Dear Patients of Price’s Mill Surgery,
We want to take a moment to share some important information with you about the current state of our Practice. As you are likely aware the NHS is facing extraordinary pressures, and this is particularly true within General Practice. There are increasing demands from government and the need from our patients has never been higher. Lengthy waiting lists for hospitals and specialist services mean our patients need ongoing care from their Practice while waiting. This directly impacts our ability to provide timely care and meet the needs of all our patients.
The increasing financial pressures on General Practice are huge. Over the past few years, this has become significant. Sub-inflation annual government funding increases of 2.1% do not meet the skyrocketing rise in running costs. The direct result of increasing demands with insufficient funding is that we are no longer able to offer the same level of service you have been used to receiving. We can only afford to deliver the service we are funded for. This shortfall in funding means we cannot afford to increase our staffing levels to match the increased demand. It is a sad picture repeated across the country.
The current situation has affected our ability to recruit into the roles left by retiring GP partners. The remaining partners are responsible for a larger number of patients, impacting on the availability of appointments with them.
The sad consequence of this scenario is we have been experiencing significant rates of work-related ill health, burnout and staff turnover. We understand our patients want to be seen as quickly as possible when they are unwell, and it can cause worry and frustration having to wait. Unfortunately, staff are increasingly experiencing abusive episodes from a small minority of our patients. These incidents have a significant impact on morale within the team and make recruiting even more difficult. We thank the majority of our patients for their patience and understanding, and recognition that the whole team is working hard to do their best for patients with the resources available.
We continue to do what we can to provide a safe and effective service, but when we reach the limit of safe levels of working, we may need to direct you to NHS 111 or other services.
How are we adapting?
You may have already noticed changes in the way the practice runs, with new clinicians and staff roles that help us to increase capacity, but despite these innovations it remains a very challenging time. We are now investing in a new way of working, with the help of a triage system called Anima. This is a change to the way we offer our service with the primary aim of safeguarding the sustainability of Price’s Mill Surgery, with the money the government has provided. Anima is an online application which asks important questions and presents this information to our clinical and patient co-ordination teams, allowing them to find the most appropriate service or clinician to meet your need. By routing all patient requests through this new system it is our hope to effectively use the complete spectrum of resources within our practice and the surrounding community and regain some of our capacity.
Patients can help to free up capacity for the benefit of all by trying to self-manage minor illness. Community resources (such as physiotherapy, podiatry and community pharmacies) often provide the most optimal care options for our patients and should be the first option in many presentations.
- The Pharmacy First service at the chemist for some simple acute illnesses (they can see sore throats, sinus pain, ear pain, skin infections, urine infections, shingles) as well as the NHS websites.
- For simple joint and foot problems, please consider self-referring to NHS physiotherapy here or NHS podiatry here.
- Please keep attending your health checks with us when invited.
It is extremely important to recognise the ongoing dedication that characterises all our staff here at Price’s Mill Surgery. The team is working hard and is committed to serving our community. We welcome your understanding and support during this time of transition and your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
The Partners of Price’s Mill Surgery