medical Team Story).
Repeat prescriptions, as before, can be collected at Galmpton or requested to be forwarded on to a pharmacy of choice.
Sonia becomes a Nurse Practitioner Sonia Lake, our lead nurse, recently was awarded the right to hold her own prescription pad after completing her examinations to become a nurse prescriber. Sonia Joined the practice in August 2000 from Torbay Hospital after serving many years on the Head and Neck Unit.
Continuing with her professional studies as a registered nurse, Sonia has spent the last three years studying to achieve this very high level qualification of Nurse Practitioner.
This qualification allows Sonia to hold her own patient consultations, especially for minor illnesses and chronic disease management in diabetics.
Appointments with Sonia can be booked at both Brixham and Galmpton.
Our Daily Medical Team For over three years a Triage team consisting of a Medical Receptionist, Practice Nurse and Doctor, has provided a telephone consulting service to patients calling our Brixham Surgery number. This service, available from 8am to midday and from 1pm to 6pm, regularly deals with over 200 calls a day.
The team provides consultation and advice on a range of clinical concerns, and, where needed, patients will be given a GP/Nurse appointment that day.
The ability to speak to a nurse or a doctor, usually within an hour of contacting the Triage Team, far exceeds Government Targets on Access.
If following the telephone consultation it is felt that an emergency appointment or visit is needed one will be provided that day.
anticipating enough 'Triage' appointment slots each day to meet demand is always difficult especially after a bank holiday, and this can lead to a shortage of routine booked appointments.
Many people visiting the area comment to us just how they wished their own surgeries would provide a similar telephone consultation service at home and from these comments we take great pride in our Daily Medical Team.
Practice earns High Achievement for QoF QoF or Quality and Outcomes Framework was introduced 4 years ago to set standards and targets by which the performance of Primary Care could be measured. Qof measures a GP practice in a number of ways, from general clinical activity to specific major disease registers, administrative tasks undertaken, and from patient experience questionnaires completed before and after a consultation.
The practice is visited by a small team of professionals who undertake an audit of our performance, record, and make recommendations as to ways we can improve, and this year it was pleasing to get some very positive feedback.
Call to Cancel Plea With what at times seems an insatiable demand for appointments, losing booked appointments to patients who don't turn up is frustrating to say the least. In March 190 patients didn't cancel their appointment. In April the figure was 230.
That's a considerable amount of a Doctor's total availability each month lost to patients who could be seen and treated.
One phone call to cancel the appointment, even 30 minutes before will help us to help others who are desperately in need on an appointment that day.
If you need to rebook we will do our utmost to accommodate your revised appointment request so. please call to cancel. Thank you.
Getting a routine booked appointment We know it is often difficult to get to see a doctor for a routine booked appointment although we hope that the recent full time appointment of Dr James Hunt will ease things a little. There are a few recommendations we would like to make, and if you have any ideas please tell us.
First, tell our receptionist what it is you need, they are there to help and helping you is what makes them feel it's all worthwhile. Patient confidentiality is paramount with all our staff so don't feel embarrassed to explain your needs. Having a better idea will help our receptionist to discuss with you possible ways in which we can best help.
While we have three lady doctors they are busy mums themselves and all work part time at the surgery. As a result, they are often booked a week in advance, often more for our Galmpton surgery (being there only once a week).
If you feel your condition can be discussed with another doctor or one of our very skilled nurses, please mention this to our receptionists.
We offer routine booked appointments up to two weeks ahead (beyond this our cancellation rates go through the roof). However, we also reserve appointments up to one month ahead, exclusively for use by your doctor. So, if after the consultation, your doctor needs to see you in three to four weeks time you can book accordingly.