Practice News

Missed Appointments in April

DO YOU FEEL FRUSTRATION WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING AN APPOINTMENT?

315 appointments were missed in April

These are broken down as follows:

• GP Appointments = 103 appointments.  This equates to over 17 hours of wasted GP time.

Have you had to wait a long time for a blood test or ear syringing? 

•  We had 121 wasted HCA appointments in April, this equates to over 20 hours of HCA time.

Have you experienced difficulty in seeing our practice nurses?

• 91 appointments were missed in April, this equates to over 15 hours of wasted nursing time.

Please help us to help you – if you no longer need your appointment please reply “cancel” to your text reminder or contact the surgery to cancel your appointment.

Please consider other patients who need an appointment.

Surgery Opening Times

With effect from Monday 2^nd June 2025, the new opening hours at our Heathfield and Firs Surgeries will be:

Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm

Extended hours (in addition to core opening hours) will continue as follows:

·       Tuesdays, 7am – 8am

·       Wednesday, 6.30pm – 8pm

·       Thursdays, 7am – 8am

·       Alternate Saturdays, 9am – 12pm

Friends & Family Test Results – April 2025

The Firs - Closed this Wednesday

Please be aware that the Firs Surgery will be closed this Wednesday the 14th May.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Dispensary - Wednesday 7th May

The Dispensary will reopen again at 3pm on Wednesday 7th May and not 2pm.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Dispensary closing time 5pm today

The Dispensary will close at 5pm today (Friday 2nd May).

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Staff Training - Wednesday 30th April

Urgent on the day appointments

In order to reduce wait times on the phone for urgent on the day appointments, you can now make a clinical request through our website and click on the ‘Make a Clinical Request Online’ tab. You will then be directed to the Visiba triage form where you will need your NHS App login credentials and NHS number.

Please note that this is link is to only be used for URGENT symptoms only and will be available to use from 8am.

For any routine appointments, please contact the surgery after 10am or book online using Patient Access.

Patient Notice - Changes to take effect from Monday 31st March

In line with Government directive to reduce/eliminate the “8am scramble for an appointment” Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership will be making changes to how we action requests for an appointment on the day.

With effect from Monday 31^st March patients requesting an on the day appointment will be asked to complete an electronic link to enable clinical assessment and prioritisation (triage).

This new system will ensure that all urgent cases are seen on the day and routine cases are booked ahead following triage by the duty doctor.

In addition to urgent on the day appointments, we will be offering patients the following appointment options:

• 48 hours ahead
• 1 week ahead
• 2 weeks ahead
• Up to 6 weeks ahead

There will be a limited number of appointments available via reception, for those patients without access to a mobile phone.

We would also ask patients to consider whether their condition can be treated  by a local pharmacist.

The NHS Pharmacy First scheme launched by the government and NHS England on January 31, 2024, allows community pharmacists to treat seven common conditions without a GP appointment or prescription, these being:

• Sore throat
• Earache
• Sinusitis
• Infected insect bites
• Impetigo (a bacterial skin infection)
• Shingles
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

We would like to thank our patients in advance for their support and ask for their patience whilst this new system is embedded.

Please click here for a list of our FAQs regarding the changes.

Dr Marc

After 24 years at the Heathfield and Firs Surgeries we said goodbye to Dr Marc on Tuesday as he takes his well earned retirement. From all the staff at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership we thank you for all your years service and wish you all the best for the future.

Patient Satisfaction Survey

We would like to invite our dispensing patients to complete a short 6 question survey in order for us to improve our services for the future. Please find a link to the survey below. Thank you for your time.

Patient Satisfaction Survey

Urgent Appointment Information

From the 3rd  March 2025 we are changing how you log in to tell us of your urgent symptoms through our Triage system, Visiba. You will need to use your NHS App username (your email address) and password to sign in to tell us about any urgent symptoms. We will be stopping the option to log in via text message.

If you need an urgent appointment, we will still send you a link to Visiba via text message, but the way you log in will be with your NHS log in credentials.

We encourage all of our patients who have access to a smartphone or tablet to download the NHS App.

The NHS App gives you a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services. Download the NHS App on your smartphone or tablet via the Google play or App store. You can also access the same services in a web browser by logging in through the NHS website. You must be aged 13 or over to use the NHS App.

Dispensing Patients

Please note that our dispensary is only able to assist with queries regarding our dispensing patients, i.e. patients who collect their medication from us and please remember to allow 5 working days before collecting your medication (excluding weekends and bank holidays). 

Non dispensing patients, i.e. those patients who collect their medication from local pharmacies, are asked to please direct their enquiry to our reception team.

Thank you for your co-operation.

2024 Autumn Covid-19 & Flu vaccination Clinics

Thank you to all of our patients who attended our Covid and Flu vaccination clinics and to our staff who were on hand to vaccinate and administer these sessions.

In total we vaccinated:

• Covid-19: 3,659
• Flu: 4,598

Happy New Year to all of our patients.

Dispensary Christmas Opening times

• Tuesday 24^th December - 08:45 – 12:30
• Wednesday 25^th December – CLOSED
• Thursday 26^th December – CLOSED
• Wednesday 1^st January 2025 – CLOSED

Open as normal on all other dates.

Please also note that the last date to request medication for repeat prescription before Christmas is the 18^th December.

Thank you and Merry Christmas to all of our patients.

Text messages

Firs closed on Wednesday 30th October

Please be aware that the Firs Surgery will be closed this Wednesday, 30th October. Patients who already have appointments booked will still be seen.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Dr Clare Wiseman

We regret to advise that Dr Clare Wiseman has made the difficult decision to resign her position as a GP Partner at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership and will not be returning following her current absence.

We are very sorry to see Dr Wiseman go and know she will be missed by patients and colleagues alike, the Partners and the team wish her every success and happiness in her future.

We are currently in the process of contacting Dr Wiseman's patients to advise them of their new named GP.

Staff training - Wednesday 3rd October

Patient Survey

We are thrilled to attach a link to our recent patient survey.  This data relates to the year 2023, our first as Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership. 

You will note that with the exception of ease of contacting the practice by telephone and website, our practice has scored higher than the national average in all other patient satisfaction areas.

The IT issues we experienced with our phones and website during the merge of our two practices are reflected in the survey.  However, we are pleased to confirm that these areas have since been reviewed and vastly improved.

Thank you to those patients who took the time to complete and return their questionnaire.

https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gp-patient.co.uk%2Fpatientexperiences%3Fpracticecode%3DG81088&data=05%7C02%7Cjulieacey%40nhs.net%7Ca44b812be57a4e123c0708dca71bdca6%7C37c354b285b047f5b22207b48d774ee3%7C0%7C0%7C638568985301877577%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BlbyeHvvEK45nkCPJelnhJ5H4SoqBj8Dghf92Fd72%2Bk%3D&reserved=0

Global IT Outage

Following the global IT outage on Friday, we are pleased to advise that access to our clinical system appears to be restored, although with some limitations.

In order to accommodate an expected increase in requests for urgent appointments we ask that patients refrain from calling tomorrow regarding any routine requests.

Those patients who had prebooked appointments on Friday, that due to the outage were not seen, please note we will call you after 10am tomorrow to rearrange your appointment. We ask that you don't call us to rearrange, unless it is clinically urgent, this is to allow our team to accommodate an expected increase in calls.

We do understand and share your frustration and thank you for your help and understanding.

GP Surgery IT Issue

Due to the worldwide IT issue, the clinical system at all of our sites at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership (Heathfield, Newick, Chailey and The Firs) is affected. As a result we are unable to access our clinical system so please DO NOT arrive for your pre-booked appointment unless it is a medically urgent issue that needs to be resolved today. 

We apologise for any inconvenience and we will update as and when we have further information.

PLT - Wednesday 3rd July

Newick & Chailey Surgeries receive funding for new equipment

Thank you to the Medi Tech Trust for their generous donation of medical equipment for the Newick and Chailey Surgeries, which included a a Bariatric Chair and Couch, hydraulic examination couches, fibre optic LED Otoscopes and a 24 hour portable BP machine. This was presented to Scott Lavocah (Deputy Practice Manager) of Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership by the Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mr Giles York at the 2024 Community Initiative Awards.

Last year Heathfield and the Firs Surgeries also benefited from the donation of medical equipment.

Medication delays

Please be aware that due to staff sickness last week there may be a delay of up to 2 days in collecting your medication from our Dispensary. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Thursday 2nd May

Please note that due to 2 GPs being off sick today we are operating urgent appointments only. 

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

PLT - Tuesday 23rd April

Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership will be closed for staff training between 12.30 – 18.30 on Tuesday 23rd April. For medical attention during this time please call 01323 402710.

For non-urgent assistance with medication or minor illness, please contact your local pharmacist.

Please do not contact 111 between these hours.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Heathfield Phone Line

We are pleased to advise that the Heathfield phone number (01435 864999) is now working again and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Heathfield Phone Line

We are aware that patients cannot get through on the 01435 864999 number and we have contacted our phone line provider. For now please phone 01825 722272. Thank you.

PLT - Wednesday 21st February

Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership will be closed for staff training between 12.30 – 18.30 today, Wednesday 21^st February. For medical attention during this time please call 01323 402710.

For non-urgent assistance with medication or minor illness, please contact your local pharmacist.

Please do not contact 111 between these hours.

Thank you for your co-operation

Help us to help you this Winter

What we need people to do:

Help Us Help You…make the right choice
Know the services available to you and use the right one for your needs at the right time.

Help Us help You…stay well this winter
Take responsibility for your own health and wellness, by staying as healthy as possible, looking after yourself and asking for support when you need it.

Help Us Help You…by looking out for others
Look out for your neighbours, relatives and friends to help them stay healthy and seek help if they become ill.

Help Us Help You…stay protected
Get your Covid-19 and flu vaccinations if you are eligible as soon as possible.

Help Us Help You…by respecting staff
Be respectful to health and care staff and remember they are trying to help you and others as quickly as they can.
By committing to these actions, together we will help make sure you and others get the support and care you need this winter.

For more information visit our Help Us Help You webpages: Help Us Help You this winter – Sussex Health and Care (ics.nhs.uk)