Practice Notice

The NHS requires that each month the Practice collect all the prescriptions issued and sends the paper copy to the NHS Business Service Authority in Newcastle for processing.  We do this using the Royal Mail service each month along with all other GP Practices. 

We have recently been informed that last month our package of prescriptions did not arrive at NHSBSA and we have had a small number returned to us through the Royal Mail system.  We have requested a full investigation by the Royal Mail to establish what has happened and where the prescriptions are.  As you would expect the Practice take the security and confidentiality of all information it holds very seriously and as well as reporting this incident to the Royal Mail for them to investigate we have also informed the Information Commissioners Office and the regional NHS commissioning organisation.

Important information for patients currently on hospital waiting lists

The NHS has been working hard to address the backlogs built up during the COVID pandemic. As part of these plans, the NHS will be proactively contacting patients who have been waiting a long time for NHS funded treatment to remind them of their right to request to move to an alternative hospital where they may be seen quicker. 

From Tuesday 31^st October new digital portal called the Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS) will be introduced. Patients who have been waiting 40 weeks or more can use this portal to request an alternative choice of hospital.   

Any patient who is eligible will receive either a SMS text message or a letter from their current hospital explaining how to request to choose a different hospital.

Please do not contact the practice regarding this process as we have no information regarding individual patients. 

The hospital will contact you if you are eligible. Please do not contact them either.   

Further information about alternative choice is available on hospital websites.