New telephone system for Thamesmead Health Centre – improving your service from Friday 18th October 2019

Dear Patients,

Your feedback is very important to us, and is helping to improve and shape the care that we deliver at Thamesmead Health Centre.

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We know from the experiences that you have shared with us that you are unsatisfied with the current telephone system, and that you can often be on hold for quite some time, as well as sometimes experience disconnection whilst in conversation with one of our team members.

We have been working hard with the current telephone system provider, and earlier this year we took the firm decision to change telephony provider, as we do not consider the current system to be fit-for-purpose having explored all possible options for its improvement.

On Friday 18th October 2019, the new telephone system will be implemented at the practice. There will be no change to the surgery telephone number.

If you have any queries or concerns and would like to write to us, please email us on greccg.thamesmead-nhs@nhs.net, thank you.

Time of update: 6.40pm – Monday 23 September 2019

Dear Patients,

We are pleased to advise that the telephone line has now been restored and usual service has resumed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Team Thamesmead Health Centre

Time of update: 12.47pm – Friday 20 September 2019

Dear Patients,

Please note that we are experiencing issues with the telephone line at Thamesmead Health Centre, this is due to an issue with the telephone provider. They are working on resolving the issue.

We have requested urgent and continuous updates. We apologise for any issues you may be experiencing and thank you for your patience.

If you need to contact us today and cannot get through on the telephone, please use one of the following options:

• Use our online services to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions or to view your medical records
• Email us for non-urgent requirements on greccg.thamesmead-nhs@nhs.net
• If you or someone else requires medical advice that cannot wait until our telephone issues is resolved, please contact 111, free from landlines and mobiles
• If you or someone else experiences severe chest pain, loss of blood or suspected broken bones, or any other life threatening illness go to your nearest accident and emergency department or call 999.

Dear Patients, 

We are now working with Doctors of the World to ensure that patients understand that their nationality will not affect their right to register at our practices. 

Whilst working with Safe Surgeries we ensure that:

• You don’t need ID or proof of address.
• Immigration status does not affect your right to Healthcare.
• We have translators and other tools available so we can speak to patients that may be affected by language barriers.
• Everyone living in England has the right to
  free care from a GP.
• If you are worried about giving us your address,
  please let us know. Your information is safe

Thamesmead Health Centre is giving you the opportunity to help improve their services and patient experience during a new monthly open surgery.

Practice Manager Natasha Stoyanova will be available during one day each month for 15 minute pre-bookable slots, where you will be able to discuss any issues you may have and offer suggestions on how we can improve our services and the overall patient experience.

When?

Please ask at reception or call 020 8319 5880 for our open surgery dates.

How to book?

You can ask at reception or call 020 8319 5880 to book a 15 minute slot with our practice manager.

Please note our opening schedule until Wednesday 2 January 2019 below, after which the usual schedule will resume for each practice from Thurs 3 January 2019.

If you require out of hours care or advice, find out what you can do when we are closed >>

Thamesmead Health Centre

Dear Patients,

 In order to continue improving the care we deliver at Thamesmead Health Centre, we will be closing the surgery to participate in a Protected Learning Time session with Greenwich Community Education Provider Network (CEPN).

 The training is scheduled for Thursday 18 October 2018 12.00pm-6:30pm. During this time, patients needing to contact the surgery should instead call Greenwich Health on 020 3325 4266. This phone line is open from 12.00pm – 6:30pm.

There will be a reduced number of appointments available for you book at the GP Access Hubs during this time, so please call the number if you require an appointment during this time.

 After 6:30pm, patients requiring out-of-hours services should call NHS 111 as per usual. 

CQC’s new programme of inspections of England based GP practices focuses on rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. Inspectors rated Thamesmead Health Centre “Good” on being safe, caring, effective and well led.

Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice said “We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Thamesmead Health Centre on 21 March 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was carried out inline with our next phase inspection programme.”

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had a vision to deliver high quality care for patients.

• The service had systems and processes in place to ensure that patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.

• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.

• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion,kindness, dignity and respect.

• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it. The practice offered a flexible range of appointments and services.

• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

• There were systems in place to ensure that patients with long-term conditions or who were vulnerable received the treatment and health checks they needed.

Please note that Thamesmead Health Centre will be operating the following schedule till Tuesday 29 May 2018, after which the usual schedule will resume:

Saturday 26th May 2018: 9.00am-1.00pm
Sunday 27th May 2018: closed
Monday 28th May 2018 (Bank Holiday): closed

If you require out of hours care or advice, find out what you can do when we are closed >>

Please note that Thamesmead Health Centre will be operating the following schedule until Tuesday 3rd April 2018, after which the usual schedule will resume:

• Friday 30th March 2018 (Bank Holiday): closed
• Saturday 31st March 2018: 9.00am-1.00pm
• Sunday 1st April 2018: closed
• Monday 2nd April 2018 (Bank Holiday): closed

If you require out of hours care or advice, find out what you can do when we are closed >>

Please note our opening schedule until Tuesday 2nd January 2018 below, after which the usual schedule will resume for each practice from Wednesday 3rd January 2018.

If you require out of hours care or advice, find out what you can do when we are closed >>

Silverlock Medical Centre