Welcome to Abbey Medical Practice

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.

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

Important News for Parents and young adults !! To ensure children of Barking & Dagenham (B&D) are protected and minimise Measles outbreaks within the borough, registered B&D patients can access their MMR vaccination at their GP or within Enhanced Access (EA) Hub Service.

For more information, please see: Routine Childhood Immunisations

GP Out of Hours Appointments

GP appointments are available seven days a week; this includes weekday evenings, weekends and bank holidays. When a surgery is closed, people across north east London can call NHS 111 to book an out of hours appointment.

Christmas Doctor Drop-in Extravaganza for Children & Families event 21.12.23 11am -4pm at the Barking Learning Centre

Wait Well, Stay Well Patient Site 

Earlier this year, NHS NEL launched a website for NHS patients, to help them manage their health and wellbeing, called ‘Wait well, Stay well.’ The website is designed to provide useful information and links to local and national resources to help people manage their own health and wellbeing whist they wait for hospital treatment.  

It includes the following information for patients:

• How to maintain your physical health
• How to look after your mental health
• Being prepared for surgery
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Links to routine waiting time information by specialty/Trust
• Other resources including links to local and national organisations and Royal Colleges.

Patient Access to Medical Records

Do you have a joint or muscle problem?

Please use the FREE getUBetter app designed and written by your local clinicians in North East London - BHR. It offers local? tips, advice, and exercises tailored to you and your stage of recovery.

• Instant access
• Easy to use
• Safe and effective

Your healthcare professionals cannot be with you 24/7, but getUBetter can. 

For more information please visit our services section above.

DID YOU GET YOUR FLU VACCINE ?

Risk of Measles outbreak in Barking & Dagenham

Measles cases are rising in London. The virus is highly contagious and infects the mouth, nose, throat and lungs, causing severe disease which can result in complications and even death. There is no cure and vaccination is the only protection to prevent a Measles outbreak. Our GP records show your child has incomplete routine childhood immunisations. MMR video: https://bit.ly/3DSF5Ze

Join MyWay Digital Health & NHS England for their BRAND NEW Type 1 course!

Understanding Type 1: Carb Counting & Tech. MyWay Digital Health in conjunction with NHS England, are delighted to offer a BRAND NEW online course covering all you need to know about carb counting and type 1 technology!

🗓 When? Course opens on Monday 4th September. Complete the course in your own time before it closes on Monday 18th September.

Questions? Join the live Q&A sessions on ZOOM where you can find out more from a team of diabetes experts:

⏰Tuesday 12th September @ 6pm

⏰Wednesday 13th September @6pm

Links included in the course materials! Open to those with type 1, their family, friends, carers and healthcare professionals.

Enrol today at understandingtype1.mydiabetes.com

Barking and Dagenham Practices are celebrating NHS 75. Join us for a Park walk  and picnic on 22nd July. For more information, please click: Parkwalk

Help us to improve stroke services in north east London

Your local NHS is working to improve care services for people who have had a mini stroke (known as a Transient Ischaemic Attack or TIA) or a stroke. Please complete short online survey which is open to anyone living in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, City of London and Hackney. This survey can be completed by anyone, whether they have experienced a stroke or not.

UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION: 

Exciting Announcement!! FREE online course: Understanding Type 1 Diabetes:

MyWay Digital Health are thrilled to announce new dates for their FREE online Understanding Type 2 Diabetes course. This comprehensive course is designed for individuals with type 2 diabetes, as well as their friends, family, carers, and healthcare professionals. It's the perfect opportunity to develop your understanding and provide vital support to your loved ones.

Course Details: Start Date: 14th June

Duration: Complete at your own pace

Registration: Open now at understandingtype2.mydiabetes.com

Course Duration: Wednesday 14th June at 7am until Monday, 19th June at 5pm (BST)

But wait, there's more! Join live Q&A sessions on ZOOM, where diabetes experts will answer any questions you have about type 2. Join them at 6pm (BST) on both 14th and 15th June!

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to expand your knowledge & gain support. Register now at understandingtype2.mydiabetes.com!

A non-judgemental space for women and girls who have experienced sexual assault, harassment, or abuse.

Please see for further information --> Redbridge Safe2Talk Advice & Support If you cannot attend, click for more info on support available.

Targeted Lung health Check: 

The NHS is diagnosing more patients with cancer at an earlier stage than ever before. In 2021-2022, over 100,000 patients were diagnosed with cancer at stages 1 or 2 when it's easier to treat – the highest proportion ever. A Lung Heath Check is offered free to people aged 55-74 who have ever smoked, as part of the national NHS Targeted Lung Health Check Programme. It finds out how well your lungs are working and aims to rule out any serious conditions. Often, early problems with the lungs do not cause any symptoms, so it is important to attend even if you are fit and healthy.

If you live in Barking and Dagenham, are aged 55-74 and are a smoker, or have previously been a smoker, you will receive a letter inviting you to an initial telephone appointment with the lung health check team. 

For more information, please see the links below which explains the lung check and scan:

English: https://youtu.be/bqEhBH8Sfq8 It is also available in 17 different languages, please click here: Targeted Lung Health Check video for patients | North East London Cancer Alliance (nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk)

What to expect when an ambulance visits you 

The London Ambulance Service have coproduced new resources to support people with a learning disability or autistic people when using the ambulance service. These resources are designed to help to know what to expect when an ambulance comes to see you including assessments. Please check the links below:

Easy read: https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Easy-read-document-When-an-ambulance-comes-to-help-you.pdf

Social story: https://online.fliphtml5.com/jbhej/fihy/#p=1

Video without subtitles : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiIIFlBWZ3k

Video with subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfU4XUZxB0

For more resources, please visit LAS website: Calling us - London Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Barking and Dagenham School-aged Immunisation Community Clinics

Barking and Dagenham School-aged Immunisation Community Clinics

Latest from Abbey Medical Centre 

• We are collecting Winter Coats and Jackets to donate to the Salvation Army to be distributed to those who need them most in this cold weather. Please check for any unwanted items and bring them to Abbey Medical Centre! @salvationarmyuk
• We have started a new initiative here at Abbey Medical Centre to support our community. We are collecting donations for our local food bank, the Trussell Trust. We would appreciate all your help with this. Please see the poster below for a list of the items we are collecting @TrussellTrust

TELEPHONE STATISTICS

Please see the attached latest Telephone Statistics for May -Oct 2023, including average waiting times, length of calls, and total calls received/ answered.
May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 Aug 2023 Sep 2023  Oct 2023

Scarlet fever - Guidance for Parents

Scarlet fever and invasive Group A strep Leaflet for patients

Carer's Newsletter

Please see attached the latest newsletter for November 2022

Carers Newsletter Nov 2022

Staff Training days - Surgery will be closed in Afternoons

We are closed from 1.00pm every 1st Tuesday of each month, for Staff Training and Latest Barking & Dagenham Healthcare Updates.
The next Training dates for 2023 are:

Tuesday 3rd January
Tuesday 7th February

Tuesday 7th March

Tuesday 4th April

Tuesday 16th May

Tuesday 6th June

Tuesday 4th July

Diabetes advice

If any of your diabetes patients want to fast during Ramadan, please discuss with them the safest way to do this or encourage them to speak to their diabetes nurse. Diabetes UK has lots of advice on fasting and managing diabetes during Ramadan, including tips on healthy eating and a factsheet in English, Arabic, Bengali and Urdu. Note that there is an exemption from fasting for people with diabetes, especially for those on insulin or who have any medical complications.

Taking prescribed medicines

If a patient is taking prescribed medicines, they should continue taking them during Ramadan. Please check with them if the doses need to be adjusted or the times that they take them need to be changed.

Attending medical appointments

If a patient has a medical appointment booked during Ramadan, it is very important that they attend. If they need to adjust the time of the appointment, please advise them to contact the relevant healthcare organisation to do so.

Advice on illness while fasting

The British Islamic Medical Association advises that if someone becomes unwell during Ramadan, they should stop fasting and seek medical advice. We are advising people to do this by visiting 111.nhs.uk or their GP practice’s website or if they don’t have access to the internet, by calling 111 or their practice directly.

Please note: Fasting is not considered compulsory for many groups – including people who are unwell with a physical or mental illness or have a long-term condition; people who are very frail; people with learning difficulties; and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating. In addition, those with increased risk of contracting Covid-19 should consider alternative options to fasting.

Covid-19 vaccination

A spring booster Covid-19 vaccine is now being offered to those aged 75 and older, as well as other clinically vulnerable people. We are encouraging people not to delay having their spring booster vaccine during Ramadan, when invited.

Last year the British Islamic Medical Association reviewed the analysis of Islamic scholars and confirmed that having the Covid-19 vaccine does not invalidate the fast. The vaccine does not contain pork or other animal, foetal or alcohol products – this reflects the advice of the majority of Islamic scholars that it is permissible.​ First, second or first booster doses of the vaccine are still available for anyone who has yet to have them.

If a patient develops symptoms of Covid-19 while fasting, we advise that they stop fasting, self-isolate and get tested – refer to the British Islamic Medical Association’s statement on having a lateral flow or PCR test during Ramadan. If they are worried about their symptoms or are not sure what to do, we advise they visit 111.nhs.uk/covid-19 or speak to their GP practice.

Useful resources

GP videos on managing diabetes and medicines during Ramadan, plus advice about Covid-19 vaccinations. Available in English, Arabic, Somali, Sylheti and Urdu

Diabetes UK advice on fasting and managing diabetes during Ramadan and factsheet in English, Arabic, Bengali and Urdu

Diabetes UK tips on healthy food and drink choices during Ramadan

Muslim Council of Britain Ramadan advice and health factsheet

British Islamic Medical Association and Muslim Council of Britain Ramadan Safety Guidance

British Islamic Medical Association statement on fasting and taking a Covid-19 lateral flow or PCR test

British Islamic Medical Association statement on fasting and the Covid-19 vaccinations

British Islamic Medical Association’s Covid-19 vaccine hub – statements

British Islamic Medical Association’s Covid-19 vaccine hub – answering the myths.

Barking and Dagenham diabetes programme tackling health inequalities wins 2022 HSJ Partnership Award

It was a big night for North East London at the HSJ Partnership Awards, which recognises the most effective collaborations within the NHS, with a win for a diabetes project commissioned by NEL CCG and a Barts Health project being highly commended.

The innovative diabetes education programme that is supporting people in Barking and Dagenham took home the trophy for Most Impactful Project Addressing Health Inequalities. The award was given for the ‘Reducing Variation of Care and Outcomes Particularly as it Relates to

Socioeconomic, Cultural or Racial Determinants’ project, which aims to reduce health inequalities by taking a person-centred approach to providing diabetes care through one-to-one phone and video sessions with diabetes specialists and dieticians from the local community, educational materials and via an NHS-approved smartphone app.

Dr Anju Gupta, Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge Diabetes lead for NEL CCG comments: “We are humbled to have won this award, and to have our innovative programme recognised in such a prominent way by colleagues in the wider NHS family.”

“Diabetes is primarily self-managed by people at home and the aim of our programme was to empower them by providing personalised support and tools to better manage their condition. We know that the uptake of diabetes education is particularly low among people from ethnic minority groups, which contributes to the health inequalities that already exist in these communities. To help make the care we provide as accessible and engaging as possible, the dieticians on the programme came from the local communities and they delivered the support in 22 different languages. We now plan to use our learnings from this project to inform our approach to tackling health inequalities in diabetes across all of North East London.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Jagan John, our NEL CCG GP Chair, who provided invaluable support to me and the programme team when we were bidding for the funding for this project and for his ongoing advice.”

The successful projects from North East London are listed below with full details of all the winners available on the HSJ website.

Winter Contingency Plans

The winter months see significant pressures put on the healthcare system due to extreme bad weather, flu epidemics and higher patient demand. To avoid additional strain on local A&E provision, patients are advised to make greater use of NHS 111 Services and Extended Hours Hubs, as well as local pharmacies and walk-in centres.

VACCINATION AGAINST MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE FOR ADOLESCENTS - MenACWY vaccine

Meningococcal disease can affect all age groups, but the highest rates of disease are in children under five years of age, with the peak incidence in those under one year of age. there is a second peak in incidence in young adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. It is this second group that we are targeting for the MenACWY vaccine, and eligible patients will be contacted by the surgery.

a short video on this can be viewed on https://www.envisage-media.info/video/1210/men-acwy-vaccination-2017