The prescription telephone line at the surgery will be closing on 30th June 2023. From 1st July prescriptions will need to be ordered online (you can set up an account with Reception, please call in with some photo identification), via email at reception.westernroadsurgerybillericay@nhs.net, by post or by hand. Some pharmacies may also be able to order your prescription on your behalf.
We have two new Doctors that have joined the surgery from 1st April 2023. They are Dr Tom Lawes and Dr Sobana Navaratnarasah.
We have new clinical staff attached to our surgery they are: Wole Salako, Social Prescriber, Beata Csicsak; Care Co-ordinator; Latifat Lakaye-Omisore, Dawn Townsend, Olokhifa Aghomon, First Contact Practitioners for Mental Health; Teresa Visser; First Contact Practitioner for Physiotherapy. In addition we also have attached pharmacists that manage our hospital correspondence and on-line prescription service. They are called Ashtons.
You will still be able to book appointments in the evenings at weekends and on bank holidays but these appointments will be held at another site in Billericay. Please call reception for further information.
ONLINE SERVICES: Please be advised that there are appointments on-line. These appointments are for TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS only. Please do not turn up for a face to face appointment when booked on-line as you will be asked to re-book this.
OUR WAY OF MANAGING APPOINTMENTS: Please note that it is our intention to continue with triaging all consultations. To ensure that we can sustain the Practice for the future, we will continue with telephone triage, the GP will assess all appointments and, where clinically appropriate, you will either receive a telephone consultation or you will be invited into the Practice for a face to face consultation. Nurse appointments will remain the same, in the main, but some chronic disease management will also be undertaken by telephone. Please do work with us to make this new system work. There are many situations when patients do expect to have a consultation with a GP but it is apparent that what is being presented can be managed by going to the local pharmacist or by checking NHS websites and self managing. Our receptionists will direct you when they have assessed that you can manage a presentation at home and do not need the GP. Also, by having a consultation initially by phone, it could save you the time of travelling to the surgery and having to find somewhere to park. Please be assured that we are adept at determining those calls that require a face to face consultation. Please do give the receptionists as much information as possible when booking your appointment; this will help the GP's review their list and call those in for a face to face consultation who need it.
FLU VACCINATIONS: FLU SEASON WILL SOON BE UPON US. PLEASE REMEMBER TO CONTACT US AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER TO BOOK APPOINTMENTS.
Did you know that you can now self-refer to Physiotherapy without the need to see a GP first. If you think you have a problem that could be managed by a physiotherapist then please either call Reception to book or call 01268 904102 to seek support. There is an inclusion and exclusion criteria to self-referring and this can be found by clicking here Self Referral to Physiotherapy
PHONE LINES: Our phone lines are busiest between 8 am and 9 am. During these times you could experience up to a 10 minute wait. If you are not ringing for an on the day/emergency appointment you may find it easier to ring later in the day or use the online service.
DISPOSAL OF SHARPS BINS: With effect from 1st July 2017: Do you have a sharps bin at home, if so, you must contact your local council to arrange disposal of this as the Practice will no longer accept them on the premises.
CARERS: Are you caring for a patient here. If so we would like to record this on their record, with their consent. Please complete our carers registration form and bring this into the surgery for registration. Carers Form
PATIENT NEWSLETTER: Please read our newsletter Patient News
Shingles Vaccination
The Shingles vaccination programme runs from 1st September to 31st August in each year. To find out if you qualify for a shingles vaccination please contact one of our Reception team
MEN ACWY
Students going to university for first time are eligible for the MEN ACWY vaccination. This is an important vaccination to have and, if you think you qualify, please ring reception to confirm and book an appointment.
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