Swine Flu Information

For the latest information on Swine Flu and what to do if you have concerns, click on the link to the NHS Choices website below:

http://www.nhs.uk/AlertsEmergencies/Pages/Pandemicflualert.aspx

Non-NHS Fees

Services outside the scope of the NHS will be charged according to a list of recommended fees. There is a list in reception. Non-NHS services include HGV, PSV, insurance company reports and medicals, private certificates, holiday cancellation, medical insurance reports/forms, pre-employment medicals, vaccination certificates etc.

This list is not exhaustive. Please enquire at reception if you are not sure of the cost, when handing in your form for completion.

Please note we do not undertake sports medicals or sign gun licences.

Training

This practice is closed on the second Tuesday of each month from 12.30pm to allow training for doctors, nurses and clerical staff. At such times the surgery may be closed for a half day and will only be open for emergencies in the morning. There may also be times when students or trainees are present with the doctors/nurses in the surgery. Occasionally the consultations are video-recorded for training purposes. Should this be the case, when you attend for your appointment you will be asked to give your permission for the recording to be made or the student/trainee to be present. Please feel quite free to refuse if you wish.

Burnham-On-Sea Community Hospital

The doctors are members of the medical staff at Burnham War Memorial Hospital, Burnham-on-Sea with the use of 24 GP beds available and provide an on-call casualty rota with other local doctors.

Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Burnham Hospital
Love Lane
Burnham-on-Sea
Somerset
TA8 1ED
Tel: 01278 773 118

Patient Confidentiality

In order to maintain confidentiality, details of consultations and hospital or laboratory results will only be given to patients themselves or to parents/guardians of minor who are unable to give informed consent. If you would like to give ongoing permission for someone to act on your behalf, then please discuss with our records clerk who will give you a copy of our consent form to complete. This will then be recorded permanently on the computer. This form may be accessed via this website by following this hyperlink. You can revoke this consent at any time, by letting us know in writing that this is what you want to happen. If you do not give your specific permission, then, to protect your confidentiality, we will be unable to give out results to anyone except yourself.

Data Protection Act 1998

Patients are entitled to see their medical records (with certain exceptions). To find out further information about how you can view your records, please request our Practice leaflet ‘Can I See My Medical Records?’ from the Surgery. For in-depth information, you may also access the Department of Health website at: www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980029.htm

Freedom Of Information - Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. This is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available. Copies of Burnham Medical Centre's Publication Scheme are displayed at the Practice or via the following hyperlink www.foi.nhs.uk.

To find out more information on Freedom of Information, visit www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Carer's Register

Burnham Medical Centre has a register of people who are carers. We also register within our patient's medical records when a patient has a carer.

There are many advantages to having a carer's register. For instance, whilst their carer's details are an essential component of the patient's records, the fact that one of our patients is a carer is also an essential part of their records.

If you are a carer and wish this information to be included on your medical records, please complete a Carer's Register Application form, which is available for download via this website or on request form the Surgery.

Carers - Help & Support

Should a carer require information on Community Services such as care & support, money & benefits etc. they may contact Somerset Direct Adults Team, a free service from Somerset County Council for older people, carers, relatives and other adults with care needs.

Somerset Direct - Adults is a government initiative aimed at people over 60, their families and carers.  It is run as part of the local authority's Social Services Department.

Information and help for older people and adults with a disability:
Tel No: 0845 345 9133
     
 Email: Adults@somerset.gov.uk

Carer Support Worker

Burnham Medical Centre has a link carer support worker who is based at Highbridge Medical Centre. For help, information, advice or just a sympathetic chat on any aspect of being a carer, contact:

Rachel Edwards on 01278 793729

Or ask for an appointment to see Rachel on the above telephone number.

Windows Carers’ Group could help you

How to understand the mental health system
Exchange ideas about how to cope
Look for solutions
Provide support

As a group of carers for those with enduring mental health problems, we have found great strength in meeting together in order that we can offer the best possible environment for those we care for.

We meet WEEKLY at:

Highbridge Community Centre (Room 4)
Market Street
Highbridge

Every Tuesday from 7 – 9pm

If you would like further details, please contact either: Tony on (01278) 785177 Or John on (01278) 788719
Alternatively, e-mail: anthony_monaghan@hotmail.com

Or

Pauline Wellman (Group Co-ordinator) 01278 794954 - pauline.wellman@btinternet.com

Caring for a loved one is exhausting, both physically and mentally and it’s easy for carers to need some support themselves.

Speaking with other carers in similar situations to your own, living in your area, can be a great comfort.

It can be frustrating finding help when you find yourself suddenly caring for someone. WINDOWS has produced a DVD, which contains contacts, which can help point you in the right direction.

Please ask at Burnham Medical Centre reception desk if you would like a copy of this DVD.

REMOVAL FROM THE PRACTICE LIST

Removal from our Practice list will follow a transparent process that would normally include a warning to the patient.  A GP practice is able to remove a patient from its list under certain circumstances. This usually occurs when the relationship between a practice and a patient suffers an irreconcilable breakdown, and is seen as a last resort when other options have been exhausted.
Patients can apply for registration with a different practice if that is their preference

Burnham Medical Centre will not: -

• Remove patients solely because they have made a complaint
• Remove patients from our list because their treatment is too costly
• Remove patients because they are suffering from a particular clinical condition
• Remove patients on grounds of age
• Remove patients on grounds of race, gender, social class, religion, sexual orientation or appearance.

We will always try to resolve any areas of conflict that may affect your registration at the Practice.
We would only remove a patient from our Practice list as a last resort unless:

• The patient is physically violent or threatening towards a doctor, practice staff or other patients on the practice premises.
• The patient causes physical damage to practice premises or other patient’s property
• The patient gives verbal abuse or makes threats towards the doctor, practice staff or other patients
• Gives racist abuse, orally or physically
• Is violent or uses or condones threatening behavior a member of the primary health care team while visiting the patient’s home.
• You move to an address outside the Practice boundary
• You are living abroad or reside outside the UK for more than 3 months of the year.
  

PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

Background

Burnham Medical Centre is a busy thriving Practice with in excess of 15,000 patients, cared for by a partnership of 8 General Practitioners and 3 salaried GP’s, supporting Health Care team and staff.

In 2007, Burnham Medical Centre set up its own Patient Participation Group or PPG, as it is more commonly known.

The main purpose of the group is to feed back to the surgery on services and make suggestions for improvement. The group is also has a key role in developing health promotion services at the practice. Our participants have a serious interest in voicing representative views and present positive, forward thinking opinions and ideas.

Objective

• What are the objectives of the Group?
  
• To ensure that patients have a voice in the service provided by the practice
  
• To act as a liaison group between the practice & our patients
  
• To establish & maintain a regular exchange of information between patients & staff
  
• To be involved in surgery policy production
  
• To act as a forum to feedback to the practice suggestions for improvement to the services provided
  
• To give input to & help develop & improve areas such as health education promotion.
  
• To encourage self-help & self-management of illness by helping to develop patient understanding of the telephone & appointment system.
  
• To develop relationships with other similar groups locally to share ideas, best practice etc.

For example, our PPG have been actively involved in contributing to the planning of what services and amenities should be available at the planned Berrow Surgery. In addition to their own views, they have expressed those of local people that they have gained through their involvement in the local community.

Contact the PPG

If you would like to contact the PPG in relation to Burnham Medical Centre, you may e-mail them at: PatientGroup@burnhammc.nhs.uk

Alternatively, you are welcome to write to:

Patient Participation Group, Burnham Medical Centre, Love Lane, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 1EU

Interested in joining?

Any patient aged over 16 who is registered with Burnham Medical Centre is eligible to apply to join our PPG.
There are currently 8 patient members together with representation from the GPs and Practice Management. We welcome interest from patients who are interested in joining; however, there may be a wait to do so.