Pharmacy Update
As you may now be aware, Jhoots Pharmacy have relocated from Station Road and are now
based at the surgery. If you already have an arrangement with a preferred pharmacy this will
not change, you should just continue to order your prescriptions in the usual manner.
Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
EPS is an NHS-funded service in England. It gives you the chance to change how your GP
sends your prescription to the pharmacy you choose to get your medication from. If you
currently collect your repeat prescriptions from the surgery, you will not have to visit us to
collect the paper prescription, instead it will be sent electronically to the pharmacy you
choose, saving you time. If you would like to nominate a pharmacy, you can do this by
speaking to one of our reception staff, or speaking to your usual pharmacist. It is very easy to
change your nominated pharmacy, or cancel it and return to paper prescriptions, just let a
member of reception staff know that this is what you would like to do. For more information
please visit www.cfh.nhs.uk/eps, or collect an information leaflet from reception.
Appointments Online
We have set up the facility for some appointments with the doctors to be booked online.
Please visit the surgery website www.poplarssurgery.co.uk to sign up to be able to use this
service. When you register you will be given a user name and password which you will use to
access the system.
Patient Access
Poplars Surgery now offers patient access. Patient access allows you to order your repeat
medication, view certain parts of your medical record and view your contact information.
Please visit the surgery website www.poplarssurgery.co.uk to register for this service. To
ensure confidentiality, you will be asked to provide photographic ID to register.
Are You Over 75?
All patients registered with Poplars Surgery have a named doctor. It has been recommended
that everybody over the age of 75 is informed of whom their named doctor is. We will be
contacting all patients over 75 to inform them of this. If you have not yet been contacted,
please ask at reception to find out who your named doctor is. This will not alter the care you
receive in any way, and you will still be able to see any of the doctors at Poplars Surgery as
you have been. Your named doctor will usually be the doctor that you see most frequently.
Cancelling Appointments
Please inform us as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your appointments with
either the doctors or nurses. By not attending booked appointments, you are wasting the time
of the doctors and nurses, and we are unable to offer this appointment to somebody who may
need it. During the last two months, 434 people did not attend appointments booked with
either the doctors or nurses meaning we lost 73 hours of appointment time in just two months.
Car Parking
Please be considerate at all times when parking your cars at or around the
surgery. Please remember that our neighbours need access to their homes and
drives so these should be kept clear at all times. Please do not park in the spaces reserved for
the doctors. Doctors may need to leave in an emergency. Thank you for your co-operation.
Free Health Checks
We are in the process of contacting some of our patients between the ages of 40-74 for them
to have a free health check at the surgery. We feel that it is important for all of these patients
to attend for this appointment to make sure that they are fit and well. The invites that we send
out will contain all of the information that you need but you do not have to wait for an invite,
if you would like to take advantage of these free health checks please contact reception to
arrange an appointment.
Contact Details
It is very important that we have up to date contact numbers and addresses for all of our
patients. If you move address please make sure that you inform us. Please provide us with an
up to date mobile telephone number if you have one, and ensure that we have land line
numbers as well.
Carers
If you are or you have a carer, please let us know your details. We will be able to update our
computer system. We have carers’ packs at reception which provide information for carers,
as well as useful contact information for support.
Chaperones
If you would like a chaperone to be present whilst you are having an examination by a doctor
or nurse, please advise the reception staff at the time of booking your appointment. A doctor
or nurse may also request a chaperone.
Repeat Prescription Requests
Please note that prescriptions can only be taken over the telephone for the over 70’s and
housebound patients, who need to call the specific prescription line on 0121 377 2138.
The prescription line is open from 09.30am until 11.00am. You can order your repeat
medication via email, at reception, by fax, or it can be sent to us with a self-addressed
envelope. Please make sure that you tick which items are required when ordering.
Whichever way you choose to order your repeat medication, please allow us two working
days to process your requests. If you place your order after 1pm, the next day will be classed
as the first working day. This includes requests from the hospitals and from other services.
Please be aware that if you order your prescriptions after 12 on a Friday, this will not be
received until the following Monday, so will not be ready until after 12 on Wednesday. To
request a repeat prescription by email, please go to www.poplarssurgery.co.uk and follow the
links for repeat medication. Please send fax requests to 0121 382 9576. Please avoid
telephoning the surgery to check if your prescription is ready, unless specifically asked
to do so. Providing you allow the allotted time, ie two working days, the only reason your
prescription will not be ready for collection will be if the doctor has a query, in which case
you will be contacted. Please keep in mind that we will be closed for the Easter bank
holidays. If you require repeat prescriptions before the Easter period, please allow us
additional time to process these requests.
Travel Vaccines
Two of our Practice Nurses are able to offer advice and recommend any
vaccinations necessary for travel. If you are planning a summer holiday this
year book an appointment with one of the travel nurses to discuss what action
you will need to take. We are an approved yellow fever centre.
Mobile Telephones
Please do not use your mobile telephones whilst in the surgery. Not only can these cause a
distraction to others, they can also interfere with medical equipment.
Surplus Medication
If you have any unused (in date) medicines, unwanted glasses or hearing aids, High Street
Funeral Directors (36 High St, Erdington) are working alongside Intercare Medical Aid for
Africa, Visionaid and Sutton Hearing Centre to ensure these items are recycled and not
wasted.
Health Visitors
The Health Visitors for Poplars Surgery are the Orchard Health Visiting Team. They
can be contacted on 0121 332 1969.
Appointment System
We offer appointments available to pre-book with the GP’s up to two weeks in advance.
These are usually the first appointments of the day. 20% of all appointments are available to
book in advance; the other 80% are released on a daily basis. Our telephone lines open at
8.30am for the booking of appointments. Please be sure to call between 8.30am-9.00am as it
is unlikely that appointments will still be available after this time. If you do not have access
to a telephone, the doors to the surgery open at 8.10am, you may need to come back for the
appointment however which will be at a later time. On a Monday and Wednesday evening,
the surgery offers extended hours, staying open until 7.30pm. On a Wednesday, the surgery
opens at 7.00am. The extended hours are only available providing the GP working the
extended hours is in surgery on that day. These times are ideal for people who work long
hours, so if this does not apply to you please be considerate of others. A certain amount of
appointments are now available to book on-line.
Touch screen System
We have had the touch screen system in place in reception for some time now. It is very easy
to use and you can mark yourself as waiting for either the nurse or the doctor. Particularly
when reception is busy, we would appreciate it if people use this where possible. It saves you
having to wait to speak to the reception staff. If you would like to be shown how to use the
touch screen, please ask a member of staff who will be happy to assist you. Please use the
automated hand gel dispenser after using the touch screen.
Hearing Aid Batteries
Unfortunately we no longer have a supply of hearing aid batteries sent to us here at
the surgery. To obtain replacement hearing aid batteries please contact your hearing
aid provider.
CQC
The CQC (Care Quality Commission) is the independent regulator of health and adult social
care services in England. They monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure that they
meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and they publish their findings including
performance ratings, to help people to choose care. Poplars Surgery is registered with the
CQC. We have not yet been inspected. When the inspectors visit, they will talk to people and
look at their experiences of care, as well as checking systems and processes. The outcome of
the inspection will be published on their website www.cqc.org.uk.
Private Fees
The Doctors at the surgery also provide non-medical services. This includes the completion
of passport forms, private letters, insurance forms etc. As the completion of these forms does
not form part of your NHS care, there will be a charge for these services. Please ask the
reception staff for prices as applicable.
Patient Feedback
We always welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions. There is a form in reception
for you to let us know your comments. In the unlikely event that you feel the need to
complain about or service, please collect a complaint form from reception so that your issues
can be addressed and resolved.
Data Extraction
Changes are happening to the way in which clinical data is collected, shared and analysed.
Information such as your postcode and NHS number, but not your name, will be used to link
your records in a secure system. Information which does not reveal your identity can then be
used by others, such as researchers and those planning health services, to make sure that the
NHS can provide the best care possible for everyone. How your information is used and
shared is controlled by law and strict rules are in place to protect your privacy. Any patients
who object to the use of their data for this purpose and do not wish to be a part of this
information sharing scheme can opt out. Information leaflets are available for you to collect
from reception if you would like more information.
Early Implementers
The practice has for a long time provided its patients diagnostics beyond that expected of the
average general practice. We have now engaged proactively with the CCG (Clinical
Commissioning Group) to be "early implementers” of the following processes that have
previously been considered as hospital responsibility.
This includes the provision of an ABPM (ambulatory blood pressure monitor) which will
improve our diagnosis of blood pressure and better help to monitor patients who are already
on treatment. ECG (electrocardiogram) provision with external quality control and internal
interpretation service. Initiating patients with diabetes injectable therapies within the practice
in conjunction with our experienced practice nurse. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease) monitoring and diagnosis with practice based spirometers.
This will hopefully further reinforce the high standards the team at the Poplars have provided
for a long time, and will reduce the need for long waits at hospitals that have previously been
required for some of the above facilities.
Patient Reference Group
Poplars Surgery wishes to establish a group of patients who are willing to contribute some of
their time to the development of the practice and its health services. We are keen to make
sure that the group is fully representative and therefore invite anyone with an interest to
enquire about joining. We anticipate that the group will meet about 3 times per year.
Arrangements will also be made for people who are unable to attend in person, but still wish
to contribute. We hope that the group will be ready by May 2015, but new members are
welcome to come forward at any time. Please contact Katie Russell for more information and
to request an application form on 0121 377 2139, or preferably via email;
katie.russell@nhs.net
Medication
Please do not expect a prescription each time you attend the surgery. Sometimes good advice
really is the best medicine. The doctor will only provide a prescription if clinically necessary.
The Friends and Family Test
From 1st December 2014, it is a contractual requirement that all GP practices undertake the
Friends and Family Test. If you visit our surgery, you will be asked about whether or not you
would recommend our surgery to your family and friends if they need similar treatement or
care. You will be asked to answer a simple question about your experience “How likely are
you to recommend Poplars Surgery to friends and family if they need similar care or
treatment?” You will be asked to choose from six options, ranging from “extremely likely”
to “extremely unlikely” You will also be invited to tell us “If we could change one thing
about your care or treatment to improve your experience, what would that be?”
All responses are anonymous and you will be able to post your form in a box on your way out
of the surgery if you complete the form here. Alternatively, you will be able to submit your
answers using the Poplars Surgery website (www.poplarssurgery.co.uk) If you are unable to
answer the questions, a friend or family member is welcome to respond on your behalf.
The results of the Friends and Family Test will be discussed with the team, advertised in the
waiting rooms, and published on our website. The information will give our practice
invaluable feedback on what you think of the care and treatment that you have received along
with an existing way of gathering feedback (our annual Practice Satisfaction Survey) and will
help us to make improvements and improve the experience for our patients.
The Friends and Family Test has already been successfully rolled out in hospitals across the
country. For more information please visit www.nhs.uk/friendsandfamily.
Sexual Health
Poplars Surgery offers a fully confidential service to patients, regardless of their age. If you
are concerned about your sexual health, or you have any questions or queries, please be
assured that you can discuss these with one of our specially trained doctors (Dr Walker and Dr
Shan), or with any of our trained practice nurses. Free chlamydia testing kits are available in
our toilets (there is a different pack for males and females) with full instructions on how to
take the test, and how to obtain your results. Free condoms are also available, please ask your
doctor or nurse who will provide these for you. Our trained doctors and nurses offer long
acting contraception (such as implants or coils), and these can be fitted at the surgery. Please
arrange an appointment to see of the doctors to discuss this. One of our secretaries, Katie, has
been trained in sexual health. If you would like to speak to her instead of the reception staff,
then please ask for her at reception, or call her direct line on 0121 377 2139, however please
be assured that all Poplars Surgery staff are fully trained in confidentiality, and training is
updated on a regular basis.
Alternative NHS Services, Out of Hours Information
Self-Care/Pharmacy
Self-care is the best way to treat minor illnesses and injuries. Many minor illnesses and
injuries can be treated at home, by taking over the counter medications and rest. Should you
wish to speak to a professional for advice on anything from coughs, colds, fever and vomiting,
your local pharmacist will be able to help and advise.
111
You can call NHS Advice Line on 111 for confidential health advice or information at any
time of the day or night. Alternatively, visit www.nhs.uk which allows you to check your
symptoms, check conditions and treatments, and find telephone numbers
GP
If you have an illness or injury that will not go away, make an appointment with one of the
GP’s at the surgery.
Out of Hours
Badger provides our out of hours cover. When the surgery is closed, if you or a member of
your family feels unwell and it cannot wait until the practice re-opens, you can contact the out
of hours service. Dial 0121 377 2133 as normal and you will be given the number to call.
Erdington Walk in Centre
Based on Erdington High Street, this walk in centre offers appointments with a doctor or
nurse practitioner. Open from 08.30am until 8.00pm no appointments are necessary, you just
arrive at the centre. Be prepared that during busier times, you may have to be prepared to
wait.
Accident and Emergency
A&E should only ever be attended in an emergency, for patients suffering from a serious
illness or injury requiring immediate treatment. If any of the other options are applicable,
these should be first choice. Cases at A&E are not dealt with in the order that patients present
themselves but by the seriousness of the condition. This means that if you attend A&E with a
minor condition, you may have to wait for hours to be seen, and you may be using a service
someone else needs more than you.