Your Practice at a Glance: Monthly Stats!

We're always working to provide the best possible care for our patients, and we wanted to share some insights into how our practice has been doing this month.

Appointments & Wait Times:

We're pleased to report that a remarkable 4,226 appointments were booked with our dedicated team this month! We know your time is valuable, which is why we're proud that the average time spent in our waiting room was only five minutes.

While you're here, we kindly encourage you to take a moment to explore the information available in our waiting room. You'll find details about the important research currently happening at the practice, a photo board of our team, and other current information and local help and support groups . You can also pick up a copy of our latest newsletter and review some of our governance information – it's all regularly updated!

Attending & Cancelling Appointments:

We're really encouraged to see high attendance rates this month, with 83% of nursing appointments and 94% of GP appointments being attended. This helps us ensure everyone gets the care they need.

However, we do need your help with appointments that are no longer needed. We offer great access to appointments, and if your plans change, please remember to cancel your appointment. This frees up slots for other patients who need to see us.

You can easily cancel your appointment:

• Online – using our website contact us tab – thehallpractice.co.uk
• Through the 24-hour reminder text/email you receive
• By phone – there's an automated process on our phone line, so you don't necessarily need to speak to someone directly.

We'll be monitoring these statistics closely and hope to see further improvements in cancelled appointments in the coming months.

How We See You:

This month, 76% of all our appointments were conducted face-to-face, allowing us to have direct contact with you. We also provided care via:

• 17% telephone appointments
• 6% home visits (including care home visits)
• 1% digital consultations (usually video calls)

All our appointments are available face-to-face, but if a phone call is more convenient for you, we're happy to accommodate that within the same timeframe as a face-to-face appointment. 

Welcome Our New GP Trainee: Dr Sabina Rai

We are delighted to introduce Dr Sabina Rai, who has recently joined our practice as a GP Speciality Trainee at the ST3 level.

What is an ST3 GP Speciality Trainee?

An ST3 is a doctor in their third year of specialist training in general practice. This means Dr Rai is already a fully qualified doctor, having completed medical school and initial training. The ST3 year is an important stage where doctors gain more experience and skills to become independent GPs.

Supervision and Support

Dr Rai will be working under the supervision of Dr Turner, our experienced GP trainer. This ensures Dr Rai receives excellent guidance and support as she continues her training and provides care to our patients.

We are excited to have Dr Rai as part of our team and look forward to the valuable contribution she will make to our practice.

Park in the Purple - Important Parking Reminder for Our Patients

We’ve noticed some patients have been parking in The Allan Practice bays at Calcot Medical Centre and receiving fines. Please be aware that The Allan Practice is now using ANPR cameras to monitor their designated parking bays. To avoid fines, The Hall Practice patients should only park in the clearly marked Hall Practice bays at the top of the car park or use the free 1-hour parking at Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Community Hospital.

Also, if you park in the hospital car park, please do not use the bays near the main entrance. These spaces are reserved for our community nurses who need quick access to deliver care locally.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We want to ensure parking is fair and convenient for everyone.

Important Reminder Regarding Urine and Stool Samples

We’ve noticed some patients are leaving urine or stool samples at reception without handing them directly to our team. We understand reception can be busy and you may be in a hurry, especially if you’re caring for someone else.

However, it’s very important that all samples are clearly labelled with the patient’s name, date of birth, and date of collection, and are accompanied by the correct paperwork. Samples left unattended or without proper labelling and paperwork will be discarded and not processed.

Please always hand your specimen to a member of our reception team. If you don’t have labels or paperwork, ask reception for help before submitting your sample. This ensures your specimen is processed correctly and your results are not delayed.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

New Fees for Non-NHS Work from 1 June 2025

Please note that from 1st June, new fees will apply for non-NHS services.

Full details of these fees are available on our website and on the practice notice board at reception.

https://www.thehallpractice.co.uk/non-nhs-services 

Thank you for your understanding.

Staff Training Wednesday 11 June 2025

The practice will be closed on Wednesday 11 June from 13:00 for essential staff training. If during these times you request urgent medical assistance that cannot wait until the surgery reopens, please contact NHS 111 Service by dialling 111 or visiting NHS 111 Online.

For life - threatening emergencies, dial 999 immediately. 

Additionally, our online platform for contacting the surgery, will be inactive from 12:30 on Wednesday 11 June until 08:00 Thursday 12 June.  

Proud to Be Part of NIHR: Supporting Research to Improve Care

We are proud that The Hall Practice is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) network. NIHR plays a vital role in supporting health and care research across England, helping to develop new treatments, improve services, and enhance patient care.

Research is essential to advancing medicine and ensuring we provide the best possible care for you. Our practice research lead, Dr Turner, works closely with NIHR to bring important studies to our patients and community.

NIHR recently encouraged all practices to promote research participation. If you’re interested in learning more about research or taking part in studies, please visit the NIHR website. 

www.nihr.ac.uk/ 

Together, we can make a difference for the future of healthcare.

How to Book a Blood Test for Your Child

Booking a blood test for your child is now easier than ever — no paper forms are needed as all requests are made electronically.

To book an appointment, please use the following link:

www.swiftqueue.co.uk/buckinghamshire_paediatrics.php

If your child needs anaesthetic cream to help with the blood test, you can buy this from any pharmacy without a prescription. Please apply the cream about one hour before the appointment on the backs of both hands and the insides of both elbows, then cover these areas with a clear dressing or cling film.

This simple process helps make the experience as comfortable as possible for your child. If you have any questions, please contact the practice.

Hay Fever Medication: What You Need to Know

In line with NHS England guidance, GPs no longer routinely prescribe hay fever tablets, nasal sprays, or eye drops. 

Most mild to moderate hay fever treatments, such as antihistamine tablets (like cetirizine or loratadine), steroid nasal sprays, and eye drops, can be bought easily from your local pharmacy or supermarket. Your pharmacist can also offer helpful advice on managing symptoms.

This change helps save GP appointments for more urgent care. 

For more information, visit the NHS website on hay fever.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hay-fever/

Thank you for understanding and supporting self-care for hay fever.

Repeat Prescriptions and Repeat Dispensing Explained

We understand some patients have queries about repeat prescriptions and repeat dispensing. Here's a simple explanation:

Repeat Prescription: This is when your doctor allows you to order a medication regularly without needing to see them each time. You request it when you need it, and we approve it if it's safe and you're due a review. You can order repeat prescriptions via the NHS App or website.

Repeat Dispensing: This is slightly different. Your doctor prescribes several months' worth of medication at once, but the pharmacy dispenses it to you in stages. This means fewer trips to the GP, but you still get your medication regularly.

Ordering via the NHS App

The NHS App lets you view your prescriptions, order repeats, and choose a pharmacy. It's a convenient way to manage your medication needs.

Please note that if your medications are repeat dispensing, these do not show on your repeat medication list. 

Through the NHS App, you can request your repeat prescriptions, which are then sent to us for approval and then directly to your chosen pharmacy.

For more information on repeat prescriptions and how to order them, please visit the NHS website

Understanding Cervical Smear Tests and the NHS Recall System

Cervical smear tests are an important way to help detect changes in your cervix early, reducing the risk of cervical cancer. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme sends out recall invitations when you’re due for your test.

Please note, if you do not respond to your invitation, you may be removed from the recall system and won’t be invited again until your next scheduled screening. If you’re unsure about your eligibility or recall status, please contact us—our practice nurses are happy to help.

If you’ve never had a smear test before or feel nervous, we offer appointments with our nurses to answer any questions and support you through the process.

Cervical screening is for everyone with a cervix, regardless of the gender you identify with. You are very welcome here, and we’re committed to providing respectful, inclusive care.

For more information, please get in touch or visit the NHS website www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cervical-screening/