Newsletter: May 2023

Welcome to May’s edition of the Practice Newsletter.

I wanted to update you on the progress of the ‘Wellbeing Space at Wateringbury surgery’.  I would like to thank patients for writing, emailing and speaking to me about the garden/space and giving some really good ideas, such as herb garden, a book nook and plants to encourage bees and butterflies. 

I have persuaded Dr Julie Whitehead (retired this year from the practice) to come and consult and help with putting your ideas into action she has an endless amount of knowledge regarding planting and nature which I hope to tap into.  
I hope to have more news soon regarding setting up of volunteers and construction of the garden.  

Nikki Howe
Assistant Practice Manager/Publisher Practice Newsletter         

New Triage Service - Klinik

The Practice will be switching off Accurx triage system on Monday 9 May in preparation for the introduction of a new triage system called Klinik.  The practice has been chosen to pilot the system within the Malling Primary Care Network.  Practices in different regions currently using Klinik have seen an improvement in their on the day and routine appointments availability. The system also uses artificial intelligence making it a much safer system to use when triaging calls. 

Klinik is currently being set up bespoke to the Practice, it is hoped to be completed within 4 to 6 weeks.  More information regarding a going live date will published as soon as this is known.

In the meantime to book an urgent or routine appointment please call the surgery from 8.30am.  Additional staff will be available to assist with the increased calls whilst we wait for Klinik to go live.

If your request is for medication, medical certificates or other administrative enquiries, please use the contact us form. This email will only be open on a temporary basis until Klinik is live.

Neighbourhood Community Clinic

The Malling PCN Neighbourhood Care Centre (NCC) is a service set up by the Primary Care Network (PCN) covering Wateringbury, West Malling, Phoneix, Thornhills and Snodland surgeries. It is here to see the same day acute medical issues of patients, such as new coughs, sore throats, ear pains, abdominal pains etc, that would traditionally have been seen at a GP surgery. The Clinical Assessment Team (CAT), who run the NCC are a group of First Contact Practitioners who are all paramedics by background, lead by two Advanced Clinical Practitioners, again paramedics, who are able to prescribe medication should the need arise.

The team see these patients at a central hub in Larkfield Health Centre, Martin Square in Larkfield, which frees up GP surgeries to see more of the complex, chronic health patients who often need a lot more input, referrals and support so that across the PCN, we are able to get more patients seen be they new acute issues, or chronic long term health issues. 

When you call your surgery asking for an appointment, having spoken to reception, if they deem your condition to be suitable for the NCC, they then book the appointment with us. We will then typically send you a conformation text soon after with full details about how to get to Larkfield Health Centre and what to do once here. When we see you, should any medication be needed, the Advanced Clinical Practitioners can prescribe them, and should you need further follow up / tests with your own GP we are able to message them to get these arranged.

By attending the NCC, you not only can get your same day issues dealt with a lot easier, but you also help free up GP appointments for those complex and chronically ill patients who need the additional support, meaning everyone gets a better experience from their NHS.

I hope you don’t need our services, but if you do, we will be happy to see you.

Ian 
Clinical Assessment Team Leader.

Published: May 11, 2023