September Public Holiday

The practice will be closed from 6pm on Friday 17th of September until 8am on Tuesday the 21st of September.
NHS24 will provide cover for emergency problems during this period.

For help phone 08454 242424.
For more details visit the NHS24 website.

Sick note to fit note – helping people stay in work

On the 6 April 2010 the sick note will change and become the fit note.

Evidence shows that work is generally good for your health and that often going back to work can actually aid a person’s recovery. On the other hand, staying off work can lead to long-term absence and job loss with the risk of isolation, loss of confidence, mental health issues, de-skilling and social exclusion.

The new fit note can help. Doctors will be able to advise people who are on sick leave for over 7 days on whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work earlier.

More about the fit note

• General Practitioners (DWP website)
• Employers (Business Link)
• Employees and patients (Directgov)

Farewell to Lesley

Lesley Hunt has been a core member of the Health Visitor Team at Howden since 2004.  At at the end of March she is leaving us to work in a senior position in child protection elsewhere in Lothian.

We wish her all the best for the future in her new post, but will be sad to see her leave!

New Open Access Surgery

Want to avoid the 8.30am rush on the phone?
Don't mind just turning up and waiting to be seen?

This new initiative has been running since November 2009, and has proven to be a welcome addition to our existing wide range of pre-booked appointments.  There is an open access surgeryfrom 9.30am to 11am, Monday to Friday.  It is staffed by 2 GPs, and deals with up to 24 people who attend without a prearranged appointment.

To access this service, all you need to do is report to reception between 9.30am and 11am, and have your name added to the open access surgery list.  You cannot phone in advance for this surgery. You will be asked to wait in a specified area, and your name will be called when it is your turn.  We will tell you if the surgery is already filled to capacity, and if so please speak to the receptionists about the alternative appointments we offer.  We continue to have a duty doctor every afternoon if your problem is urgent.

As it will be a first-come first-served system, we ask you to be prepared to wait your turn.  Also, please do not ask the GPs to deal with multiple problems in this surgery, as time is limited, and others will be waiting their turn too.

We plan to review this service after a few months to measure how effective it has been in improving access.  We are hoping it will reduce pressure on our phone system for those who want to book an appointment.

Our usual system of booked appointments will remain unchanged, which continues to include a mixture of same-day and routine appointments.

Extended Opening Hours

Monday 8am to 6pm
Tuesday 8am to 8pm
Wed/Thurs 8am to 6pm
Friday 7am to 6pm

Over the past 12 months Howden has been providing additional appointments with GPs in the early mornings and evenings on certain days in the week.  This new service was designed to meet the needs of patients who find it difficult to arrange an appointment during the daytime due to work commitmments.

We plan to continue this extended service for the year coming.