Winter Newsletter

Welcome to our winter 2025 to 2026 newsletter

As we step into January, we want to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy and healthy New Year and thank you for your continued support. This edition brings important updates designed to improve your experience and ensure we deliver the highest quality care to our patient community

Changes to the way you can access the service 

Over the past few months, we have been working on ways in which to improve our continuity of care for our patient population. We know that continuity is good for both patients and clinicians, and ultimately helps to reduce hospitalisation and lower mortality rates, so this has been a key priority for the Partnership and the

Practice this year. In order to achieve this, we are changing internal processes for our GPs and receptionists/administrators to be working in core teams. What this means is that when you contact us, your query will be handled by a small group of GPs and administrators who are more familiar with your history, and that appointments will also be offered consistently with only a small number of GPs with whom you have an established relationship.

We are also working on increasing online access (eConsults), as stipulated by NHS England. Having undertaken a trial period, we know that this will increase our demand on services and requires some changes to the way we work to ensure we can deal with this in a safe way without increased GP capacity being available to us. As such, from 14th January 2026, our eConsult system will be available from 8am to 6.30pm and will be our preferred way for you to contact us, rather than by phone.

We understand that not all patients will be able to access eConsults and those patients will still be able to access the practice by calling us on the usual numbers. Please note that reception teams will no longer have a GP in reception with them, so if you opt to call us you will not receive an outcome immediately, but you will have a response the same working day.

When should you submit an eConsult:

• For any routine clinical issues that can wait to be seen
• For same day requests that can wait a number of hours for a response
• For any admin queries which could include: extension of Med 3 (sick notes), repeat prescriptions and medication queries, requests for test results, requesting a smear test. Please do not use the admin request section to request a clinical appointment.

When should you phone in:

• Any issues that you feel need to be dealt with urgently – please also consider A&E or Urgent Treatment Centres
• Chest pain
• Coughs with significant breathlessness
• New onset abdominal pain or acute pain
• High fever in children
• Severe mental health concerns (e.g. suicidal feelings)

Please phone in if you are unable to access the online eConsults system.

You can of course still walk in and speak to a Receptionist, however you may be asked to wait in the waiting area for the GP to triage your request (if we do not have other means to contact you with the outcome) which could take several hours. We can offer assistance with completing an online form.

Remember you can also access Community Pharmacies directly for treatment (including antibiotics where indicated) of 7 minor illnesses:

• Urinary tract infections (women 16 to 64 years)
• Acute sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• Ear pain (aged 1 to 17 years)
• Acute sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)

Discover the NHS app

The NHS app has become a cornerstone of modern healthcare in the United Kingdom, offering patients a secure and convenient way to manage their health and access essential services. Since its launch, the app has evolved significantly, empowering millions of users to take control of their healthcare journey.

What is the NHS app

The NHS app is a free digital tool provided by the NHS. It is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services from your smartphone or tablet. Whether you want to cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions, or view your medical records, the NHS app makes managing your health easier and more convenient.

Examples of what can you do with the NHS app?

• Cancel appointments with your GP.
• Order repeat prescriptions and choose your preferred pharmacy.
• View your health information, including allergies, current medications, and test results.
• Check your symptoms and get trusted NHS advice.
• Update your organ donation decision quickly and easily

How to get started

• Download the NHS App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
• Create an account using your email address and NHS number.
• Verify your identity securely through the app.
• Link to your GP surgery to unlock full features.

Why use the NHS app?

• 24/7 access to your health information.
• Secure and easy to use – your data is protected.
• Saves time – no need to call the surgery for routine tasks.

Need help?

If you need assistance setting up the NHS App, our Registration team is happy to help. You can also visit the official NHS website for step-by-step guidance

Would you like to join the patient engagement group?

We meet at the Shoreham Centre or online between 6.15pm and 7.15pm on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Please come along to share ideas and learn more about how your local surgeries work.

For further details please visit our patient engagement group page

Community health fair

A date for your diary!

The Community Health Fair will be back in 2026. It will be held at The Shoreham Centre on 11th April 2026 from 10 am to 1 pm. More information to follow soon over the Adur Health Partnership Social Media and in the surgeries.

Published: Dec 29, 2025