PRESCRIPTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Significant changes are being made to the working of the dispensary at Elmham Surgery. They are the outcome of several months of discussions between the doctors, practice managers and the Patient Participation Group.

The first stage of the programme was the installation of a ticket system to get rid of people standing in queues.  Next, was the extension of the dispensary working hours.  It is now open without a break from 8.30 in the morning of every weekday through to 6.30 in the evening (with the exception of Wednesday, when it closes an hour earlier).

This has been followed up by arrangements to speed up the process of handing over the prescriptions at the counter.  Staffing has been increased to accommodate the opening of a second counter. The new system provides one counter dealing with patients wanting to pick up repeat prescriptions, the other reserved for patients needing to pick up medication which has just been prescribed in an interview with a doctor.

In addition, patients with access to a computer internet connection can now enter their request for a repeat prescription on a page available on the surgery website (address: www.elmhamsurgery.com). What you’ll need is your patient number: that’s on the top of the repeat prescription form.

On top of all this is the delivery service for repeat prescriptions available to patients in Bawdeswell, Guist, Bintree and Foulsham, Lyng, Swanton Morley, Gressenhall, Longham, Mileham and Whissonsett. Not to mention, of course, the dispensary that operates in the new surgery at Swanton Morley.

The efforts to improve the services provided by the Elmham practice have been much helped by the readiness of patients themselves to offer comments and suggestions. The patient participation group’s next meeting will be on Thursday, October 13th in Elmham School at 7.30pm.  If there’s any matter you would like to raise, contact Alan MacKim (01362 668831) or Ann Adeney (01362 683380).

Alan MacKim