Welcome to the Summer Newsletter

Many apologies for the delay in getting this newsletter to you but the past few months have been particularly busy for us as a practice with lots of new and exciting things happening.

Staff news

Firstly, we have said some sad goodbyes to some of our wonderful and long-serving staff members. Our Senior Receptionist, Sally Norgate, after many years of service, has now happily taken up retirement. She does still, from time to time, come back to help us and is always a welcome face. Similarly, Mary Kimble and Lorraine Thurston, after many years of giving their support, have now moved on to better things.

In their place we are pleased to welcome to the team four new receptionists; Julie Dockree joins us as Receptionist Manager and alongside her on the receptionist team are Melanie Mendus-Edwards and Helen Gillies. We also now have Shelly Ingall-Tombes, who very kindly comes in and looks after our Saturday morning surgeries for us.

Attached Doctors

Dr Emma Bowen-Simpkins, or “Dr Emma” as she prefers to be called, joined us in April 2003 and will be with us until at least November 2004. Emma has spent several years working in hospital and general practice, both in the UK and in Hong Kong and is now joining us to see how things happen in Alton. She will be working with us part-time, as she has two bundles of joy of her own to take care of at home. Her special interests are in family planning and child psychiatry.

We are also pleased to welcome to the team, for a four-month period, Dr Caroline Abbott as our PRHO (newly-qualified doctor). Caroline joins us having just successfully completed her final medical examinations in the summer and is looking forward to her spell in general practice. Although she is able to diagnose and advise, she is not yet allowed to prescribe, so she will be shepherded by one of the other doctors.

 
Stop Smoking

NHS free Quit Smoking help and support tel 0845 602 4663 ... no lectures ...no fuss and lots of fun quitting with others. 

and our most exciting news..

As of 1st September 2003 we will have a DISPENSARY next to the reception so that we will be able to issue your medicines to you directly which will save a trip into town to the chemist. Unfortunately due to regulations outside our control we are only able to offer this service to patients that live more than a mile away from a chemist. We hope you will be as pleased about this new innovation as we are and that it will make your visit to the surgery much more convenient and hassle-free.

CHAWTON PARK SURGERY

'When will the new surgery be ready doctor?'

We have all been asking this question but the good news is that we are making progress. In our last newsletter we had hoped that building work would commence in January. The proposed build time once things get started will be approximately 40 weeks and all the plans are ready right down to the smallest detail. Although many interesting rumours abound in the town about the reasons for the delay, the rather dull reason for the delay is that the negotiations with the NHS property agency have been achingly slow. At present we hope we are in the final stages with negotiations - wrangling at present over the depth of topsoil needed on the land. There seem to be so many fiddly things to sort out before the actual bricks and mortar start to appear!

In any event we hope that building is imminent - we are as excited and frustrated about it all as you are. Much thought and time have been taken to ensure that Chawton Park Surgery will be a bright, spacious and welcoming oasis for all… and hopefully well worth the wait.
 

New GP Contracts

As you will have seen in the press in recent months, the majority of GPs in the UK have voted to work alongside the Government with what is called the New GP Contract. This really just means a slightly new way of working from an administrative point of view and should not in any way detract from the service we provide.
 

SEE your doctor? or… see a NURSE? or… PHONE your doctor?

And finally, just to remind you that if you are having any difficulty in getting an appointment at a convenient time, it may be worth thinking about whether one of our Practice Nurses or Health Care Assistants can help you, instead of your doctor. Alternatively, the doctors are always happy to consult with you over the telephone, if you feel this is appropriate, and it may mean you do not need to make an appointment. The receptionists can take your number and we can phone you back at a time that suits.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy summer. Over and out!

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