Dr RICHARD HARPER
MBBS (London, 1988)
MRCGP

Dr MIRANDA HILL
MBBS (Newcastle, 2007)
MRCGP (2016), DRCOG

Dr JOHN WOODLAND
BM (Southampton, 2011), BSc (Hons) 2010, 
MRCGP 2018, PgCert Clinical Education 2020

DR SARAH THOMAS
MBBCh (Cardiff 2010), MRCGP (2020)
DRCOG

Bramblehaies Surgery
College Road
CULLOMPTON
Devon
EX15 1TZ
Tel: (01884) 33536
www.bramblehaiessurgery.co.uk

OPENING TIMES
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 0830 – 1900
Thursday and Friday 0830 - 1900

GP SURGERY TIMES

Monday		0730 – 1330 1500 – 2000
Tuesday		0830 – 1300 1500 – 1900/2000 
Wednesday		0830 – 1300 1500 – 1900/2000
Thursday		0730 – 1300 1500 – 1900
 	Friday			0830 – 1300 1500 – 1900/2000
Saturday/Sunday	0900-1700 once/month on a Saturday
PATIENT INFORMATION

The practice boundary area: 

Parking and Access to building:

There is ample patient car parking in front of the surgery.  Please do not park at the rear of the surgery as this is reserved for doctors and staff.  Should the patient car park be full, there is a public “Pay and Display” car park behind the Police Station. All rooms in the surgery are on one level with a gently sloping ramp to the automated front door. Patients in wheelchairs or with walking disabilities should not find it too difficult to see us.  We also have toilet facilities for the disabled.				

THE PRACTICE TEAM

Office Staff

Our reception team has a vital, but difficult task as the link between the patients and the doctors, trying to keep both sides happy.  Anyone who watches them on a Monday morning will realise the difficulties involved, and still they keep smiling!  They are expected to help ill and troubled patients and direct them to our surgeries as well as field telephone calls, cope with an ever-increasing amount of paperwork and keep the office area generally shipshape.

They do their very best to help you, but you may have to modify your requests to fit in with what is possible.  Please help them to help you.

Nurse Practitioners
Penny 

Both work here at the surgery as members of the daily duty team, providing acute and primary care, from assessing, diagnosing and treating minor illnesses. They are likely to be the clinician you speak to if your call is placed on the duty list and will help and assist you where they can. They may also signpost you to other professionals if they feel you would be better placed to see them.

Practice Pharmacist
Gail 

Our Practice Pharmacist assists the doctors two mornings a week, dealing with patient medication queries, discharge medication reconciliation, pharmacy stock issues, and chronic condition medication reviews.

Practice Nurses
Nurse Jennie   		Nurse Jo
Nurse Heidi  			Nurse Nicki

Our nurses run the treatment room and perform a wide variety of nursing activities.  These include vaccinations and immunisations, dressings, urine testing, ECGs, ear syringing and cervical cytology, as well giving advice on general health matters. Our nurses also run chronic disease clinics, namely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and diabetes. 

There is a nurse present each weekday; appointments are made by contacting a receptionist.

Health Care Assistants (HCA)
Barbara and Sophie

Our HCAs are trained to undertake blood pressure checks, blood samples, ECG recording, urine testing, cardio call fitting, influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, NHS health checks and diabetic foot checks.  

Care Home Team
Dave and Jenny 

Dave is a Nurse Practitioner and Jenny is an Occupational Therapist. Both work together and are our link with all of our nursing/residential homes. They complete weekly rounds to our care homes ensuring all patients are cared for and receive the medical treatment they need – referring onto us any that need GP input.  At present, due to covid, they are providing virtual rounds and visiting when safe to do so.

Social Prescriber/Link Worker for adult and young people
Laura

Patients can be referred to see Laura for any social care support, whether this is to link them to a support group for a newly diagnosed health condition or multiple long-term conditions, lonely or isolated, or who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing i.e., money and debt issues, domestic abuse, or employment, or need support with their mental health.  

Health and Wellbeing Coach
Ruth

Working alongside our Social Prescriber - patients can be referred to see Ruth for assistance and support to look after and manage their own physical and mental health. Ruth currently provides NHS Health Checks, smoking cessation, weight management clinics, support for newly diagnosed diabetes who are not able to access other providers for support, and general wellbeing support.  

First Contact Physiotherapist
James

Working here once/week.  Patients can be referred to see James for any back, next or joint pain. James has specialist skills and can assess and diagnose issues providing advice on how best to manage conditions
When calling the practice for medical input, our reception team will continue to ask you further information such as an indication of the problem, symptoms, severity, and duration. This is so that they can accurately signpost you to the most appropriate health professional to help you, avoiding unnecessary appointments which elongate your pathway of care – all of our staff are bound by confidentiality and are always trying to help you. Please continue to help them all that you can.

Mental Health Worker
Bryn 

Practice Manager
Tracey Worley

Our practice manager is responsible for the management of the surgery, services, premises and staff. She is supported by a team of staff, all of whom work extremely hard to ensure the smooth running of the Practice, ensuring you obtain the services you need. Tracey also sits on the ‘Friends of Bramblehaies Surgery’ fundraising group and the Patient Participation Group. 

OUR COMMUNITY TEAM 
(all based at Culm Valley Integrated Centre for Health)

Community Nurses – 01884 836000
Health Visitors – 01884 836004
Midwives – 01884 235400
Physiotherapist – 01884 836016
 
SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PRACTICE

How to register with us: You would need to complete a standard form to register; two forms of ID are required, one with a photo and another confirming your address. At this time, you will receive a registration pack and will also be offered a new patient consultation. 

We do not stipulate for you to register with a particular GP, you become registered with the practice. Once registered, you can, of course, see whichever GP you choose, as we do not run personal lists, equally you can choose to see the same GP each time you book an appointment. Should you have an urgent medical concern you may find you will see a different GP if your preferred GP is not on duty.

PLEASE NOTE:  This surgery operates a zero-tolerance policy towards violent patients, be it verbal or physical abuse.  The Partners are committed to doing everything possible to protect their staff, patients and visitors from unacceptable behaviour that causes hurt, alarm, damage or danger.

Pre-Bookable / Advanced Appointments: These are routine appointments, bookable up to 6 weeks in advance with a clinician.  Patients can choose the time and date and select the clinician of their choice.  The appointments are 10-15 minutes in length and are sufficient to review one medical problem at a time, medication reviews also.  These appointments can also be booked online via SystmOne.

Four-day Access Appointments: 
These are appointments which can be booked up to 4 days before the appointment time and date for a more urgent medical requirement.  These appointments allow patients to book to see a clinician of their choice on a specific day.  The appointments are embargoed until the 4-day time limit and cannot be used until the embargo has expired.  A number are also available online via the medical system.

‘On the Day’ Duty Team ‘Urgent/Emergency’ Appointments: These appointments are for more urgent/emergencies only, and initially telephone based. Available primarily where the patient feels that a four-day access appointment would be too long to wait and may have an impact on the patient’s ability to function normally.  The receptionist will ask the patient to explain their symptoms, please do not be offended by being asked, this is required in order to ensure you are referred to the correct clinician and prioritised accordingly.  The duty team consists of our experienced Nurse Prescriber, a GP and our Practice Pharmacist – guidance is available on many minor illnesses and prescriptions will be issued where necessary. You may be offered an appointment with a member of the duty team if the medical emergency warrants.  Please note these appointments cannot be booked online. 

Telephone Appointment:  These appointments are where a GP calls a patient, relative or representative to discuss an aspect of the patient’s care.  These appointments are 5 minutes in length and are at various times of the day with each doctor.  These appointments are ideal for: medication queries, reissue of a medical certificate, blood and x-ray results and emergency contraception requests.  These appointments are not intended to replace the face-to-face consultations with doctors, but we hope that a good proportion of queries and notifications can be completed in a telephone call.

Home Visits: we can visit you at home if your illness doesn’t enable you to attend the surgery, but we all recognise that this takes up a lot of time.  Quite often it will be obvious why a visit is necessary but on some occasions, you may be asked to explain the circumstances.  Please telephone before 10:30am, if possible, so that we can plan our visits

When the surgery is closed (out of hours): NHS 111 can be contacted on 111. A telephone operator will take the call and note down all the details of the problem. The centre is not based at the practice. Arrangements will be made for a doctor to call you back.

Repeat Prescriptions: for patients on regular medication treatment, it is not always necessary to see a doctor for each request.  We have a computerised system, which controls and transfers the prescriptions direct to the chemist of your preference.  We do ask you to give 48-hours’ notice for these prescriptions.  To request such a prescription either send a request via our website link www.bramblehaiessurgery.co.uk, return the tear off slip which accompanies your previous prescription or telephone after 10:30am. PLEASE NOTE:  You can utilize the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions.
 
Minor surgery: Almost all of the doctors in the practice carry out minor surgery procedures.  These can be arranged by appointment with a doctor.

Family Planning/Contraception:  We see women of all ages, young and mature; to talk about their contraceptive needs in all our normal surgeries.  All doctors are trained in family planning and are able to advise which particular method may suit you best. We also have a GP trained to fit coils.

The morning after pill: Emergency contraception is available from the Doctors, Nurse Practitioner or Nurse if required.  It is effective if taken within 72 hours. 
All consultations are confidential

Maternity Services: We feel that good antenatal care helps to ensure healthier babies and mothers.  We are also keen to offer health advice to anyone who is thinking of becoming pregnant. If you think that you may be pregnant, please come to see one of us in surgery about two weeks after your missed period.  

Cervical Cytology: Smear testing can tell a woman if she is likely to develop cancer there. We strongly advise women to attend regularly for a test, an invitation will be sent, usually 3-yearly until 50 years of age and thereafter 5-yearly until 64 years of age. The smear can be done in surgery by appointment with one of our Nurses.

Health Promotion: The practice is involved in a joint venture with the Culm Valley Sports Centre and Padbrook Park Fitness Centre whereby it is possible to have a “Health Script” to use the facilities at special rates for a limited period. A set of criteria does apply.

Immunisations: 

Routine children’s immunisations:-
•	Eight weeks old - 1st Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Hib and Hep B (known as 6 in 1), 1st Meningitis B and 1st Rotavirus.
•	Twelve weeks old - 2nd Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and Hep B (6 in 1), 2nd Rotavirus and 1st Pneumonia 
•	Sixteen weeks old - 3rd Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and Hep B (6 in 1) and 2nd Meningitis B.
•	between 12 and 13 months of age - 1st MMR, Hib/Men C booster, 2nd Pneumonia and 3rd Meningitis B.
•	2- and 3-year-olds - Influenza
•	3 years 4 months -Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio, and MMR booster
 
For all of the above vaccinations, reminder letters are sent from the surgery.  When you receive a letter, you should make an appointment to see the nurse.

Other Routine Immunisations: Tetanus vaccination is given to adults if not immunized before. A course of 3 injections of Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio are given at monthly intervals. Two additional doses given at 10 yearly intervals should provide lifetime immunity, but you may require a further vaccination after 10 years if you suffer a dirty wound or are travelling abroad.  The nurses will provide you with further information should you require.

Influenza Vaccination: As part of a national campaign, we offer all patients over 65 years old, ‘at risk’ patients under 65 years old, pregnant ladies and 2–3-year-old children, the flu vaccination during the latter period of each year.  Please remember to book an appointment if you wish to have this important vaccination. If you think you meet the criteria for vaccination, please ask at reception.

Pneumococcal Vaccination: are available anytime – it is a once-only vaccination for most over 65’s considered at risk, although some may require a booster after 5 years. Those immuno-suppressed aged 2-64 years are also applicable for this vaccination. We usually send an invitation for this vaccination

Shingles Vaccination: is available anytime – it is a once-only vaccination for patients aged 70 years, through invitation shortly after your 70th birthday

Travel Immunisation:  We offer a comprehensive service to help you plan your travel requirements including immunisations.  We have access to up-to-date information.  Please consult reception for a form which needs to be completed and returned at least 6 weeks before travelling, as some destinations require a complicated schedule of vaccination.  

PLEASE NOTE:   A high number of travel immunisations are not available at the practice – you will be referred onto the Travel Clinic in Exeter.

Non-NHS Medical Examinations: All doctors carry out private medical examinations for insurance companies, HGV licence applications, pre-employment and other NHS medical examinations.  A charge is made for this work; please ask reception for details.

Medical Students and GP Trainees: As a Training Practice, from time-to-time students and GP Trainees from the Exeter Medical School/Exeter VTS Scheme visit the practice during their medical training.  We hope that you might welcome them if they are present during, or lead, your consultation.  Please let us know if you are not happy to have them in attendance.

Friends of Bramblehaies Surgery:  A patient group exists as a forum for dialogue between patients and staff.  The group was formed initially to oversee the practice services but has now acquired a new emphasis in the raising of funds for equipment and services for the benefit of patients.  

Patient Participation Group:  We encourage patients to give their views on how the practice is performing and we also discuss, as a group, possible improvements too.  If you would like to know more, please speak to the practice manager. This group is separate to the Friends of Bramblehaies Surgery, but we do have members who contribute to both.

How we use your medical records - Important information for all our patients
•	This practice handles personnel records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.
•	We share identifiable information with those who are legally required to hold the information for the purposes of employment are involved in providing you with care and treatment.
•	In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill. 
•	We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe. 
•	You have the right to be provided with a copy of your medical record.
•	You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.
•	You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services. 
•	You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Please see the practice privacy notice on the website or speak to a member of staff for more information about your rights.

For more information ask to see the Practice Manager OR visit our website www.bramblehaiessurgery.co.uk

Comments, Complaints and Suggestions: Our aim is to help you.  It helps us to know what you think of the services we provide and perhaps how you think they could be improved.  
We would encourage all patients to feed back any thoughts or comments to us either directly when you see us, or to our Practice Manager by letter. 
We also have a suggestion/feedback box in the waiting room for your use, and also the option to feedback via our website. 
If you wish to make a comment or complaint about the service you have received, and it cannot be resolved with the Practice Manager, please contact NHS England:
Telephone: 0300 311 22 33
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
General Post (including complaints): NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
Website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/

The surgery is contracted to NHS England.

THE PATIENT CHARTER

WHAT WE WILL DO:

Ensure you have 24-hour access to medical advice

If urgent, we will aim for you to be able to access a health care professional on the day of request

You are able to request to see a GP of your choice but sometimes this may involve a longer waiting period 

Consultations are usually 10-15 minutes, but longer consultations can be arranged

Wherever possible you will be seen within 30 minutes of your appointment time.  Should there be an emergency which results in a GP being delayed with their appointments, we will do our utmost to keep you informed

You will be visited at home if the GP assesses that a home visit is necessary – conditions apply

We aim to have repeat prescriptions ready for collection from the surgery 48 hours after receipt of request; alternatively, the electronic system sends the prescription direct to the chemist for you.

We will work in partnership with you to achieve the best healthcare possible

You will always be involved in decisions about your care, and we will listen to your opinions and views in respect of this

We welcome any suggestions you may have for improving our service 

THE PATIENT CHARTER

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US:

Always be polite and courteous to all staff – they are here to help you.

Only ask for urgent appointments or emergency consultations when appropriate

Ask for home visits only when appropriate.  Always request home visits before 9.30am, if possible, to help the doctor plan his/her day

Please be prompt for your appointment and always contact the surgery if you are unable to attend – signing up for text reminders helps to ensure you don’t miss your appointment

Request a double appointment if you feel you will need one

Contact the surgery if you wish to cancel your appointment, or cancel it using your online access log-on – never just “not turn up”

Please place a repeat prescription request as soon as you realize you are running low on medication – at least 48 hours before you need them, and if telephoning the request please ensure it is after 10:30am

We encourage all patients to sign up to our online service which enables you to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your blood results and access your detailed coded record, saving you and us time
 
Please phone 999 if your condition is serious or life threatening

If you have any concerns at all about the service you receive, please contact the Practice Manager, who will always be more than happy to see you and talk through your concerns.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

BOOTS PHARMACY, STATION ROAD,
01884 32279

BOOTS PHARMACY, WILLAND ROAD, 
01884 32468

TESCO’S PHARMACY, CULLOMPTON
01392 501090

WILLAND PHARMACY, WILLAND
01884 32604

OUT-OF-HOURS - NHS 111 SERVICE
111

TIVERTON HOSPITAL/ROYAL DEVON & EXETER HOSPITAL
01884 235400/01392 411611

AMBULANCE
999

PALLIATIVE CARE - OUT OF HOURS
0345 504 9113

COMMUNITY NURSE - OUT OF HOURS
0845 2419 130 or 01392 269475

Updated October 2022