2024 GP Patient Survey
Have your say on the way your local GP services are working
Around 2.5 million people, aged 16 and over, who are registered with a GP practice in England will receive an invitation to take part in Europe’s biggest patient experience survey in early January. The answers we get help the NHS to improve local health services for people like you and your family. It is important that we hear about your experiences even if you haven’t visited your GP practice recently, or if you have filled in a questionnaire before.
The invitations go out mostly by letter to a random selection of people who have been registered with their GP practice for at least 6 months. The survey team at NHS England will follow this up with a text message reminder (where a mobile number is available) to encourage as high a response rate as possible.
If receive a survey invitation, please do take the time to take part. It provides vital information to the NHS to identify what’s working well and what can be improved. It helps to identify inequalities in experience too, as the results can be analysed across different protected characteristics.
If you want to check out how your practice faired in last year’s survey, take a look at the survey website: https://gp-patient.co.uk/practices-search
WE ARE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS ! please click here
With patients' needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need. As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find a wealth of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.
NEW EXTENDED HOURS ACCESS
Abbey Medical Centre Patients will be able to access the new Extended Hours appointments which will be based at the GP Hub at Barking Community Hospital , Upney Lane. This will run from 6.30pm - 8.00 pm Mondays - Fridays and 9.00am - 5.00pm on Saturdays, starting from October 2022. Further details to be published.
With winter fast approaching we are keen to ensure that patients are receiving clear and consistent information about how they can access services out of hours.
Your GP surgery should usually be your first point of contact if you have particular concern about your health. Appointments are available 7 days a week, including in the evenings, on weekends and bank holidays. These appointments can be booked online or over the phone.
Appointments can take place by phone, video, or face-to-face depending on your preference and clinical need.
A range of healthcare professionals work at your practice and in the wider community to help you get the right care when you need it. This means you might be seen by a GP, but you could also be seen by another trained professional such as a practice nurse, community pharmacist, physiotherapist, or social prescriber.
Appointments out of hours
If you need an urgent appointment contact the practice during opening hours between Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm on 020 8090 8106 or fill out a eConsult form on our website.
When the practice is closed, please ring NHS 111 or use NHS 111 online and they can help you with booking an urgent GP appointment.
Routine and urgent appointments are provided in the evening and weekends at our federation clinics.
You should only attend A&E if you need immediate care for something that is very serious or life-threatening. If your condition isn’t life-threatening, in many cases you could be seen faster by using other local services in your community.
If you feel unwell or have a minor injury, your local pharmacy can also offer advice and some medicines. Many pharmacies are open late and at the weekends, and you do not need an appointment to be seen. Find your nearest pharmacy.
If you live in Barking and Dagenham or Havering, you can also get help with minor injuries and illnesses at our community Urgent Treatment Centres at Barking Community Hospital and Harold Wood Polyclinic. These are open 8am-9pm, seven days a week. You can call NHS 111 to book an appointment or walk in and wait to be seen.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and need urgent help because you are worried that you might harm yourself or someone else, contact your local mental health crisis line. Trained professionals are there to help you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling 0800 995 1000 or click here to find your local line.
For more information on finding the right NHS help visit www.northeastlondon.icb.nhs.uk/urgentcare
Did you know…?
We are participating in a new approach to improve access for patients to GP appointments. The aim is to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional, which may be a GP or a pharmacist.
From 2023, if your symptoms could be resolved by a booked consultation with the pharmacist instead of the GP, you will be given a same-day referral to a pharmacy of your choice.
We think this is a good thing. Once you see how great your local pharmacist is – they are highly trained and skilled clinicians experienced in treating minor illnesses – we don’t think you’ll look back.
This will also help us to free up GP appointments for people with more complex health needs and ensure that everyone gets treated at the right time, by the right healthcare professional.
We are keen to hear what you think and will be listening to your comments and feedback about your experience of using this service.
Our Flu Clinics have started:
To check your eligibility please click here To make an appointment for your flu vaccine please contact our Reception team on 020 8090 8106
OR
Attend Flu Vaccine Walk-in Clinic on Sunday 15th October 2023 between 11:00am to 2:00pm. No appointment necessary.
For more information please visit our Services section above.
Get Well, Keep Well
Of course we’re not just here for when you are unwell. Our team of healthcare professionals and back-up staff offer a number of clinics and services to promote good health and wellbeing whatever your medical condition.
Cervical Smear Advice - Multi Language
Cervical screening ( a smear test ) checks the health of the cervix. It is not a test for cancer, its a test to help prevent cancer.
All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter. The GP surgery will contact if you are due to have one. For further advice in different languages, please use the following HM Government Website Link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-description-in-brief
Here are the links to youTube for the following multi-language videos:
Join In
We hope you enjoy having a look around the site and familiarising yourself with some of the online features such as ordering a repeat prescription. Whatever your thoughts, be sure to let us know via our feedback function. Comments and suggestions are always a great way of helping us continue to enhance the way we look after you.
Complaints
If you have any complaints please see the Practice Manager, alternatively put in writing and hand in to reception. You can also write to the practice e mail barkdag.abbeymed@nhs.net
You will be responded to within 10 working days / max 20 days of your complaint
Access
Our Practice premises are accessible for wheelchair users.
Local NHS GP Hubs- Out of Hours
(Site updated 20/03/2024)