Burnham-On-Sea and Berrow Medical Centre says it has seen a 27% surge in patient appointments and requests for care this summer and, amid staff shortages, it is having to limit the number of appointments available for non-urgent care to prioritise urgent patient requests.
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group has this week sought to reassure residents that they can still access care despite the problems at Burnham and Berrow Medical Centre this summer.
Several Burnham-On-Sea.com readers have been in contact during recent weeks to express their concern, with some saying it is nearly impossible to get access to care.
One resident writes: “Are you aware of how bad this situation is? Basically you go full circle waiting through the night for a series of call backs, the last being a GP, who then refers you back to your own GP who isn’t there. My partner is quite poorly… she cannot travel and fears going into hospital. The consensus from the public is the same, getting nowhere.”
A spokesperson from Somerset Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are aware of the challenges currently faced by Burnham and Berrow Medical Centre.”
“We understand, in common with other parts of the NHS, that they face an increasing demand for their services compared to this time last year.”
“This comes at a particularly challenging time for the practice, as they are facing a shortage of clinical and reception staff due to non-Covid related staff sickness and pre-booked annual leave.”
“The practice has had a 27% increase in patient contacts from July 2020 to July 2021. This is in addition to the increasing volumes of administration that come as a result of the pandemic and the need to support the NHS as a whole around waiting times and both urgent and routine access.”
She adds: “We are working closely with the practice to help resolve these issues as quickly as possible, working alongside our wider health and care partners.”
“Please be aware that at the current time Burnham and Berrow Medical Centre are needing to limit the number of appointments available for non-urgent care to enable them to safely manage urgent patient requests.”
“Patients can continue to access the practice in the usual way but remembering that due to the high volumes of phone calls, it may take longer to answer calls, or to book in an appointment. Please be patient and be kind to their staff who are doing their best in difficult circumstances.”
“Patients with urgent health needs will continue to have access to appointments (wherever possible on the same day). The Practice has listened to patient concerns regarding the telephone system, and this is being replaced with a much more user-friendly system, from early October.”
Burnham and Berrow Medical Centre has also responded to comments from residents who feel there has been limited access to GP appointments.
A spokesperson from Burnham & Berrow Medical Centre told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Burnham & Berrow Medical Centre remains committed to providing patients with the best possible care. We do have GPs working at the practice every day, although due to a 27% increase in demand for care and appointments, at a time when we have a reduction in clinical and reception staff available (due to non-Covid related illness and pre-booked holidays), there is limited availability for a booked GP appointment.”
“When a patient contacts us, our reception staff will always ask initial screening questions so that we can identify how best to help you. If a patient has an urgent health condition, we will always work to ensure the patient is seen by the most appropriate service. This may result in the patient being telephoned by a clinician directly or being offered a face-to-face appointment at the practice; it may be through a same day appointment at their local community pharmacist, or in the case of an injury, they may be advised to attend either Burnham or Bridgwater Minor Injury Units.”
“The practice has a range of clinicians available for patient appointments including GPs, paramedics, nurses and MSK practitioners and our receptionists are able to signpost to the most appropriate clinician, who may often not be a GP.”
“We are aware of the challenges patients have experienced accessing our services. We are upgrading are telephony system to support this, and working with the Clinical Commissioning Group and our system partners to find long term sustainable solutions.”
“Due to the pandemic and the need to protect our most vulnerable patients, we are following national guidance and continuing to minimise the number of patients within the surgery buildings.”
“Many initial consultations will be held over the telephone to enable the clinician to assess if a face-to-face appointment is necessary to help with the diagnosis and treatment. If the clinician feels the patient does need to attend the surgery, then this will be arranged at an appropriate time.”
“With the numbers of patients in Sedgemoor with Covid rising dramatically in the last week, infection control is more important than ever, and we ask our patients to support us with this by ensuring they continue to wear facemasks when in the surgery buildings and utilising the hand-gel points that are placed at the entrance and in various points throughout both surgeries.”
How can patients access care?
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group has the following advice:
- Reception staff have been trained to signpost patients to the most appropriate service based on information patients provide. This could, for example, either be an appointment with a clinician at the practice, with a community pharmacist or for a minor injury support at one of the county’s Minor Injury Units.
- If a patient has an emergency health situation, the Practice will do its best to identify an appointment for you at the practice, usually via a phone call initially with one of the clinical team
- You may have to wait longer to get through on the phone for an appointment, particularly first thing in the morning, so please only call early if you need an emergency health appointment.
- The Practice will continue to book routine nursing and health care assistant appointments as usual, but it will be easier to get through on the telephone later in the day
- Anyone with a pre-booked appointment with a member of the clinical team will continue to be seen – you do not need to contact the Practice to check first. If the Practice need to rearrange your appointment, they will contact you
- Nurses, healthcare assistants and phlebotomists are continuing to see patients as normal
- Prescriptions can still be requested through the on line service or by attending the practice in person.
- North Sedgemoor Primary Care Network has secured additional phlebotomy services, mainly for those patients who have been requested to have blood tests by their hospital consultant. (This service is being hosted for patients by Brent Area Medical Centre. Patients affected will be booked an appointment to attend the surgery there). This new service will help the Practice to ensure better access to our practice phlebotomist for blood tests requested by the clinicians at the practice, particularly for patients with certain conditions who need blood tests taken regularly, which will help the Practice to manage your medications safely
For non-emergency appointments such as minor injuries or conditions such as sunburn, insect bites, hay fever, back and shoulder aches and strains, we ask people to visit their local community pharmacist who will be able to offer you same day advice and treatments or you can contact 111 online or by phone.
You can also access care for minor injuries at Burnham-On-Sea Minor Injury Unit or Bridgwater Minor Injury Unit.
In a medical emergency call 999.
