1. Q: Why can't I phone up for my repeat prescription?
2. Q: What are the different ways I can arrange for a repeat prescription?
3. Q: What is Repeat Dispensing?
4. Q: Why does this practice only issue 4 weeks of medication at a time?
5. Q: What do the numbers mean on the repeat prescription side slip?
6. Q: Why do I have to keep having checks for medicines when I am on them for life?
7. Q: Why have I been told I can't have any more medication without seeing the Doctor, Physician Assistant or Nurse first?

 

1. Q: Why can’t I phone up for my repeat prescription?

A: We ask you not to phone up for your repeat prescription owing to the higher risk of verbal mistakes being made. Also, the large number of patients registered would end up blocking the telephone lines for more urgent calls. Housebound patients however may make their requests by telephone.

 

2. Q: What are the different ways I can arrange for a repeat prescription?

A: You can also e-mail, fax, post, drop your repeat request into the surgery or request via our online appointments booking service.  There is a letter box for use when the surgery is closed. The fax number is 0300 999 3001. Alternatively visit the Prescriptions page on our website www.crawleyhealthcentre.co.uk

 

3. Q: What is Repeat Dispensing?

A: This is only available if you use the same medication regularly, ie in the same quantity and frequency every day, and not on an ‘as required’ or variable basis. It would allow 6 months (occasionally a year) of prescriptions to be given to you in one go, to use at the same Pharmacist. For the relevant period you would not need to contact the surgery for your prescriptions. Please ask reception for a leaflet explaining this.

 

4. Q: Why does this practice only issue 4 weeks of medication at a time?

A: The surgery only issues 4 weeks prescriptions as per the Primary Care Trust directions. This is to try to stop wastage from medication that gets stopped or changed. Because changes to medication are not always predictable, this direction is applied to everybody.

 

5. Q: What do the numbers mean on the repeat prescription side slip?

A: This usually indicates the number of prescriptions you may have for that drug before a medication review needs to be undertaken. After a medication review, the numbers will usually be reset to six.
If the number is on zero, then please do not request a further repeat prescription without booking with a clinician for a check-up first.

 

6. Q: Why do I have to keep having checks for medicines when I am on them for life?

A: Long term medicines and long term (ie chronic) conditions also need regular checks, both for monitoring of the condition and monitoring of the treatment. For example, as people get older, blood pressures tend to go up rather than remaining unchanged.

 

7. Q: Why have I been told I can’t have any more medication without seeing the Doctor, Physician Assistant or Nurse first?

A: All patients on regular medication need a check with a clinician periodically for routine checks. For Hypertension patients whose Blood Pressure is well-controlled, this will be every 6 months. For other conditions which are well-controlled, it may be once a year. This is to ensure you are on the correct dosage/medication with no adverse effects.

1. Q: Can I have blood tests taken at the centre?
2. Q: Can I have blood tests done at the hospital?

 

1. Q: Can I have blood tests taken at the centre?

A: Yes.

 

2. Q: Can I have blood tests done at the hospital?

A: Yes. However, you will not be able to make an appointment; the blood tests are done on a first-come first-served basis.

1. Q: Will the surgery phone me with my results?
2. Q: Do I have to make an appointment to get my results?
3. Q: Why can’t the Receptionist tell me more information about my results?

 

1. Q: Will the surgery phone me with my results?

A: We ask you, the patient, to phone in and speak to the Receptionist, usually about one week after your blood or urine test. The Doctor will usually have put a comment next to your result on the computer which the Receptionist will relay to you. Please note that NHS X-Ray results may take up to 3 weeks to come through to us in some cases.

 

2. Q: Do I have to make an appointment to get my results?

A: Only if the comment ‘attached’ to your result by the clinician says so, or if the clinician you saw at the time instructed you to do so, irrespective of the result. If you are still unsure, you can leave a message with the Receptionist for the clinician to clarify this. When you phone the Receptionist, they will pass on the comment the Doctor has placed on your result.

 

3. Q: Why can’t the Receptionist tell me more information about my results?

A:The Receptionists have been specifically instructed not to give their opinion about a result, even if it seems common sense. As the Receptionists are not medically trained, there is a risk of an error being made if they do.

1. Q: When do I not have a choice of where I am being sent/referred?
2. Q: With ‘Choose & Book’, why can’t I as a patient fax or e-mail them?
3. Q: When will I hear about my referral?

 

1. Q: When do I not have a choice of where I am being sent/referred?

A: If you and the GP that you see decide that you need to see a specialist, you can now choose where to have your treatment from a list of hospitals. Full details are on the NHS website (www.nhs.uk) or ask at reception for a booklet explaining ‘Choose & Book’. If you are referred to hospital urgently, ie to be seen the same day, or under the “2-week rule”, then you will not have a choice. If you are referred to the Community Mental Health Team, then currently the NHS does not offer choice.

If you are being referred privately, then the NHS ‘Choose & Book’ system does not apply.

 

2. Q: With ‘Choose & Book’, why can’t I as a patient fax or e-mail them?

A: The ‘Choose & Book’ protocol is that you phone the dedicated telephone line or book directly on line where available.

 

3. Q: When will I hear about my referral?

A: If you book as above when referred under “Choose & Book”, you will have been offered and agreed a date and time for your appointment.

In all other cases you will be sent an appointment. Depending on the specialty, you will either receive this letter straight away or nearer the appointment date. Unfortunately Saxonbrook Medical has no direct say in this process

1. Q: When do I need a Doctor’s Sick Certificate?
2. Q: When do I have to pay for a certificate?

 

1. Q: When do I need a Doctor’s Sick Certificate?

A: The NHS contracts us to provide the free medical certificates of the DWP from one week onwards. Usually you should not need a Doctor’s Certificate during the first week as you can complete a ‘self-certificate’. This can be obtained from your employer.

 

2. Q: When do I have to pay for a certificate?

A: Usually you should not need to. However, if you insist on a certificate from the surgery during your first week of sickness, rather than a self-certificate, then a charge will be made. The free DWP certificates do not apply for the first week you are off sick.

1. Q: What is the childhood vaccination schedule?
2. Q: Does the health centre offer travel vaccines?
3. Q: When should I first contact the surgery regarding travel vaccines?

 

1. Q: What is the childhood vaccination schedule?

A: Please see chart below.

 

	Immunisation Schedule
Age		No. of Injections
2 months	Diptheria Tetanus  Pertussis  Polio and Hib (Haemophilus) Pneumonia (Pneumococcus)	2
3 months	Diptheria Tetanus  Pertussis  Polio and Hib (Haemophilus) Pneumonia (Pneumococcus) Meningitis (Meningococcus C)	3
4 months	Diptheria Tetanus  Pertussis  Polio and Hib (Haemophilus) Pneumonia (Pneumococcus) Meningitis (Meningococcus C)	3
12 months	Hib / Men C (combined Haemophilus and Meningococcus C)	1
13 months	MMR (Combined Measles Mumps Rubella) Pneumonia (Pneumococcus)	2
4 years	Diphtheria  Tetanus  Pertussis  Polio MMR 2 (Combined Measles Mumps Rubella)	2
14-18 years	Diptheria Tetanus  Polio (combined Vaccine)	1

 

 

2. Q: Does the health centre offer travel vaccines?

A: Yes. We offer a full range of travel vaccines. Please note there is a charge for some of these vaccines.

Before you make a booking with the Practice Nurse for your travel vaccines, you should complete the travel vaccine questionnaire available at reception. You should return this to reception, for review by the Nurse. You will be contacted to make an appointment with our Practice Nurse should you need any travel vaccinations. Please make sure you mark on the form all possible ways of contacting you. If you have not heard within 7 days, please contact the surgery again.

 

3. Q: When should I first contact the surgery regarding travel vaccines?

A: At least 6 weeks before your departure date. This is because if you need a course of one vaccine, the injections usually need to be at least a month apart. If you have less than 6 weeks to go, please fill out the travel vaccine form urgently, and highlight your departure date on the form. We should still be able to help, even if you only gain partial protection.

1. Q: Do you provide prescriptions for the contraceptive pill and other family planning services?
2. Q: Do you fit coils?
3. Q: Do you provide condoms?

 

1. Q: Do you provide prescriptions for the contraceptive pill and other family planning services?

A: We do provide prescriptions for the contraceptive pill, although you do need to see a clinician for your initial prescription. Thereafter, you can request a repeat prescription and must attend regular check ups with the Nurse.

 

2. Q: Do you fit coils?

A: We do not fit coils at present. If you require this service, you should visit the Family Planning Clinic at Exchange Road, Crawley.

 

3. Q: Do you provide condoms?

A: Condoms are not available on prescription. They can however be obtained from the Family Planning Clinic. The PCT does provide the health centre with a small number of condoms which can be given to patients who see the Nurse for a consultation about contraception. However, the supply is only small, and not regularly replenished by the PCT.

Q: Why can’t the health centre reply to e-mails?

A: Owing to the volume of e-mails we receive from patients for prescription requests, it would be extremely difficult to reply to them all. Also, we cannot be certain we are replying to the patient confidentially.