Other Information

The Patient Partnership Group

The Patient Partnership Group (PPG) was established in 1997. It aims to give every patient a voice to raise concerns and suggestions how the surgery could be improved. The group also organises regular meetings with speakers on health topics to which all patients are invited. The PPG produces a quarterly newsletter, available free of charge at the surgery. Should anybody wish to join the PPG, please contact reception.

Medical Students

The practice has been taking medical students since 1993. These are mostly medical students from St George's Hospital Medical School. They will often sit in with the GPs and sometimes see patients by themselves, under close supervision of one of the doctors. Students would only see patients once the patient's consent has been obtained.
Our students have always enjoyed their time in General Practice and we would like to thank all our patients for their willingness to help with their education.

GP Registrar

Since 1996 the practice has been approved as a training practice. Every year we train apprentice GPs up to the standard of a full principal. The apprentice GP is known as a GP Registrar and is a fully qualified doctor, often with many years' experience of seeing patients.

During their training, GP registrars may videotape some of their consultations, so their skills can be improved. Please note the videotapes are erased after use and their content is kept entirely confidential. Should you not wish to be videotaped (such surgeries are well advertised at the time), please tell the receptionist.

Although the GP registrar is only attached to the practice for one year, many patients have enjoyed seeing them, as often the consultations are less time pressured than with the other doctors.

Foundation Doctors (F2)

The practice takes doctors who are in the second year of their hospital foundation training from Mayday Hospital. These are qualified doctors who are attached to general practice for four months.

Clinical Governance and Audits

From time to time the practice, internally and externally, audits its standards of care eg, diabetes and heart disease. This data is used so the practice can improve its overall care to all patients.

Our patients are assured that any medical information collected is entirely anonymous to preserve your confidentiality.

Fees for Claim Forms and Private Medicals etc

Certain services provided by your doctor are not covered by the NHS and you may be asked to pay a fee. Examples are pre-employment medicals, private medicals, private sick certificates, insurance claims, fitness to drive medical, private medical insurance claims, holiday cancellation claims, certain travel vaccinations and any occupational health work.

Our fees are in line with the recommended BMA rates. If you have any query about fees, please ask at reception.

Sickness Certificates

The rules are quite clear. If you are off work owing to sickness for up to seven consecutive calendar days, you need a self certificate (SC2) available only from your employer.

If you are self employed, you may collect SC1 forms from the surgery. If you are off work for less than seven calendar days you do not require a doctor's certificate. Any absence for more than seven days, including weekends and bank holidays, requires an NHS certificate, available from your doctor free of charge. If your employers require a certificate for a period of less than the statutory seven days, the doctor is not obliged to issue any certificate but may issue a private certificate for which there is a fee. Please point this out to your employers as they may be liable to cover this cost. Our fees for private sickness certificates are in line with recommended rates.