SINCE April 2020, Barbara Castle Health Centre Management has been merged with Addison House. This means that all practice management is contained within Addison House.

There are no changes to the services that patients receive at either practice. All staff at both practices will be available to all patients across each. However, you may be aware of a few staff changes at Barbara Castle since the merger.

They would also like to take this chance to thank Dr Ipakchi, who has now retired, for his incredible contribution to patients for more than a decade. 

A spokesperson said: “We understand that there have been a few teething issues since the merger occurred during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We understand that the communication could have been improved and we thank you for your patience. Here are some of the planned changes to improve the services patients are provided:

• Improved telephone queue handling – A new phone system is currently being trialled where calls will no longer be terminated if a queue is too long, allowing for patients to opt to request a call-back instead of sitting in a queue. A receptionist would then call you back in a timely manner. This is due to be launched in May.
• Continued usage of Advanced Nurse Practitioners – We have a team of Advanced Nurse Practitioners who are trained in tasks that historically only GPs would undertake. Patients may already have had experience of consulting with a Nurse Practitioner and will know how valuable the team is. 
• Enhanced Communication – We are looking to restart the Patient Participation Group to work with the surgery to feedback and share news and updates more regularly. Please let us know if you wish to get involved.
• Better Technology – To ensure that patients can access the services in the most convenient and easy way possible, we encourage those who can use our online systems when contacting the surgery to do so. This is expanded upon below.

Contacting the surgery:

Patients who have the capabilities to are encouraged to use the following online services, some of which can be downloaded as Apps from your relevant smartphone app stores:

DoctorLink

Register Here: https://app.doctorlink.com/addisonhouse/register/ or by downloading the app on your mobile device via Google Play or the App Store.

Doctorlink is designed by doctors to ensure you can safely assess your symptoms at any time. It provides advice and allows you to access services provided by your practice without waiting on the phone.

• Check your symptoms – Answer a series of relevant questions based on your symptoms and concerns.
• Get guidance to the right care – Doctorlink will advise on how to best manage your symptoms or seek the right healthcare service to suit your needs.
• Request or book an appointment with your GP (or other clinician at your practice) – If advised, you will be able to book an appointment directly or a member of your surgery will contact you to book you in within the recommended timeframe. Where appropriate the information you provided in step 1 will help the clinical team member to care for you.
• Request prescriptions and fit notes (sick certificates)

You must be 16 years old to register but you can use the symptom checker on behalf of your child (age 3 or above) or for people within your care who are registered at the same practice.

NHS App

To use the NHS App you must be aged 13 or over and registered with a GP surgery in England. Find out more about who can use the NHS App.

Use the NHS App to:

• Get your NHS COVID Pass – view and download your COVID Pass for places in England and Wales using this service, or for travel abroad
• Get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it
• Order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to
• Get health advice – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments. You can also answer questions to get instant advice or medical help near you
• View your health record – securely access your GP health record, to see information like your allergies and your current and past medicines. If your GP has given you access to your detailed medical record, you can also see information like test results and details of your consultations
• Register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision
• Find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning
• View your NHS number – find out what your NHS number is

You can still contact the surgery in the normal ways if you do not have access to a computer or mobile phone.

Further Information: 

Clinics and Services: https://www.addison-surgery.nhs.uk/clinics-and-services.aspx

Opening times: Monday – Friday, 08:30 – 18:00

Telephone: 01279 621900

Out of hours: 111

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/addisonhousesurgery/