The Calverton Surgery Newsletter December 2025                                   

The Move to Total Triage

Last month I wrote about the introduction of an enhanced online access service which we are already finding is proving very popular. Whether it has improved the 8am phone scramble remains to be seen but it has meant we have had to implement the total triage system I also mentioned last month sooner than first planned. As explained before, all GP appointment requests will now be screened by a clinician. These requests can be made online through our website (preferred) or by phone or in person. Our reception team will then complete the form with you, and it will be submitted in the same way. More detailed information is in flyers and posters in the surgery and on our website. We will aim to respond the same day, so you know what is being arranged. Our hope is that by making this change it will improve access to care, be more convenient and demonstrates us responding to Wes Streeting’s desire that we ‘embrace innovation’. We will be using a system called ‘SystmConnect’ and requests can be made for new medical problems; existing / ongoing problems; Fit (sick) notes; requests for a GP to do something on your behalf; and to arrange follow up appointments with a GP. For now, requests for other appointments in the surgery will be made in the usual way. We hope that there will not be too many teething problems with this new way of working and I apologise in advance if there are. I am also very grateful to those of you who have contacted the surgery in the past few weeks and have been on a waiting list to be seen.

This month we also say a temporary farewell to Dr Taha Bashir, welcome back Dr James Owen and welcome to the surgery for the first time Dr’s Nader bin Mohamad Rashidi and Ruth Ekeoku. I am also delighted that by the time this newsletter is published we anticipate that Dr Wight will be back at the surgery

It remains for me to wish all our patients a Happy Christmas and New Year. Thank you to all of you who bring in gifts of appreciation for the staff which are noted and always appreciated. Make sure you have your medication in for the holiday period and stock up on your over-the-counter medication for those seasonal coughs and colds. Also, early signs are that this could be a bad winter for flu. I would strongly recommend getting vaccinated. If you are not eligible on the NHS jabs can be arranged privately at pharmacies.