SURGERY NEWS
Phone Issues
We are currently experiencing some issues with our phone lines resulting in some calls being lost. We are working to resolve this problem and apologise if you experience an issue. We continue to encourage patients to use our online service via our website or the NHS App where possible to reduce demand on our phonelines. Thank you for your patience.
Service Announcement
As you may be aware, we experienced a leak at the surgery over the weekend of 28th December that has caused significant damage to parts of the building.
We have restarted a limited number of clinics from Honiton Surgery. However, due to the need to manage the numbers of people within the building, we would ask that patients only attend the surgery if they have an appointment.
Please note we are no longer providing services from Sid Valley Practice or Honiton Hospital
We continue to ask our patients to complete an online consult.
For a medical issue or for booking an appointment, please complete 'I want help for a medical issue'. This is available from 07:30am - 6pm Monday - Friday. We aim to contact you on the same working day.
For other admin queries please complete ' I have an admin query' which is available 7:30am-6pm.
If you are unable to use our online service, please continue to call practice on 01404 548 544 and a receptionist will then complete the online form with you on the phone.
Please note we also may reach our clinical capacity each day before 6pm and move to administrative or urgent only.
If your concern can wait, we kindly ask you to call back or complete an online form when our normal service resumes at 7:30am the next working day.
Whether you contact us by phone or online, all appointment requests will be triaged and booked by our duty GP team.
Outside of these hours, please continue to access the relevant service for your needs:
- For non-emergency medical help and advice, please visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111
- If you, or someone you know, experiences a mental health crisis you can access support from 111
- You can also visit your local minor injury unit for certain condition or speak to your local pharmacist
- For life-threatening emergencies (for example if someone is unconscious, not breathing or bleeding heavily), please call 999.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude, members of the local community and partner organisations, for the many kind words and offers of help in response to the leak at the surgery. We have been truly overwhelmed by the support we have received.
As work progresses, we will provide further updates over the course of the next few weeks.
Thank you again for your support, patience and understanding.
HeidiHealth
Our clinicans use an AI transcribing software in the practice. This software is a helpful tool that allows your doctor to focus entirely on you during your visit while still allowing them to accurately capture medical information, ensuring a comprehensive and precise record of your care. Heidi transcribes clinical encounters (both telephone and face-to-face) and streams them via desktop microphone to a transcription service, that is shown on the PC in form of a clinical note.
Please understand that your information will be handled with the utmost care, and using this software is aimed solely at improving your healthcare experience at the surgery.
Long Term Condition Annual Reviews
We are making some changes to long-term condition annual review appointments. We are asking our patients to provide us with information prior to their review appointment. This means we will be either asking you to complete a pre-appointment health questionnaire via SMS or asking you to come in and use our self-check kiosks in the main waiting area before your appointment. This is so we can utilise the software and systems we have in place at the surgery, to give our clinicians more time to capture missing information and completed necessary checks before you are reviewed. Patients will ideally still be seen for their annual reviews in their month of birth.
If you have any problems with links you cannot open or you do not wish to receive links or questionnaires, you can inform a member of our team and they can add you to a group to be contacted directly.
Leaving Partners
We are very sad to announce the departure of two of our GP Partners. Dr Rampersad and Dr Ingram. We hope you join us in wishing them both well in their future adventures and thank them for their incredible hard work over their time at Honiton Surgery. You will be greatly missed by all.
Please see speical announcement made by GPs below.
Dr D Rampersad
I will be leaving Honiton Surgery at the end of August 2024, having been a GP here since May 2000. I think Honiton and its people make this a great place to live and work but it’s time for a new challenge. I feel that I have been very lucky to have been able to work with such a great team here to offer services as a family doctor. It has been a privilege to get to know my patients- (some for the whole 24 years, from being born to having their own children!) and work with them through health difficulties and in happier times to share in their joy. It has taught me a lot about life and people, and I thank you all for that. I’m so pleased that I leave behind a hardworking competent group of people at the practice to continue the work and wish all of my patients the best for the future.
Dr S Ingram
It’s hard to believe 18 years working in Honiton surgery is coming to an end . David and I are planning for some adventure before we retire. Initially trialing working in New Zealand for 6months before perhaps more challenging places.
Reflecting on my time at the surgery I realise our role has transformed over the years.
Back in 2006 we had 14000 patients ( now 18000 ) we ran the community hospital ward, covered the dementia and minor injury units and covered the 5 local care homes. There were no telephone appointments or econsults. All our patients were seen in person.
The primary care team has also expanded to now include nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physios and mental health professionals.Despite these changes the job seems busier than ever I think primarily due to advancements in medicine we are living longer with more complex conditions.
I’ve always found working as a GP challenging and interesting. I’ve met so many caring and lovely people. I’ve been humbled to hear about the difficulties and challenges so many people face in their lives but some how pull through.
Getting to know patients over the years seeing familiar faces who know and trust me has been one of the joys of working in Honiton
I sincerely thank our practice staff, receptionists, nurses, administration team, cleaners and prescribing team for their immense support over the years without whom the practice could not function .
I’m very pleased to know I’m leaving a great team going forward.
Health Kiosks
Our new self-check health kiosks are located in the corner of our main waiting area and available to use from 8:00-17:00 Monday-Friday. Patients can perform own checks without clinical supervision or submit some simple lifestyle questionnaires. Readings and information are then instantaneously updated into your medical record and can be immediately viewed by clinicians. The health kiosks allow you to perform simple checks at your own convenience, without making an appointment. You may wish to do your BP before you go in to see clinician or you can come in at your own convenience to use.
What you can do on the health kiosks:-
- Take your blood pressure
- Check your height and weight to calculate your BMI
- Enter information regarding your lifestyle i.e. smoking, alcohol, exercise, ethnicity and diet
- They are very simple to use and on-screen instructions take you through the process. However, if you do have difficulty, you can ask a member of the reception team who would be happy to help you.
We kindly ask that patients with mobility difficulties do not use the kiosks.
'Usual GP' or 'Named GP'
Due to several changes in our GP Team over the last 24 months and the significant pressures we still face in primary care, we are currently unable to accommodate requests to change your allocated GP, as all of ours GPs list are currently full. We may change your 'Usual GP' due to practice and staff developments, we are currently unable to notify patients individually of these changes. Having an allocated GP does not prevent you seeing any other doctor in the practice, please ask reception when booking if you wish to do so.
