WOLSTANTON MEDICAL

CENTRE

A KEELE UNIVERSITY AA KEELE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC GENERAL PRACTICECADEMIC GENERAL PRACTICE

PRACTICE INFORMATION LEAFLET

Dr. Alwyn T.R. Ralphs

M.B.; Ch.B; Cert; Med.Ed; D.R.C.O.G.; F.R.C.G.P

Dr. John J. Edwards

M.B; Ch.B.; M.P.H; D.F.P.H; M.R.C.G.P; PHD

Dr. Elizabeth Cottrell

M.B.Ch.B.; D.F.S.R.H.; D.R.C.O.G.; D.Med.Sci; M.R.C.G.P.; Ph.D

Dr. Andrew Davy

M.B.Ch.B; BSC; RCGP

Wolstanton Medical Centre

The Practice has been on its present site since 1969, providing gen-

eral medical practitioner services to the people of the area and

has access suitable for disabled patients.

All Medical Services, including family planning, maternity care and

child health surveillance are provided. Several of the partners have

additional qualifications in these areas and also perform some joint

injections and minor operative procedures.

We operate a group practice, and you may see any one of the

doctors in the Practice but we urge you as far as possible to see

one doctor only, to maintain continuity in your care.

Patient Participation Group

This Panel meets regularly and supports the work of the Practice

through their help, advice and contacts with the people of

Wolstanton, May Bank, Porthill, Cross Heath and surrounding areas.

Ask at reception for further information.

Information

Practice website: www.wolstantonmedicalcentre.nhs.uk

Appointments - You can register to book appointments

online, please ask at reception for more details.

An appointment system operates for all surgeries – we do not oper-

ate any open surgeries. Surgeries are held between 8.30 am and

6.00 pm Monday to Friday with some extended hours, Saturday

morning. The surgery is staffed continuously between these times.

Appointments may be booked up to 7 days in advance. Some ap-

pointments are held in reserve for medically urgent cases that can-

not wait for the next routine appointment. If you feel you need one

of these appointments, please contact reception in the usual way.

Reception will ask for brief details of your problem in order that we

can manage it in the most appropriate way.

The Practice Boundary

This map below gives an impression of the practice area. We regret

that we cannot accept patients who live outside this area. If you

move away from this area, you will be asked to register with a doctor

local to your new address.

Wolstanton Medical Centre

Palmerston Street

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Staffordshire, ST5 8BN

01782 627403 (appointments)

01782 627488 (visits, enquiries and other matters)

At Wolstanton Medical Centre we have 4 Partners

that run the practice and 5 Salaried Doctors that are

employed by the practice.

Partners at the Practice are:-

Dr Alwyn Ralphs

Dr John Edwards

Dr Elizabeth Cottrell

Dr Andrew Davy

Salaried Doctors at the Practice are:-

Dr Sarah Pritchard

Dr Claire Burton

Dr Abigail Nguyen

Dr Rebecca Hall

Dr Starla Yarde

Clinics

A wide range of clinics are held to promote good health

and help in the management of long-term medical condi-

tions.

Asthma clinic (run by the practice nurses)

Diabetic clinic (run by the practice nurses)

Cardiovascular disease clinic (cholesterol, high blood

pressure, heart and stroke is run by the practice nurs-

es)

INR clinic (for people on warfarin) (run by the practice

nurses)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clinic

(emphysema and chronic bronchitis is run by the

practice nurses)

For some others, you are welcome to ask for an appoint-

ment directly for:-

Cervical smears and contraception, including HRT

(run by the practice nurses)

Travel Clinics (run by the practice nurses)

For the remaining clinics, you may be invited to attend,

such as the:-

Baby immunisation clinic (run by the practice nurses)

Child health clinic (run by a doctor)

Antenatal clinic (run by the midwife)

Home visits

Please contact the surgery as early as possible if you feel a home

visit is needed. All non-emergency visits should be notified by

10:00 am.

Home Visits are however not ideal for a number of reasons – chiefly

because we cannot offer the same facilities at home. Visits are al-

so very time consuming and time spent visiting people at home

means time not spent seeing people in the surgery. We therefore

restrict home visits in accordance with principles agreed across

North Staffordshire, to the genuinely housebound and those whose

medical condition may be made worse by bringing them to the

surgery, as assessed by a doctor. Transport difficulties may be over-

come with the help of friends or relatives, taxis and other transport.

If you are concerned that you cannot wait for long periods in the

waiting room, although your condition does not mean a home visit

is required, please let reception know. A time can usually be ar-

ranged at which you will be seen within a few minutes of arrival.

NHS Walk-in Centre

The NHS Walk-In Centres provide fast and convenient access to

the NHS. You can see an experienced nurse for healthcare advice

and treatment for minor illnesses (such as coughs and colds) and

minor injuries (such as small cuts, grazes and minor sprains). There is

an NHS Walk-In Centre at the Haywood Hospital, High Lane, Stoke-

on-Trent, Tel: 01782 673500. This centre is open 7.00am-9.30pm

Monday to Friday and 9.00am-9.30pm at weekends.

Out-of-hours

Outside normal surgery hours, any calls will be responded to by an

answerphone message or connect you directly to the out of hours

service. Staffordshire Doctors Urgent Care will see anyone with a

medically urgent problem by appointment only, either at their

base, or if deemed necessary at home.

North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group

North Staffordshire (CCG), who we contract to, can be contact-

ed on Tel: 01782 298002

The CCG has a Patient Advocacy & Liaison Service (PALS), and

can be contacted on 0800 030 4563 and is based at Smithfield

One Building, Leonard Coates Way, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4FA Website: http://www.northstaffsccg.nhs.uk/pals

Email: pals@staffordshirecss.nhs.uk

Getting the Best from Us

Here are some tips on how to get the best from us.

See your one usual doctor wherever possible to maximise

continuity in your care

Be aware that appointments are limited by time. For multi-

ple problems, it may take more than one appointment to

get to grips with them all

Emergency appointments are for medical problems that

cannot wait until the next routine appointment – please do

not be disappointed if routine matters are not dealt with in

these appointments

Be aware of the pressure on the telephone lines at peak

times and use them in accordance with the principles set

out above

Let us know of any change of name, address or telephone

number immediately

For those of you with access to the internet, please visit our web-

site at www.wolstantonmedicalcentre.nhs.uk

The BBC also has some useful advice at www.bbc.co.uk/health/

talking

Research

We participate in a number of data collection and research pro-

jects. This means that medical records may be used, in a strictly

anonymised way, for medical research purposes and that nobody

outside of the practice can identify you from the information re-

leased. Research has had to have been approved by a Research

Ethics Committee. You have the right to prevent the release of

your anonymised data from the practice. If you wish to exercise

this right then please let the Practice Manager know.

Occasionally, you may receive a letter in the Practice’s name, ask-

ing if you would like to participate in a research project. Similarly a

doctor or nurse may ask you during a consultation if you would like

to participate in research. This may mean that non-anonymised

information may be released from the practice. Whilst we hope

you would be willing to help, you are not under any obligation,

and you may refuse with no adverse effect on your care. We will

only release the information with your written consent.

Useful telephone numbers

Appointments 01782 627403

Visits & emergencies 01782 627488

Staffordshire Doctors Urgent Care 111

Haywood Walk-In Centre 01782 673500

University Hospital of North Midlands 01782 715444

NHS England-North Midland 01138253712

Staffordshire County Council Social Services

(Newcastle) 0300 111 8010

Citizens Advice Bureau (information line) 0344 411 1444

North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group

01782 298002

Enquiries

All enquiries about laboratory results should be made after 2 pm.

Prescriptions – You can register to order repeat prescrip-

tions online, please ask at reception for more details.

If you have a condition that requires ongoing medicines, you may

receive a repeat prescription. This means you can request further

prescriptions without having to see the doctor every time. You will

still be asked to see the doctor periodically to make sure the medi-

cines are appropriate.

Requests for repeat prescriptions may be made using the counter-

foil issued or in writing, but not over the telephone to prevent error.

It is essential that repeat medication is not ordered more than 1

week before it is due. There is a secure box available in the waiting

area. A prescription will normally be ready for collection after 2 pm

two working days after we receive your request. Please request re-

peat prescriptions in advance of public holidays, etc.

Complaints

We strive to offer a high quality service that provides an excellent

standard of clinical care in a responsive fashion, within the re-

sources available to us. We recognise that, at times, things could

have been done differently or in a better way. If you feel you have

cause to complain or raise concerns, please contact the practice

manager, Lynne Cooper, either by asking at the reception desk, or

by telephoning (01782) 627488, or by letter. We take all suggestions

and complaints seriously and will respond to you in accordance

with the established mechanisms for complaints within the NHS.

Telephone numbers For appointments only (4 lines) (01782) 627403.

For emergencies, visits, enquiries, and all other matters

(2 lines) (01782) 627488.

Staff

We are very fortunate to have an extremely loyal, committed and

hard-working group of staff.

We have two Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Vicky Shone and Ju-

lie Broad, and we have two Nurse Practitioners Julia Nixon and

Karen Smith. They are highly experienced nurses who have under-

gone additional training to manage certain problems without the

need to see a doctor. They are able to prescribe certain drugs,

and are always able to seek further advice from one of the doc-

tors immediately, if necessary.

The Practice Nurses are Stephanie Ridgeway and Caroline Hig-

gins.

Appointments can also be made with Joanne Cooke and Sharon

Fox our Health Care Assistants.

The District Nurses are based at a number of centres. They may be

contacted by telephone on 0300 124 0092. For more information

please visit:-

www.staffordshireandstokeontrent.nhs.uk/Services/district-nursing

The Health Visitors can be contacted on 0300 303 3923. They do a

number of drop clinics at different centres. For more information

visit:-

www.staffordshireandstokeontrent.nhs.uk/Services/newcastle-

clinics

The practice has an attached Midwife who is based at Bradwell

Hospital and can be contacted on 0300 123 0905 ext 6161..

The clinical staff are supported by a team of people lead by the

Practice Manager, Lynne Cooper. She is responsible for the day-

to-day running and organisation of the Practice.

Teaching

This is one of the major non-clinical activities of the Practice. We

take medical students and student nurses, usually from the Universi-

ty of Keele undergraduate medical school. The students may sit in

with surgeries from time to time. If you prefer not to have a student

present, please mention this either at reception or when you enter

the consulting room. This will not affect the care you will be given.

There may be doctors in their second Foundation Year – the sec-

ond year since qualification. They are gaining experience in a

range of specialities before moving into their specialised training

years.

Registrars: The Practice usually has one or two General Practitioner

Registrars working with us – they are qualified doctors undergoing

further training to specialise in general practice. They may be with

us for up to 12 months. You may make appointments to see them

just as you would any other doctors.

Video work: As part of training medical students and G.P. registrars,

as well as occasional personal development work for the estab-

lished GPs, we may ask you for permission to videotape a consulta-

tion. No intimate examinations would be recorded. The vide-

otape may be used for examination purposes or assessment of the

doctor’s ability. You can decline to be videotaped and this will

not affect the care you will be given.

Named GP for all Patients

As one of our patients you have an allocated named GP, (your

registered GP), who has the responsibility for the overall care that

our surgery provides to you. Your allocated, named GP will take

the lead for the co-ordination of any other relevant health and

care professionals who are involved in your care.

Please contact the surgery if you wish to know which GP has been

allocated to you. However, as we are a group practice where all

GPs have immediate access to all records of previous patient con-

sultations, please continue to book your appointments with any of

our available GPs.