DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE – POLEGATE
77 HIGH STREET, POLEGATE
EAST SUSSEX BN26 6AE

TEL: 01323 482323

Email: sxicb-esx.downlandsmedicalcentre@nhs.net

www.downlandsmedicalcentre.nhs.uk

NHS East Sussex CCG
Members of South Downs Health & Care Ltd (Federation)
& Victoria Medical Centre Primary Care Network (PCN)

History of the Practice

In 1947 at the inception of the NHS, Dr E.W.Bedford-Turner started one of the first NHS practice in the area.  Apparently, there was some ill feeling amongst the majority of Eastbourne doctors who were quite happy in private practice.  At the time, the practice premises were at 47 Eastbourne Road, Willingdon, however in 1951 it moved to Lister House also in Eastbourne Road.  In 1970 Dr Bedford-Turner was joined in the practice by his son, Christopher and during 1970 they opened
a branch surgery at the Triangle, Lower Willingdon.  In 1973, the practice moved to 34 High Street, Polegate before the final move to the current premises at 77 High Street.  This had previously been the local Co-op store and was converted for use as a surgery providing easy access for the disabled and elderly, being all at ground level.  The practice list size grew rapidly and additional partners were taken on to meet the demand.  There are now four GP Partners and a practice list of approximately 10,700.  
In autumn of 1989, major refurbishment of the practice commenced and was completed in April 1990 along with installation of computer terminals.  The partners feel the present list size is at a maximum and hope to concentrate their services on the Polegate and Willingdon areas. 

Patient Participation Group

The practice has a volunteer patient group who meet regularly 

The group comprises of patients from our practice list who are able to give us feedback and suggestions about the services we provide.

It is very valuable for us to have this feedback and we are very grateful to patients for giving up their time to help us.

The Practice Team
Doctors

Dr Dax C Tennant (male)
MB ChB MRCGP (2009) University of Manchester Medical School in 2003

Dr Jaideep Jadav  (male)
MB BS St Bartholomew’s Hospital London 1994

Dr Ruth Newton (female)
BM MRCGP DRCOG Southampton University 2006

Dr Dawn Mulley (female)
MB BS Barts and The London 2013

Dr Rachel Austin (female)
MBBS Guys,Kings and St Thomas 2003
Clinical Nurse Practitioner
Maria Bull

Practice Nurses
Sister Valerie Young RGN       
Sister Caroline Simmons RGN
Sister Nasim Kiani

Nurse Associate 
Mrs Cherie Reason

Health Care Assistants

Mrs Jackie Riggs NVQ Level 3
Ms Emma Hogan NVQ Levei 3
Mrs Rebecca Tanner NVQ Level 3
Mrs Leigh Murrant NVQ Level 3

Practice Administration
The Practice Manager is Mrs Beverly Levett who is responsible for practice administration; she is also available to discuss any complaints. She is supported by Office Managers who also may be able to help with enquiries or minor complaints.  We have a friendly team of Secretaries & Receptionists who may ask when you contact the surgery for medical advice some questions, they have been trained to make these enquires so that we can help you in the most appropriate way.

Opening Times
Polegate Surgery
Surgery opens at 7.30a.m.

Reception staff are available as follows: 

Monday         8.30am -  6.00pm
Tuesday         8.30am -  6.00pm
Wednesday   8.30am -  6.00pm
Thursday        8.30am -  6.00pm 
Friday             8.30am -  6.00pm   
Weekend       Closed

Extended Opening Hours

Extended hours appointments are for patients who cannot come to the surgery during normal surgery hours only – it is not an emergency service
Appointments are available on:-
•	Monday evenings 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Polegate Surgery

These appointments are bookable in advance.  Although there is a receptionist on duty she is there, only to deal with patients booked in for these consultations
We are not open during these times for collection of prescriptions; letters etc. and cannot deal with prescription enquiries or make appointments during these times. 
When We Are Closed
The normal out of hours arrangements are in place from 6.30 pm until 8.00am each day, weekends and bank holidays. In an emergency, please call the NHS 111 Service who can help with all matters that cannot wait until the surgery re-opens. This can be done by dialling 1-1-1.  Calls are free from all mobiles and landlines.

All non- urgent matters should be left until normal surgery hours.

When the surgery is closed 6.30pm - 8.00am Monday to Friday, Weekends and Bank Holidays please call NHS 111 by dialling 1-1-1

Calls to NHS 111 from landlines and mobile phones are free and the service is available 24 hours a day.  This service is to make it easier for people to access healthcare services when they need medical attention fast, but it is not for life threatening situation.
Please do not ask to see a doctor out of hours unless you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens
Emergency Dentist 01323 449170
Call 999 in an emergency. Chest pains and/or shortness of breath constitute an emergency

New Patient Registration
If you live in our practice area and would like to register with us, please ask at reception for our registration forms or download from the Practice website.
The GP Partners at Downlands Medical Centre manage their own patient lists and we therefore ask that you deal with your own registered Doctor whenever possible. If your Doctor is absent there may be a locum GP seeing their patients or one of the other Partners may deal with urgent requirements, which cannot await the return of your own Doctor
Please note that proof of identity such as passports, driving licence, utility bills etc., will be asked for at the time of registering.
Disabled Access
The surgery is at ground floor level, providing easy access from the High Street. Disabled toilet facilities are also provided.
Baby changing facilities
We have baby changing facilities at the Practice.

Chaperones You are entitled to ask or arrange for a chaperone to be present during intimate examinations. Chaperones are from our Practice Nursing and Reception Team and have received full training to perform this service.

Patients with Special Needs
We have a hearing loop facility for patients with hearing problems. Please ask at reception.  We can also arrange an interpreter for patients who do not speak English.  Please let us know if you require this service when booking an appointment.

A map of the boundary of the practice area is at the end of the booklet

Appointment Times
	
Doctors		Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	
Dr Jadav	AM

PM	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00
6.30-8.30	
	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	
Dr Newton	AM

PM	
	8.30-11.30		8.30-11.30	8.30-11.30

Dr Tennant	AM

PM	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	
	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	08.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	
Dr Mulley	AM

PM	

	08.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30.-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	8.30-11.30

3.00-5.00	
Dr Austin	AM	08.50-12.20

13.40-15.40	08.50-12.20

13.40-15.40

	

You can help us by
•	Being on time for your appointment
•	Letting us know if you need to cancel
•	Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10.00am
•	Calling for test results after 2.00p.m.

CLINICS

Asthma Clinic – Asthma clinics are designed to help asthmatics gain maximum control of their asthma.  Please phone for an appointment

Well Woman Clinic – Cervical smears are performed they are recommended at three yearly intervals between the ages of 25 to 49 and every five years from ages 50 to 65 and general health advice and education, menopausal problems and queries relating to pre-menstrual tension are dealt with.

Sexual Health – All aspects of sexual health for males and females, including full consultation. Chlamydia testing (carried out on site) and blood tests were necessary

Contraception – Run by fully trained family planning nurses who can give contraceptive advice.   All forms of contraception are available including the fitting of intrauterine devices (coils), the insertion of the sub-cutaneous implant (implanon) and emergency contraception.

Smoking Cessation – This clinic gives support and advice. Patients are seen on a one to one basis

Cryotherapy – These clinics are for the treatment skin lesions you will need to see your doctor first.

Pre Diabetic Clinic – this clinic is run by our Health Care Assistants.  Two weeks before the appointment with the Diabetic Nurse, weight, blood pressure and feet are checked and a blood test carried out.

Diabetic Clinic – Monitoring and advice is given in order to help prevent long-term complications of this condition.

Phlebotomy – For blood tests please ensure if you are asked to have a fasting blood test you follow the instructions given before the test

Anticoagulation- For patients on Warfarin we carry out testing and results

Home Visits - Warfarin testing can be arranged for the genuinely housebound.  These are arranged by doctor referral only and are carried out on Tuesday and Friday mornings by our Health Care Assistants

General Clinics

General Clinics are held Monday to Friday for dressings, ear syringing, vaccinations, removal of stitches etc.

All clinics are by appointment and every effort is made to keep to time. However, urgent treatment in emergencies may have to take priority.

Specialised Clinics

Specialised clinics for the following are also held in the surgery

1.	Anticoagulation (INR Testing)

2.	Asthma

3.	Cryotherapy

4.	COPD

5.	Coronary Heart Disease

6.	Diabetes

7.	Ear Microsuction

8.	Family Planning (including Implanon and IUCD)

9.	Leg Ulcer

10.	Menopause

11.	Phlebotomy

12.	Smoking Cessation

13.	Well Woman
Children’s Immunisation

Please check the following points before bringing your child to the surgery.  There has been a lot of bad publicity in the newspapers about immunisation in children, however, remember your child is at greater risk from contracting the disease than from suffering a reaction to immunisation.

•	Is your child suffering from any feverish illness? Don’t worry about a runny nose without a fever
•	Does either of the child’s parents, brothers or sisters suffer from epilepsy? Epilepsy in more distant relatives is not considered a problem
•	Is your child taking steroid treatment?
•	Does your child suffer from any disease affecting his/her immune system?
•	Does your child suffer from a severe reaction to eggs?
•	Has your child suffered from a reaction to any previous immunisation injection?

If the answer to any of the questions above is yes, then tell your doctor and/or your Nurse.

Childhood Immunisation Clinic
For routine childhood immunisation, the Surgery will ring you to book an appointment date and time.

Making an appointment
You can make an appointment, either by telephone, online (24hrs a day / 7 days a week) as Monday is the busiest time of the week, please avoid telephoning then for non-urgent appointments or results.  It is usually much easier to telephone in the afternoon.  Urgent cases are seen on the day. You can also contact us via Engage Consult on our website.
The Receptionists will ask if you can tell them what the problem is. They can triage you to the correct Clinician this may not necessarily be a GP. A Locum Doctor may see you in the absence of your own GP. 
Home Visits
If you are too ill to come to the surgery or are genuinely housebound, then you can be seen at home. 
A doctor or nurse or paramedic will phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.
House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.
Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the surgery.
Telephone Advice
If you need to speak to your GP or practice nurse on the telephone, the most convenient time for them to speak to you is out of surgery and clinic appointment times.
You will be asked to leave your name, address, telephone number and a brief description, if possible, of the enquiry or problem. You will then be contacted by the doctor or nurse after morning or afternoon surgery. If your GP is away, then another GP will deal with the request if appropriate. You may be called back by the doctor's secretary if there is a simple answer to your enquiry or if he/she needs further information or if the doctor does not feel he can deal with the enquiry/problem by telephone and needs to see you in surgery.

Repeat Prescriptions
Patients on regular medication will require repeat prescriptions. For a safer service, these are now computerised. Your doctor will have entered your medication onto the computer and each time a new prescription is written by the computer a form is also generated for you to make your next request.
Allow four full working days for your prescription to be processed. Repeat prescription requests cannot be taken over the telephone. They need to be in writing or made on line.
If you have more than one repeat, medication please try to order all your items together. Tick which items on the request slip you require. Clearly indicate where you would like the prescription form sent on the "Repeat Prescription Form".
Either deliver or post your Repeat Prescription Form to the surgery. You can also order repeat prescriptions on-line. You need to register for this service. Please apply at main reception or telephone and request that an application is sent to you. Alternatively, you can email your request to 
sxicb-esx.prescriptionrequestsdmc@nhs.net
If you are receiving any medication, which is not on your request form, please add this clearly on the request slip and this will be added after verification with the GP.
We can send your prescription direct to one of our nominated chemists: Kamsons, Lower Willingdon; Kamsons, High Street, Polegate; Procter’s, High Street, Polegate; Peels and Freshwater Square, Seaforth, Hailsham; Boots Terminus Road, Eastbourne; Kamsons, Stone Cross. We can send your prescription to any other chemist that you wish to nominate. It does not have to be a chemist in the surgery area.
We can also send the prescription form to your home address, but remember to enclose a stamped addressed envelope. However, if you wish, you can collect the form from the surgery.

Test Results
Please call between 2:00pm and 4:30pm to enquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times.
Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.
When you take your test you will be advised how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice.
It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if you are advised to do so.
Prescriptions Charges and Exemptions
Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs). 

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount, which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines.  Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

NHS charges
These charges apply in England only. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

Prescription (per item): £9.65
12-month prepayment certificate (PPC): £111.60
3-month PPC: £31.25
If you will have to pay for 4 or more prescription items in three months or more than 14 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC. 
Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
General Public - Buy or Renew a PPC On-line

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website
Childhood Illnesses and Symptoms
Advice on Fever in Babies:
•	Dress your baby in lightweight clothing.
•	Do not overheat the room
•	Give small drinks of clear fluid frequently (water and/or diluted juice)
•	The fever does not necessarily need to be treated if your baby is well.
•	Let your baby eat if he or she wants to.
•	If your baby is unhappy or irritable or appears to be in pain, give paracetamol or ibuprofen at the dosage recommended on the bottle
•	Do not give aspirin to children under 16
•	Giving medicine may make your baby feel more comfortable
•	If the temperature has not settled within 48 hours – consult a doctor
See a doctor immediately if your baby:
•	Looks sick, pale or lethargic
•	Is having difficulty breathing
•	Refuses to drink
•	Is unusually drowsy
•	Is under three months and has a temperature of 38C or over
•	Vomits all fluids or continues to vomit for a few hours
•	Is in obvious pain that does not settle with one dose of paracetamol
Meningitis
Meningitis is serious illness but in general, the earlier it is diagnosed and treated the better the recovery
Early symptoms may resemble colds and flu with fever, irritability and vomiting or refusing feeds.  The condition can worsen in hours.
In babies look for:
•	Difficulty in rousing the child
•	High-pitched moaning cry
•	Pale or blotchy skin
•	A red or purple rash that does not fade under pressure
In older children:
•	Pain and stiffness in the neck
•	Severe headache / Upset by bright light
•	A red or purple rash that does not fade under pressure
If you are at all concerned, please telephone the surgery for advice.  When the surgery is closed telephone 1-1-1, calls to this service are free from landlines and mobiles
Exercise for Health
Exercise has been shown to have many benefits both in the healthy, for prevention of illness, and for the treatment of certain condition.  If you are worried about your fitness to start exercising use this check list and consult your doctor if you answer yes to any of the questions.

Note: If you have a temporary illness, such as a common cold or are not feeling well at the time-postpone your exercise.

•	Has a doctor ever said you have a heart condition and recommended only medically supervised activity?
•	Do you have a chest pain brought on by physical activity?
•	Have you developed chest pain in the last month
•	Do you tend to lose consciousness or fall over as a result of dizziness?
•	Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be aggravated by the proposed physical activity?
•	Has a doctor ever recommended medication for your blood pressure or a heart condition?
•	Are you aware through your own experience, or a doctor’s advice, or any other physical reason against your exercising with medical supervision

Smoking and reasons for Giving Up
•	Smoking kills 115,000 people in year in the UK
•	Smokers are 50 per cent more likely to get ill and die early
•	Nicotine in cigarettes is 10 times more addictive than heroin
•	It is never too late to stop smoking.

Tips for Quitting

•	Make sure you plan for your quit attempt
•	Pick a quit date and keep to it
•	Get support from family and friends
•	Reward yourself with treats from the money you save
•	Keep positive and focused and take one day at a time

Products for help you to Quit

•	There are products available that will double your chances of successfully quitting
•	These products are available on prescription
•	We have a Nursing Team at the surgery fully trained in smoking cessation you can give you one to one support
•	Smoking helpline is  0800 917 8896

Alcohol – A guide to sensible drinking
A small amount of alcohol does you no harm, but if it is more than a small amount on a regular basis, you may be damaging your health.
How much alcohol is in your drink?
One Unit = Half a pint of beer, lager, cider/single measure of spirits/standard glass of wine/small glass of sherry

What is a sensible limit?
Men: Up to 21 units each week –spread through the week
Women: Up to 14 units each week –spread through the week

Accidents
Alcohol is a major cause of accidents.  One in six drivers killed on the road are over the legal limit.

Long term effects of over drinking
Obesity, High Blood pressure. Liver Disease, Stomach Ulcers, Depression, Cancer of the mouth and gullet   

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding 
You are actually giving your baby an alcoholic drink each time you have a drink.  Limit yourself to an occasional drink – one/two units per week, if at all.

Medication
If you are taking medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to drink alcohol

Practice Policies
Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act became law on the 30th November 2000. The Downlands Medical Centre conforms to the requirements of the Act and have produced a publication scheme in accordance with the Act. A copy of the Act is available on the Freedom of Information website: www.foi.nhs.uk
Confidentiality
All our staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses.
Data Protection Act
All our staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses. The practice is computerised and patients' details are held on computer. We are therefore, registered under the Data Protection Act 1984.
Change of Personal Information
If you change your name, address or telephone number, please notify the surgery as soon as possible, so that we can ensure that our records are accurate.
Carers
If you are a Carer, the surgery has a service to support you. For more information, please enquire at the reception desk.
Smoking and Mobile Telephones
Neither smoking nor the use of mobile phones is permitted in any part of our buildings
Violent / Abusive Patients
This practice has a zero-tolerance policy with regards to violent/abusive patients. The definition of violence: "Any incident where a GP or his/her staff are abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances related to their work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being or health". If an incident occurs, the practice will telephone the Police and that patient may be removed from the practice list.
Our Responsibility to You and Your Responsibility to Us
All patients will be treated with respect, kindness and dignity, irrespective of ethnic origin, religion, cultural beliefs, sex or age and we ask you to treat the practice staff with the same courtesy.
Patient Information

Change of Personal Information - If you change your name, address or telephone number please notify the surgery as soon as possible so that we can ensure that our records are accurate (there is a form available from reception).
If your new address is outside of the practice area, you will be asked to register with a new surgery.

Complaints

As a Practice, we make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice

However, we know things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling they have a genuine cause for complaint.  If so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly and as amicably as possible.

We hope that if you have a problem you will use our practice complaints procedure.  We believe this will give us the best chance of resolving problems and gives us the opportunity to improve our practice.  You should write to the Practice Manager and mark it Private and Confidential. This does not affect your right to approach the local Health Authority if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation. If you remain unhappy with the response provided by us you can take your complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.
If you have any questions about whether the Ombudsman will be able to help you, or about how to make a complaint, you can contact their helpline on 0345 015 4033, email phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk or fax 0300 061 4000. Further information about the Ombudsman is available at www.ombudsman.org.uk. 
You can write to the Ombudsman at: 
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 
Citygate 
Mosley Street 
Manchester 
M2 3HQ 

Patient Records
This practice records medical information about you and your health on a secure computer system so that you can receive the right care and treatment.
We may use some of this information in an anonymous manner (all your personal details are removed) for other reasons, for example, to help us to protect the health of the general public, to plan for the future, to train staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.
We are sometimes involved in research studies for which we provide anonymised information from our records. You cannot be identified in any way from this information as none of your personal details are given to researchers. Individual patient's records are added into a much larger anonymous database, containing records from millions of patients across the UK. This information is used by researchers outside this practice. The database to which we contribute anonymised records is known as The Health Improvement Network (THIN). This database is managed by a company outside the NHS, which does not have access to your personal details, only to anonymous medical records. The data is used for research into such topics as drug safety, disease patterns, prescribing patterns, health economics and public health. Many of these studies provide useful information to medical staff on diseases, the use of drugs or outcomes of disease or treatment and will benefit all patients.
No researcher has access to your full details such as your name and address, initials or your full date of birth. The researchers are not given information on the GP nor the practice name, address or postcode.
As, potentially, all patients can benefit from this scheme, we would not encourage patients to opt out of this data collection scheme, but please let your doctor know if you wish to opt out and no data from your records will be collected or used in research. This will not affect your care in any way.
If anything to do with the research would require that you provide additional information about yourself, you will be contacted to see if you are willing to take part, you will not be identified in any published results.
Note that you have a right of access to your health records. If at any time you would like to know more, or have any concerns about how we use your information, you can speak to Mr. Simon Lawrence, Practice Manager, or Mrs. Bev Levett, Assistant Practice Manager.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Age UK East Sussex                                01273 476704                                                          

Community Nurses                                       01323 446994             
(Visit patients in their homes following G.P. or hospital referral)

STAR East Sussex Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service                         0333038160

Eastbourne District General Hospital      0300 131 4500 
                 
Eastbourne Jobcentre                   0800 169 0190

Wellbeing Lifeline                         01323 644422  
       
Emergency Dental Service   
Eastbourne         01323 449170   Weekday Evenings    
Hastings              01424 850792 Weekends Bank Holidays
     
Family Planning Clinic (Avenue House Eastbourne)         0808 1681282

Macmillan Support line             0808 808 00 00
               
Midwife        			 0300 131 5344
 
NHS Services                                     111

St Wilfrid’s Hospice                01323 434200

Sussex Health & Care NHS Sussex
Post: NHS Sussex, Wicker House, High Street, Worthing BN11 1DJ
•	Tel: 0300 140 9854
•	Email: sxicb.contactus@nhs.net

Our Practice Area