Latest News

Please note planned road closure 7-24 February Rea Bridge, Leigh 9.30am-3pm

https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/A4510-23-6886

https://www.shropscommunityhealth.nhs.uk/chslt-speech-language-communication-needs

We understand there is a lot of concern about Strep A and Scarlet Fever at present. You may find following video useful – but of course you should contact us if you have any concerns:

Life can feel hard right now and we know there are a lot of additional pressures on family life. For some of you this can feel overwhelming. If you are struggling with your mental health and don’t feel safe there is help you can reach out for.  If you need to speak to a Healthcare Professional, please ring the surgery and ask for a ‘same day appointment’, explain to the Receptionist that you are struggling with your mental health, and you don’t feel safe. They can also offer you an appointment with our First Contact Mental Health Practitioner if she has available appointments and this feels like the right option for you.

If you need urgent help for yourself or someone else with immediate danger, please call 999

The Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation trust can offer urgent help, there are useful resources at

Urgent Help :: Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)

If you live in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin call 0808 196 4501 or email access.shropshire@mpft.nhs.uk

Talking can help if you do not feel safe, a friend or family member may be able to help. If you do not feel that is appropriate there are other options:

Pick up the phone, you are not alone – link to Shropshire Council’s mental health and wellbeing resources. pick-up-the-phone-you-are-not-alone.pdf (shropshire.gov.uk)

https://www.samaritans.org/ Samaritans call 116 123 – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

SANEline 07984 967 708 – a professional or senior volunteer will call you back as soon as practicable

Bereavement Support: call 0345 678 9028 – a new service has been launched to support Shropshire residents who are experiencing and suffering from bereavement and loss during the coronavirus pandemic.

Papyrus HopelineUK

HopelineUK advisers want to work with you to understand why thoughts of suicide might be present. They also want to provide you with a safe space to talk through anything happening in your life that could be impacting on your or anyone else’s ability to stay safe.

• For children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide
• For anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide 

More information about suicide prevention can be found at Suicide prevention | Mental Health Foundation

If you are struggling with carer stress, isolation or financial problems our care-co-ordinator/social prescribers can sign post you to the support you need, and they are based at the surgery, Please ring the surgery and ask the receptionist for the care-co-ordinator / social prescriber to give you a phone call.

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.

You will now be able to see all the information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App, NHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you.

This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your GP, not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information from the 1st November 2022 (this has been delayed until 30th November 2022) . For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything.

Your GP may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your GP may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

These changes only apply to people with online accounts. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your health records by requesting this information through reception.

The NHS App, website and other online services are all very secure, so no one is able to access your information except you. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Don’t share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.

If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to your GP or reception staff.

POP UP LARDER, PONTESBURY

Will be held on Wednesday 19^th October 2022

11.30 until 12.30 at Pontesbury Pavilion

All are welcome

  Please bring your own carrier bag, one per family

All donations to allow this event to take place have been gratefully received from Local Businesses and the Local Community

We thank you all for your support

Coffee Morning Friday 14th October – The Plough Inn, Pontesbury

The next open Coffee Morning will be held on Friday 14th October at The Plough, Pontesbury. All are welcome to come and have a coffee and chat and meet other people from the local area.

Following the success of the “100 Club” in 2022, we will be running the club again in 2023. Should you wish to join the 100 Club for 2023, please bring your £12.00 subscription, to be in with a chance of winning some fabulous cash prizes throughout the year!

If you have any donations of bottles, chocolates etc. that can form part of our Christmas Tombola Stall, these would be gratefully received. Please bring along any donations for the Tombola at the coffee morning or the luncheon event (see below).

Luncheon Club Friday 28th October – The Public Hall, Pontesbury

A new venture being piloted by the Good Neighbours is a Luncheon Club, which will be held on Friday 28th October at the Public Hall in Pontesbury. The event starts at 11.30 am and all are welcome to attend.

A hearty meal will be served, for which a small charge will be made towards the running costs, and a chance to socialise and meet your neighbours and others from the local community.

If the event is a success, it is intended that this would become a monthly event, so please support the first Luncheon Club if you are able to do so.

Should you wish for more details on any of the above events, please contact the Pontesbury Rea Valley Good Neighbours on-call mobile phone, on 07944 891953, or speak to any of the Pontesbury Rea Valley Good Neighbours volunteers at the Coffee Morning, and they will be pleased to help.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR SURGERY

If you are aged 50 + you may be eligible for a Covid booster and flu vaccination. Please contact the surgery to book an appointment to attend one of our vaccine clinics.

If you are eligible to receive the Covid booster / and /or the Flu vaccination this year you will be invited to attend the Practice.

Please support your Surgery.

On THURSDAY 8^th SEPTEMBER 2022 from 1:00pm Pontesbury & Worthen Medical Practice will be closed for training.

We will be open as normal from 8:30am on FRIDAY 9^th SEPTEMBER 2022.

If you need medical treatment that cannot wait until the surgery is open again please ring 111, or in an emergency please dial 999.

Please note due to recent IT issues out of our control dispensary are currently dealing with a back log of prescriptions, this may mean your prescription will take longer to process than usual.

You will receive a text message when your prescription has been dispensed and is ready for collection. If we do not hold a mobile phone number on your record please allow 7 days before attending the surgery for collection.

Please be respectful to all staff, they are here to help you. Staff are working extra hours to resolve this. Violent, threatening or abusive behaviour including shouting and swearing will not be tolerated at this practice.

We appreciate your understanding and patience.

We are currently experiencing technical issues with our clinical IT system affecting all departments within the surgery, Please be patient with us whilst our provider resolves these issues. Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.

Please be kind and respectful to all of our staff during this challenging time. Thank you

‘Get yourself checked’ is the message from GPs, Clinical Pharmacists and healthcare professionals across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin this Cervical Cancer Screening Awareness Week.

To mark the week in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (Monday 20 to Friday 24 June 2022), patients and members of the public are being encouraged to schedule regular screening check-ups with their GP practice to help catch the early signs of cancer.

‘Get yourself checked’ is about cervical screening (a smear test), tying into the national campaign, but will also focus on bowel and breast screening checks too. The week aims to raise awareness of the importance of regular screenings and help to banish any concerns that people might have about getting themselves checked over.

To spread the message, two pop-up events are taking place on Wednesday 22 June at Anstice Park in Telford TF7 5BB and Thursday 23 June at Tesco Extra in Harlescott, Shrewsbury SY1 4HA, from 10am until 4pm.

GPs, cancer specialists and healthcare professionals will be available to offer informal advice and guidance on how to book a screening, what to expect, as well as the opportunity to have a blood pressure check.  

Dr Jess Harvey, GP and Clinical Lead for South East Shropshire, said: “I cannot stress enough the importance of regular screening checks and how these help in the early detection of cancer. According to national statistics, UK screening programmes for cervical, bowel and breast cancer save an estimated 9,000 lives a year. Screening saves lives, it really is as simple as that.

“The decision to pull together our own local screening campaign came about to spread this very important message and to help people overcome any hesitancy they may have about attending a screening.

“There really is absolutely nothing to worry about when attending a screening appointment – your GP or healthcare professional is only concerned in checking your overall health and picking up on any signs that might need further investigation.

“If we check ourselves regularly, we stand a better chance of catching illnesses quicker and making full recoveries.

“Health checks are available, free of charge, to help detect cervical cancer, bowel cancer and breast cancer, and I’d encourage everyone to take them up. If you’ve missed an appointment or have not taken up a screening invite, please speak with your GP practice today.”

As Ukrainian refugees start to arrive in the county, the NHS and local councils are gearing up to provide specialised support. Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has created a dedicated page on its website to help Ukrainian refugees access important healthcare information. The page will act has a hub for guidance on using NHS services as well as signposting to other organisations that can help. Click here to take a look.

It is important that refugees arriving in the UK register with their local GP practice as soon as possible, and not wait until they are ill.

Refugees do not need ID, proof of address or immigration status to register with their local practice – access is available for all.

GP practices are being asked to provide an initial health consultation for all arriving refugees. This consultation will include discussion about medical needs, update immunisations, issue any necessary medication and referrals to specialists if required.

Pregnant women are being urged to book an appointment with either a doctor or midwife at practices, to ensure the right antenatal care is provided for both mother and baby.

Please call the practice on 01743 790325  to register and book an initial appointment.

Opportunity to join Pontesbury and Worthen Medical Practice as Medical Receptionist Apprentice. Please click on the link for further information and how to apply.

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/1000039364

Are you over 55 and interested in moving more and finding activities near you? Are you ready to do more in your community following the lifting of Covid restrictions?

Please see https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/healthy-shropshire/keep-on-moving-shropshire/ for more information.

Please allow 5 working days for repeat prescriptions. If you receive communication by text from the surgery please wait to receive a text message advising you that your prescription is ready for collection before attending the surgery. If you have a mobile number and do not receive text messages please contact the surgery to update your contact details.