Demand for appointments

We are currently experiencing very high demand for appointments both before and after the bank holiday.  We apologise if you cannot get a routine appointment to suit, however if your problem is urgent you can speak to a member of the on call team who will agree a plan of action with you.  This may be an appointment to see a nurse practitioner or doctor, a prescription or self care/over the counter medicine.

Bank Holiday

As the bank holiday approaches it is worth thinking about what you would do if you or a member of your family became unwell over the holiday period.  We recommend that you:-

• stock up on over the counter medicines.  Your pharmacist can also give you advice on treatments and products available.
• check you have enough prescription medicine to see you through the holidays and if you are going away pack enough for at least the duration of your holiday. 

If you need any medical assistant when we are closed you can:

• phone NHS Direct for medical advice.  Their telephone number is 0845 4647
• pop in to your local pharmacy for advice and over the counter medication
• phone us on 01404 814447 if your problem is urgent.  Your call will be automatically transferred to the out of hours service (Devon Doctors on Call).  To avoid putting undue pressure on this service, please only phone  if your problem cannot wait until we reopen
• phone 999 immediately in the event of a life threatening, medical emergency

We are closed on Monday 6th May 2013 and reopen on Tuesday 7th May 2013.

NHS 111 Devon

You may be aware of NHS 111, a new telephone service that is being introduced to improve public access to healthcare services.  NHS 111 will launch in Devon in late June 2013.  The NHS 111 service in Devon will be based in Exeter and provided by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS 111 is a national initiative that is being rolled out across the country between April and July 2013.  It is a new three digit dial telephone service being introduced to make it easier for patients to access local health services, when they have an urgent need.  NHS 111 will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Calls from landlines and mobile phones will be free.

When patients call 111 they will be assessed, given healthcare advice and directed to the local service that can help them - that could be an out of hours doctor, walk in centre, community nurse, emergency dentist or late opening chemist.  If an emergency ambulance is required then this will be arranged automatically.


We will bring you more information as it is released.

Lost something?

While clearing out our lost property box we have found  a number of house keys, car keys, jewellery, watches and mobile phones.  If any of these items could be yours, please contact Melanie Snow, Assistant Practice Manager.  If items remain unclaimed they are destroyed or donated to charity.

Introducing Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Chair: Dr Tim Burke

Chief Officer: Rebecca Harriott

Newcourt House, Old Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7JU

Tel. 01392 205205

www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk

28 March 2013

Dear sir or madam,

Introducing Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

You will be aware that from 1 April 2013 clinical commissioning groups (CCG) will replace primary care trusts (PCT).  Northern, Eastern and Western Devon (NEW Devon) CCG will take over responsibility for commissioning 80 per cent of the local NHS services.

NEW Devon CCG is the largest CCG in the country serving almost 900,000 people and spending £1.1 billion of public money.Our CCG covers a large geographical area so it has been split into three arms or localities.

Northern locality
The northern locality covers North Devon, including Barnstaple, Bideford and as far south as Holsworthy and Chumleigh.
If you want to get in touch with the CCG’s northern locality you should write to:
Dr John Womersley
Northern locality chair
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG
Crown Yealm House
Pathfields Industrial Estate
South Molton, EX36 3LH
Tel: 01769 575100

Eastern locality
The eastern locality covers Exeter, Mid Devon, East Devon, and as far west as Okehampton and Moretonhampstead (but excluding Ashburton and Bovey Tracey).
If you want to get in touch with the CCG’s eastern locality you should write to:
Dr David Jenner
Eastern locality chair
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG
Old Rydon Lane
Exeter, EX2 7JU
Tel: 01392 205205

Western locality
The western locality covers Plymouth, Tavistock, Lifton, Salcombe and Kingsbridge areas to Meldon reservoir.
If you want to get in touch with the CCG’s western locality you should write to:
Dr Peter Rudge,
Western locality chair
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG
Building one
Brest Road
Plymouth, PL6 5QZ
Tel: 01752 434111

If you have a general enquiry about NHS commissioning you should write to the corporate office:
Rebecca Harriott
Chief Officer
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG
Old Rydon Lane
Exeter, EX2 7JU
Tel: 01392 205205
d-ccg.corporateservices@nhs.net
www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk

Please note that the contact information for local acute hospitals and other NHS trusts remains unchanged.

Complaints and comments
People who wish to make a comment or complaint about the commissioning of health services or do not wish to raise their issues direct with the service provider (hospital, community or other local health services) should contact:
Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group
Complaints department
Freepost EX184
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX 2 4QD

Please note that CCGs will not be responsible for handling complaints about GPs, dentists, pharmacies or opticians. If you wish to make a comment or complaint about these services – and it cannot be resolved locally with the practice manager – please contact the NHS Commissioning Board at nhscommissioningboard@hscic.gov.uk . You can also contact the NHS Commissioning Board on 0300 311 22 33.

To view some helpful information about our CCG, including a short guide to the CCG, a credit card sized pocket guide for patients and some posters that show our vision and mission, visit our website: www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/whatisaccg

Should you have any further enquires or wish us to clarify anything for you please do not hesitate to contact us.  In the meantime we look forward to continue working with you to achieve our aim of healthy people, living healthy lives, in healthy communities.

Kind regards.

Rebecca Harriott
Chief Officer

Dr Tim Burke
Chair
Chair: Dr Tim Burke
Chief Officer: Rebecca Harriott
Newcourt House, Old Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7JU
Tel. 01392 205205
www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk

Save a Life, Give Blood

The next donation session planned for our area is on Friday 19th April 2013 at Ottery St Mary Football Club, Wasbrook Meadows, Butts Road, Ottery St Mary.  To make an appointment please call 0300 123 23 23 or visit blood.co.uk