AVON ROAD SURGERY
Avon Road
Upminster
Essex
RM14 1RG
Tel. No: 01708 576120
Fax No: 01708 576115
www.thesurgerycranham.co.uk
THE SURGERY IS TAKING PART IN THE EXTENDED HOURS SCHEME
EVENINGS AND ALTERNATE SATURDAYS
DURING THESE TIMES THERE WILL BE
NO TELEPHONE ACCESS
AND
ONLY ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
NO EMERGENCIES
RECEPTION HOURS
Monday
8.00 - 12.30
1.30 - 6.30
Tuesday
8.00 - 12.30
1.30 - 6.30
Wednesday
8.00 - 12.30
1.30 - 6.30
Thursday
8.00 - 12.30
1.30 - 6.30
Friday
8.00 - 12.30
1.30 - 6.30
Saturday alternate weeks telephone access between 9.00 and 10.00am
DOCTORS CONSULTATION HOURS
Monday
8.30 - 11.30
1.30 - 5.30
Tuesday
9.00 - 11.30
4.00 - 5.30
Wednesday
9.00 - 11.30
Thursday
9.00 - 11.30
4.00 - 5.30
Friday
9.00 - 11.30
4.00 - 5.30
Saturday alternate weeks telephone access between 9.00 and 10.00am
NURSES CONSULTATION HOURS
EXTENDED
HOURS
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
9.00 - 11.00
EXTENDED
HOURS
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
9.00 -11.00
EXTENDED
HOURS
6.30 - 7.00
6.30 - 7.00
Monday
9.00 - 12.30
2.00 - 6.00
Tuesday
9.00 - 12.30
2.00 - 6.00
Wednesday
8.30 - 12.30
2.00 - 6.00
Thursday
8.30 - 12.00
1.30 - 6.00 6.30 - 7.00
Friday
8.30 - 12.30
2.00 - 6.00 6.30 - 7.00
Saturday alternate weeks telephone access between 9.00 and 10.00am
9.00 -11.00
APPOINTMENT SYSTEM
Same day appointments please ring after 8.00am
Future appointments
please ring after 11.00am
Non-urgent appointment requests can be made by registering with the confidential
online service by completing an application form available from reception.
EMERGENCIES
Within surgery hours
Tel.No: 01708 576120
Outside surgery hours (PELC)
Tel.No: 01708 766210
PELC will give an appointment for you to attend the unit at Queens Hospital,
Romford.
Out of Hours care is accessible, removing in most cases the necessity to
attend A&E
 Acute Chest Pain - Dial 999 (If chest pain lasts for more than 15 minutes in
spite of using Nitro lingual spray)
 Acute Asthma Attack (If no relief by using Salbutamol inhaler) attend A&E
outside surgery hours
For 24-hour health care advice contact NHS Direct. Dial 111 from landlines and
mobiles free of charge.
ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS
A 10-minute appointment will be allocated to you.
If you have more than one problem to discuss with the doctor please tell the
receptionist so that she may book you a double appointment.
Patients can access any GP, if necessary, within 48 working hours.
Patients can book in advance of 48 hour.
Patients who DNA (do not attend) 3 times without explanation may be removed from
our list. A letter will be sent to those patients beforehand.
If you need an interpreter please inform the receptionist beforehand.
If you cannot keep an appointment please cancel it as early as you can.
If you wish to speak in confidence, please tell the receptionist.
Telephone advice is available from the doctors and nurse after morning and
evening surgery.
Emergency appointments are fitted in at the end of surgery.
If you feel you would like a chaperone present at a consultation please inform the
receptionist when making your appointment and let the GP/nurse know at the
consultation.
Preferred Practitioner
On request patients will be given an appointment with their preferred practitioner if
available. If an appointment is urgent, you may have to see one of the other doctors,
but you may have to wait longer than 48 working hours to see a doctor of your
choice.
Home Visits
If you are able, please try and attend the surgery as this would enable the doctors to
see more patients. Home visits are restricted to the house bound, elderly and
seriously ill patients. Please call the surgery before 10.30am to book a home visit.
The doctor may telephone you prior to undertaking a visit.
Walk In Centres
Harold Wood Polyclinic
St. Clements Avenue
Harold Wood RM3 0AR
01708 792000
An alternative to A&E for minor injuries and illnesses but not for any life threatening
injury, illness, chest pains, breathing difficulties, etc. that will need specialised care
No Appointment needed
Open 8am – 8pm 7 days a week 52 weeks a year (7.00pm cut-off time to see a
clinician)
Walk in Centres are also at the addresses below, but contact first by telephone.
132 Upney Lane, Barking
Opening hours 9.00am – 7.00pm
0208 924 6262
Cranbrook Road, Ilford
Opening Hours 10.00am – 7.00pm
0208 924 6633
Primary Medical Services
Details of local primary medical services can be obtained from Pals
Becketts House
2-14 Ilford Hill
Ilford Essex IG1 2QX
Tel. No: 0800 092 6995
Email: pals@haveringpct.nhs.uk
r-pct.palscomplaint@nhs.net
TEST RESULTS
Tel No:
01708-576120 (After 1.30pm)
Please allow the following before contacting the surgery
4 days
Blood Results
2 weeks
X-Ray Results
3 weeks
Scan Results
4 weeks
Smear Results
Cervical smear results will be notified to patients only if they are abnormal. The
Health Authority will inform patients of results in writing.
INVESTIGATIONS
X-rays and scans are carried out at local hospitals.
Cranham Clinic runs an appointment only phlebotomy clinic daily 9.00 - 12.00pm
and a walk-in clinic on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings 9.00 - 12.00pm
Appointments are to be booked with the clinic receptionist on 01708 576100.
Please do not ring the surgery telephone number to make blood test appointments
and do not report to surgery reception for blood tests appointments
For all other tests patients should book an appointment with the hospital.
It is not the surgery’s responsibility to obtain test results requested by hospital
consultants.
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Place requests in the box by the reception window, in the mailbox outside or fax to
01708 576115
A request for non-urgent repeats can be made using the online service. To register
complete an application form which is available at reception.
Repeat prescriptions can be posted back to you if a stamped self addressed
envelope is supplied.
Repeat prescription requests cannot be taken over the phone except for housebound
patients.
Please allow 2 working days before collection.
Inform the receptionist if you want your prescription to be collected from the surgery
to be dispensed by Day Lewis Pharmacy, Govani Pharmacy or Boots the Chemist.
This is not a dispensing practice.
By completing an application form, prescriptions can be sent electronically to the
pharmacy of your choice.
REGISTRATION
To apply for registration please see the receptionist who will book a New Patient
Interview for you with the Practice Administrator, who is available Monday pm and
Tuesday am.
To verify your identity, please bring your NHS Medical Card, photo ID and recent
proof of address. This information is requested for everyone wishing to register with
the practice.
Patients from abroad must bring their passports, visas, proof of address and
employment plus National Insurance Number. Patients from abroad may be charged
for any necessary secondary care.
The Administrator will give you a registration form to complete before making an
appointment for you with the Nurse/Health Care Assistant for a New Patient
Examination. Please bring to the appointment a specimen of urine, a list of your
repeat medications and children’s record of immunisations.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/TELEPHONE NUMBER/E-MAIL
To keep our records up to date please inform the surgery of any change to your
address and telephone number and, if you wish, let us know your e-mail address.
Please give a landline number as a primary means of contact.
If you wish to be contacted by a text message your consent is required and will be
recorded in your patient record.
Patients are advised that e-mails and text messages could potentially be read by
some else.
Any e-mails or texts sent to a patient will be saved in their patient record.
SUMMARY CARE RECORDS (SCR)
Our practice is participating in NHS national programme for IT.
We share summary of your vital clinical information i.e. Medication, Allergies and
Adverse reaction to drugs, with the NHS Emergency Care Providers (A&E, Out Of
Hours GP and Walk-in Centre).
This is to ensure that our patients receive safer and quality care during urgent or
emergency situations.
Please do let us know if you would like to opt-out from this initiative.
CLINICAL STAFF
Dr. Immaneni K. Sudha
BSc.MRCP (Paed.) MRCGP DRCOG DCH
DFSRH
Principal Partner
Dr. Michelle R. Gouldie
Partner
MBBS Bmed SCI (Hons) MRCGP DFSRH
Dr Ruth Hiscock
1 GP Registrar
Gillian Green
Prescribing Practice Nurse RGN
ENB Family Planning
ENB Diabetes
Warwick Diabetes
Marie Curie Cervical Screening
Louise Richardson
Practice Nurse
EN (G) RGN
MSc Health Psychology
PG Dip Social Sciences
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Kerri Burton
Health Care Assistant
CLERICAL STAFF
Frances Faldo
Practice Manager
Maria Gilliland
Practice Manager
Marilyn Ling
Practice Administrator
Mary Ann Hansen
Medical Secretary
Ranjini Kumarlingham
Clerical Administrator
Anne Humphrey
Receptionist
Elaine Hunt
Receptionist
Debbie Wood
Receptionist
Barbara Emms
Receptionist
Karen Wilkinson
Receptionist/Secretary
The following clinicians, on the same premises, support us and may be contacted at
Cranham Clinic on 01708 576100
Lead Community Nurse
District Nurse
Community Nurses
Health Visitors
Midwife
AVAILABLE SERVICES
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Family Planning including IUCD insertion
Cervical Smear Screening
Antenatal and Postnatal Checks
HRT for menopausal women
Childhood Immunisations
Child Health Surveillance
Travel Vaccination
Chronic Disease Management Clinics for Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart
Disease Prevention, Asthma, COPD and Osteoporosis.
Hypertension Checks
Over 75 Checks
Terminal Care
Stop Smoking Clinic
Counsellor
Minor Surgery
Anti-coagulant Clinic
REFERRALS
NHS Referrals
When a referral is made through Choose and Book you will be given a UBRN
(Unique Booking Reference No.) and password. It is the patient’s responsibility to
telephone the hospital and make a convenient appointment. Allow 4 days after your
GP appointment before telephoning for a hospital appointment.
Referrals through CAS are faxed to the local hospital.
For information on Queens Hospital Romford see website
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
Private Referral Letter
It is the patient’s responsibility to pick up the letter and to make the appointment with
the consultant. Please allow 5 working days for the letter to be ready.
NON-NHS FEES
There are some charges for the provision of certain services such as private medical
certificates, referrals to private consultants, insurance medicals, HGV licences and
holiday cancellation policies.
A scale of fees is available from reception.
DISABLED PATIENTS
Wheelchairs and pushchairs can gain suitable access to the surgery, which has a
toilet for the disabled and a low level reception window. A dedicated parking space
is in the car park at the rear of the building. A loop system is in place for patients
with hearing aids.
COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
If you have any problems with the service you receive please discuss the matter with
the Practice Manager.
If you wish to make a complaint please write to the Practice Manager who will
contact you and, in accordance with NHS guidelines, will address the issues.
Any helpful suggestions or comments that you wish to make to improve the provision
of services within the surgery, please either write a letter or speak to one of the
Practice Managers or the Practice Administrator.
PRACTICE and PATIENTS RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES
The practice is respectful of all patients regardless of race, gender or disability.
Patients have the right of access, if necessary, to a clinician within 48 working hours.
Patients have the right to see a preferred clinician of their choice. This will be the
next available appointment, if necessary, but may mean a wait of more than 48
working hours.
It is the patient’s responsibility to keep their appointments and to let the surgery
know as soon as possible of any cancellations. This will enable the appointment to
be given to another patient.
We are a training practice and you may be asked from time to time for consent to
have your consultation with the doctor recorded in order to assist in their training.
The recording stays within the practice and is seen only by the trainer and the
trainee. Patients consent is always taken before the consultation and you have right
to refuse.
We treat patients with respect and all their information is strictly confidential. We
work as a team and all of us are bound by a clause of confidentiality in our job
contracts.
As the NHS gives patients the right to see a GP or a nurse and get excellent health
care, patients are also reminded of their responsibilities.
One of the most important responsibilities is to be polite and courteous and not to
miss appointments either in primary or secondary care. Wasted appointments are
costing millions of pounds and those who require urgent attention have to wait
longer.
Following Department of Health guidelines this surgery will not prescribe antibiotics
for viral infections
For most viral infections and minor illness please seek advice from the pharmacist.
Please do not hoard large quantities of medicines at home and make sure your
repeat medication is reviewed at six monthly intervals. The surgery has a prescribing
budget and is penalised if overspent. Please do not ask for items such as
paracetamol, calamine lotion, olive oil etc, to be prescribed as these items can be
bought at a small cost from the pharmacy or supermarket.
Please attend your CHD/Diabetes/COPD/Asthma/Contraception follow-up
appointments regularly.
We politely request all young people and people who have transport to come to the
surgery rather than asking for a home visit. Each home visit takes up to 30-40
minutes.
ACCIDENT and EMERGENCY
A&E is strictly that, for accidents and emergencies. Please use wisely.
Please do not use A&E as an extension of GP services. A visit to A&E costs the
practice (and ultimately yourself) £64.00 for each attendance. This charge is also
made whether you wait to see a doctor or leave before treatment or medical advice
is given. The A&E service is triaged and if appropriate you may be turned away to
visit your own GP. This will cause a waste of NHS resources and your own time.
If you attend A&E for minor illnesses, people with serious problems will be made to
wait longer.
ZERO TOLERANCE
Abusive, violent or threatening behaviour towards our staff, other patients or
members of the public on the Practice’s premises will not be tolerated and will result
in the patient’s removal from the surgery’s list.
ACCESS TO MEDICAL RECORDS
All patients have the right to information about their own health.
Patients may have access to their own medical records on written request and
subject to any limitation within the law.
If your doctor decides that there is a risk of serious harm to your physical or mental
health, then you may be refused access.
You may also be refused access where your health records contain information
about someone else.
A charge will be made to cover administration costs.
No one else can obtain details or view your records without your written consent.
Patients consent is obtained if records are to be disclosed to an individual. The
access would only be carried out by identified professionals who adhere to the
Caldicott principles and the Data Protection Act.
Any service provider or third party who telephones to request information from your
records will be asked to submit written request, unless the identity of the individual
can be ascertained as genuine.
AVON ROAD SURGERY PATIENT PARTICIPATION/REPRESENTATIVE GROUP
Are you interested in being part of a Patient Participation/ Representative Group?
If you are, please complete a form from reception to enable us to contact you or ask
to speak to a Practice Manager or the Practice Administrator for more information.
WHAT IS A PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP?
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A selection of volunteer patients, who meet at regular intervals.
The purpose is to provide a platform for patients to make suggestions about
the practice and their own healthcare by deciding ways of making a positive
contribution to the services and facilities offered by the practice to the
patients.
To provide patient feedback, health promotions, voluntary activities,
fundraising and information.
WHAT IS A PATIENT REPRESENTATIVE GROUP?
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A group of patients who have agreed to be contacted by the practice and
asked how well we are doing and to identify any areas for improvement.
Any issues will be discussed by all concerned and, if possible, changes or
improvements will be made and the group informed.
Further feedback following changes will be welcomed.
We need all age groups for a true representation.
Your details will be removed from the contact list if you no longer wish to
receive further messages.
HOW TO FIND US
The surgery is within Cranham Health Centre and can be found close to the junction
of Marlborough Gardens and Avon Road opposite The Golden Crane Public House.
The surgery boundary is from the A127 in the north, to the west by the River
Ingrebourne Valley, to the south by the railway line and to all Cranham in the east.
This is an established friendly practice in the newly built LIFTCO building with all the
ancillary staff and services. It is one of the few practices in Havering with high
quality markers and the only training practice in Upminster.
Avon Road Surgery is a training practice for GP Registrars and Foundation doctors.
‘Personal Commitment and Continuity of Care’ is our personal motto.
We are fully computerised and we have online access for patients.