Patient Participation Group (PPG)
We are a newly formed Patient Participation Group that is currently made up of 13 patients, and
have only met twice at present. It was decided by the group at the first meeting that we would
design a newsletter. This newsletter contains general information that we feel would be of benefit to
the patients to educate them on the services our practice offers along with where you can get advice
when the practice is closed.
The patient participation group are giving up some of their time to contribute to the development of
the practice and its health services. The practice is keen to make sure that our group is fully
representative of our patient population and therefore would still like more patients to join us. We
will meet approximately once every 3 months at the practice. If you would like to join please contact
the Practice Manager at thedove.medicalpractice@nhs.net to express your interest.
Our Partners and their Specialities
Dr. R. Gabriel - Minor Surgery, Dermatology, Family Planning and Sexual Health
Dr. R. Mishra - Cardiology & Diabetes
Dr. B. Kallan - Diabetes
Dr. S. Wright - Family Planning, Sexual Health & Palliative Care
We currently have two Salary GP’s Dr. S Begum. and Dr. A. Dasgupta.
We usually have two registrars at any one time and on occasion a medical student.
Opening Hours
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
8.00am – 6.00pm
8.00am – 6.00pm
8.00am – 6.00pm
8.00am – 5.00pm
8.00am – 6.00pm
Closed
Closed
Tel Number: 0121 465 5739
Fax Number: 0121 465 5761
Website address: www.dovesurgery.co.uk
Please note that the 0845 number is no longer being used by the practice.
Our practice website is updated regularly with feedback to comments and suggestions and opening
hours for future Bank holidays including August and Christmas / New Year.
Appointment System
We offer same day appointments and some pre-bookable appointments for the next day and up to
two weeks in advance. Please be sure to call at 8.00am on the day you would like your appointment
as they go very quickly. If you do not have access to a telephone, the doors open at 8.00am for you
to come to surgery to book your appointment however you may have to come back for the
appointment later in the day. There are also a certain amount of appointments that are available to
book via patient online access. There is an App available for your mobile phone. To find out how to
register for this service please ask at reception for details.
Cancelling Appointments
Please inform us as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your appointments with either
the doctor or nurses. By not attending booked appointments, you are wasting the time of the
doctors or nurses, and we are unable to offer this appointment to somebody who may need it.
During the last two months, 608 people did not attend appointments booked with doctors or nurses.
Patient Access
The Dove Medical Practice offers online patient access. This allows you to order your repeat
medications, view certain parts of your medical record and view your contact information.
There is also the facility for some appointments with the doctors to be booked online. Please request
access to online booking via the reception. Once you have your username and password details then
you will be able to register and use the services available.
Repeat Prescription Requests
Please note that prescriptions can only be taken over the telephone for housebound patients. You
can order your repeat medication online, at reception, by fax or it can be sent to us with a selfaddressed 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 send fax
requests to 0121 465 5761. Please avoid telephoning the surgery to check if your prescription is
ready, unless specifically asked to do so. Providing you allow the allotted time, two working days, the
only reason your prescription will not be ready for collection will be if the doctor has a query.
P.S. Don’t forget to order your repeats 1 week before a Bank Holiday.
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 as we may need to write to you from time to
time. Please provide us with an up to date mobile telephone number if you have one as we will send
text reminders for your appointments, and ensure that we have land line numbers as well.
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.
Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
EPS is an NHS funded service in England. It gives you the chance to change how you receive your
prescriptions. 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
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 the following website:
http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?q=eps+for+patients&area=both
Or collect an information leaflet from your pharmacy.
The Dove Sexual Health Clinic
The Dove runs a full sexual health clinic, we are open Mondays to Fridays 8.15am – 5.30pm and you
will find us at the Dove Primary Care Centre on the 1st floor.
We deal with all sexual health issues, and it runs separately from the doctors’ practice and no record
of your attendance at the clinic will be on your practice’s notes.
Anyone from any surgery can come to the clinic for free treatment.
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Free sexual health “MoTs”
Free consultations
Free treatment
Free emergency contraception
Free condoms
No prescription charges
We are discrete, non-judgmental and totally confidential. For an appointment please call 0121 465
5713 Or Book online at http://www.dovesexualhealth.co.uk
Be safe, Be sure, Be happy
Family Planning
We provide a full range of contraceptive services, including coil (IUD) fitting and implanon fittings.
When making an appointment for the above please inform reception of the reason so that they can
book with the appropriate clinician.
Travel Vaccines
Our Practice Nurses are able to offer advice and recommend any vaccinations necessary for foreign
travel. If you are planning a summer holiday this year book an appointment with one of the nurses to
discuss what action you will need to take we suggest that you do this two months before you are due
to travel.
Test Results
After having a blood test if the result are normal you will not hear anything from the practice,
however if they are abnormal, and you need to be seen, you will receive a letter within one week
asking you to make the appropriate appointment.
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 when booking your appointment. A doctor or nurse may also
request a chaperone.
Private Fees
The doctors at the surgery also provide non-medical services. This includes the completion of 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.
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 panning 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 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.
Patient Feedback
We always welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions. We have a suggestion / comments
box located on the counter at reception. We look forward to receiving your suggestions and
comments and they will be actively considered. We will publish patient feedback on our practice
website http://www.dovesurgery.co.uk
If you have a complaint about our services, please either speak to reception, or ask to speak to the
practice manager, alternatively you can submit your complaint in writing to the practice manager so
that your issues can be addressed and resolved.
Named Accountable General Practitioner
This year we, the practice have to allocate every patient within the practice a named GP which will be
one of the partners. Therefore when you next visit the practice the GP or nurse will inform of who
this is. You will also notice that we have printed who your named accountable GP is on the right
hand side of any prescriptions you receive. You must understand that this will not affect the Dr that
you choose to see when you come to the practice, we are contractually required to give you the
patient this information.
The Friends and Family Test
As of the 1st December 2014, it is a contractual requirement that all GP practice undertake the
Friends and Family Test. If you visit our practice and you are asked about whether or not you would
recommend our surgery to your friends and family if they need similar treatment or care. You will be
asked to answer a simple question about your experience, “How likely are you to recommend The
Dove Medical Practice 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.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England. They
monitor, inspect and regular 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. The Dove Medical Practice is registered with the CQC. We have not yet been inspected. When
the inspectors visit, they will talk to patients 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
NHS 111 makes it easier for users to access local NHS healthcare services. All calls to the service are free and
lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. (111 cover us when the surgery is closed)
Your call will be answered by a fully trained health advisor who has the support of experienced clinical staff. In
the first instance, Health Advisors will ask a series of questions to assess a patient’s symptoms before giving
healthcare advice or directing the caller to A&E, an out-of-hours doctor, an urgent care centre, a walk-incentre, a community nurse or a late-opening chemist. Where possible, an appointment will be booked for you.
It may be that the patient’s symptoms require additional clinical investigation before a decision is made as to
what the most appropriate healthcare service is, in which case the call will be passed to a clinician within the
call centre who will continue with the assessment.
If the situation is deemed serious enough, NHS 111 will also arrange for an ambulance to be sent
Reasons for calling 111 include if:
•You need medical help fast but it is not a 999 emergency
•You think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
•You don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
•You need health information or reassurance about what to do next
Self-Care/Pharmacy
Your local pharmacy is able to offer advice on certain things so it may be a quicker route for you to get some
advice/medication – they are also able to issue emergency prescriptions if you run out.
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Think ahead and request repeats prescriptions 1 week before a bank holiday
NHS Choices on the internet
This site will give you full details of Pharmacy opening times, local hospitals, walk in centres as well as lots of
advice – have a look you might find your answer here first.
Erdington Walk in Centre
Based on Erdington High Street the walk in centre is open from 08:30am to 8:00pm – as the name suggests if
you need medical help of a less urgent nature “just walk in”.
Warren Farm Urgent Care Centre
Warren Farm Urgent Care Centre has been designed to treat patients who have a minor illness of injury. They
are based on Warren Farm Road in Kingstanding and are open from 08:00am to 7:00pm Monday-Sunday
(open Bank Holidays & Weekends except Christmas Day)
A&E
A&E departments all over the country have to deal with large numbers of patients who turn up expecting
treatment for non-urgent treatment; this means long waits for you. PLEASE HELP US and only attend if it’s an
emergency – consider if 111 of the walk in centre can help first.