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Patients in Poole are set to benefit from the formation of Shore Medical: a new partnership formed from a number of local GP practices working together. In total 58,500 patients will have their health care provided by Shore Medical. Shore Medical sees the following practices become partners in the new group, sharing resources, staff and expertise: • Heatherview Medical Centre and Fernside Surgery; • Lilliput Surgery; • Parkstone Tower Practice; • Poole Road Medical Centre; • Wessex Road Surgery. Staffing and services at all the individual practices will continue as normal and patients will be looked after by their established teams [...]

People registered with a Dorset GP practice are being encouraged to find out more about how they can help influence health services in their community. Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) work in partnership with GP practices and allow patients to contribute their views, make suggestions for improvements or get involved in events. Two information events are being held during May where people can speak to staff and PPG members from across the area, find out more and get their questions answered. There will also be short presentations from local GP, Dr Simone Yule and the LiveWell Dorset team. Frances Aviss is Engagement [...]

Over 140 people attended Woodmead Halls earlier this week to find out more about the future of health services in the Lyme Regis area. Those who attended were able to watch a presentation about the upcoming changes with representatives of the partners available to answer questions. These included NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Dorset HealthCare and local GP practices. For those who were unable to attend the meeting a short video has been made available along with some frequently asked questions. Dr Forbes Watson, local GP and Chair of NHS Dorset CCG said “The feedback we had on the event [...]

If you are going away over the upcoming long weekends or just having a few days off with the family, it is important to know what your local health and care services are and when to use them. Pharmacies Pharmacies offer a lot more than just a place to collect a prescription – they can advise you on how to treat a variety of minor illnesses or conditions. There are over 150 in Dorset alone so you will always have one near-by. What’s more pharmacies in Dorset have private consultation rooms so you can speak with them in confidence if you [...]

FreeStyle Libre will be available in line with national criteria from April 1st for eligible patients in Dorset. Initial assessment and prescribing will remain the responsibility of specialists  and patients will receive a FreeStyle device and one sensor. GPs will then be asked to continue the supply of sensors until the patient is reviewed again by secondary care at 6 months, where benefit will be assessed and a decision made to continue FreeStyle or not. The Dorset Formulary has been updated with this information and a new commissioning statement.

Changes to primary medical care and community health services in Lyme Regis Towards the end of 2018 we (NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group) held an event to inform people living in and around Lyme Regis about changes to primary medical care and community health services in Lyme Regis Medical Centre (LRMC). We recognise that a number of people were expecting an update sooner in the year and would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their patience. Primary Medical Services From 1st June 2019 the Lyme Regis Medical Centre and the Lyme Bay Medical Practice will join together as a [...]

Work has started today on Lifeboat Quay Medical Centre in central Poole which will become the new home for Dr Nelms and partners of Carlisle House Surgery later this year and will provide modern, fit-for-purpose primary care facilities for patients. Increases in population and changing demands have been a key consideration in the planning and development of Lifeboat Quay Medical Centre, and when finished it will be able to accommodate up to 13,500 patients. Up to 84 parking spaces and allocated spaces for disabled patients will mean improved access for those attending appointments by car. There is also a bus stop [...]

With local hospitals coming under increasing pressure after the festive break, people are being asked to help stop the spread of the flu and norovirus bugs and help minimise disruption to local services. Make sure you get your flu jab The flu virus strikes in winter and it can be far more serious than you think. Flu can lead to serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and it can be deadly, that’s why the flu vaccine is offered free of charge on the NHS to people who are at risk. You can find more information at www.nhs.uk/getflujab. Having the vaccination will [...]

Following the announcement in October that Abbotsbury Road Surgery will close at the end of March 2019, all patients registered with the surgery will receive a letter by 11th January 2019 advising them which local practice will be responsible for providing them with primary care services in the future and when the new arrangements will start. Patients’ new practices will have full access to both their health record and any repeat medication that they currently receive. The process of transferring patient information has been scheduled outside of practice working hours however in a few cases it may mean that some services [...]

In his most recent letter which was published in the Daily Echo on 19 December Mr Jeff Williams suggests that there is a reduction in funding for the NHS in Dorset to the tune of £147m. This could not be further from the truth as the £147m to which he refers is in fact an additional national investment that has been allocated to Dorset. The funding was announced in July 2017 as part of a national investment, with Dorset being allocated the largest share of a total £325 million. This funding will be used to develop the major planned hospital in Poole and the major emergency hospital in Bournemouth, including new facilities for a maternity [...]