https://forms.office.com/e/92k0Rky96w

It is now a requirement to report practice activity both centrally and to share with patients. This is a new project and will need some adjustments going forward but it is able to demonstrate the increasing demands we are now working under and how important it is to use our services well. We continue to update information and develop our surgery app to provide patients with information, self-help and other information.

The Partners of Builth and Llanwrtyd Wells Medical Practice  consider the Health and Wellbeing of their team very seriously. 

Every day the Team receiving verbal abuse from the very people that they are trying to help. This abuse and aggression is getting worse and must stop today.

It is not acceptable for the practice team to be subjected to aggressive and abusive language when they are doing their job.

The words that patients use stay with our Practice Team long after they have finished their days work.

Some colleagues are hardened to it, some think its part of the job and others go home and consider whether they can face another day of rude and aggressive language.

The Partnership operates a zero tolerance on verbal and physical abuse.

The Practice team, without doubt, are the biggest asset to the success of your local GP surgery.

Future outburst from anyone either on the phone or face to face at our front reception will result in Police and Powys Health Board guidance about your continued registration at the Practice.

Remember the NHS will be able to help you with your needs as long as it is not clogged up with other people’s wants. There is an important difference

Thank you for listening

Wednesday 17th May 2023

The surgery is closed for training from 12pm

If you need care that cannot wait until the surgery is open, please ring 111 which is a free number. If phoning from a mobile you may be unable to connect to this number – you will then need to phone 0345 46 47 instead

The surgery will re-open as normal on

Thursday 18th May 2023

21 December 2021

Dear Patients

We haven’t done an update for a while but as we head into Christmas period we have provided the following information allowing patients and their visiting friends and family information on accessing health care should they need it over the holidays.  Our plea for all the health services at this critical time of year is please use these services wisely and only if necessary,  keep the general enquiries and non-urgent requests for January. 

Our surgery is open normal hours 29^th, 30^th and 31^st December outside of this healthcare is provided through the Out of Hours service please dial 111 and they will provide the relevant information.

Please consider the following:

Is your first aid box stocked and have you got basic supplies for self-managing conditions

Consider if your call is necessary or is there information available from other sources for example NHS direct, doing this will keep the lines clear for more urgent cases.

Minor injuries in Llandrindod and Brecon will be open, you need to ring ahead to pre-book an assessment.

Talk to your pharmacist they may be able to help with an over the counter remedy

A&E departments will be open but very busy, expect a long wait.

Dental emergencies please call 111

If you do fall ill and need to be transported to hospital consider if an ambulance is necessary if not is there anyone else available to take you, be guided by the call operator on getting to hospital safely.

Covid vaccinations are continuing over the Christmas period.  This is managed by the Powys Teaching Health Board in their designated centers across the county if you need to enquire about a vaccination please ring them direct.  If you haven’t attended for vaccine yet please do so.  Please do not call the surgery with any Covid enquiries.

The surgery doors are open at the current time, this remains under regular review both from a safety aspect and the availability of staff to resource.  In recent months we have been badly hit with staff isolating and unfortunately with the new strain and the additional isolation requirements this is likely to deteriorate.  We are doing everything we can to keep people safe and it is important that the public respects our messaging and plays their part in this; adhering to the regulations and not entering the surgery (unless invited by a clinician). If there is any possibility that you may be infected or have been in close contact with a case please contact us by telephone for guidance.  Of course we still have a responsibility for your care but this can be managed in other ways, seeing patients in the car park, by using the designated isolation room etc. please be clear with the receptionist regarding your symptoms and contacts in order that the consultations can be managed safely.

Masks must be worn in the surgery unless you have a medical exemption, the 2 meter rule formally returns on 27 December, but we have continued to retain this throughout.

As we come to the end of 2021 and the potential for the mass disruption that Omicron may bring we ask you all to take extra care and adhere to the guidelines in the hope that this will prevent the spread of infections.  Be kind to each other and to the frontline workers across all areas who continue to work under challenging conditions.

With best wish for Xmas and 2022

Builth & Llanwrtyd Medical Practice

ttp://www.gpwebsolutions-host.co.uk/23546/files/2021/05/surgery-update.pdf

I have recently had a virtual meeting with Councillor Jeremy Pugh to update him on the present position at the surgery and to field some of the concerns that have been raised with him.

‘I acknowledged that the phone lines had been extremely busy throughout the Covid period and this had been frustrating to individuals but we had taken these concerns on board and have been adapting the model where we can.  In the early days we added more staff to the phone lines in busier periods and worked with telephone engineers to improve the performance  and sustainability of the system culminating in replacement Fibre cabling recently which has certainly helped matters.  We have continued to update the public on our current position and actions, although acknowledge as this has been on Facebook and Website it has not been available to all.  I was able to explain to Jeremy that I am able to analyse the telephone system and this provides me with a useful information including access to data that shows me how long people have been waiting, this does help us in developing the model.  We receive many calls at the surgery that are not for us, such as chasing up a hospital appointment, queries regarding Covid etc. We are encouraging patients to view our Website which will answer a lot of their questions or give contact details without phoning the surgery; we have also made a request that non-urgent phone calls are made after 11.00.  We have a long way to go on this but if the public could support this strategy, this should reduce some of the telephone traffic and make the position better for all.  I was also able to express my concerns about the increasing levels of abuse that our reception team are currently experiencing when answering the telephone, the staff are adhering to the guidelines that have been provided by the doctors and these have been put in place to manage the booking situation and also identify patients that have an urgent clinical assessment need.  We have a zero tolerance policy at the surgery and will be picking up these cases with the individuals concerned’.

I had discussed the opening of the front door with Jeremy and this happened two weeks ago with a stringent plan.  Patients and other visitors have been very supportive of the rules that have been put in place and we have been very grateful for this.  Our next project is reviewing the appointments system and changes will follow.

As a practice we are extremely proud of our team.  It was not possible to serve the public from home so they have been here throughout continuing to provide services to patients and putting aside their concerns for their own safety and that of their family.

We have also continued to see patients face to face throughout the pandemic after an initial telephone consultation.  This was in accordance with the government guidelines with the aim to protect vulnerable patients as much as possible by reducing unnecessary contacts and allowing us to screen for Covid symptoms ahead of any practice visit.

We are all looking forward to the easing of measures at the surgery, for some of you this may seem that we are not acting quickly enough but we are intentionally doing this in a controlled way being very mindful of the safety of our patients and our responsibilities to our team.

Best wishes

Jane Stephens

Practice Manager