Face Coverings
16th June 2020
Following new guidance we are updating our message from 4th June 2020. Anyone visiting the health centre or the pharmacy for any reason must now wear a face covering. This update now includes those patients who do not have an appointment.
NHS Diabetes Advice Helpline
5th June 2020
NHS England and NHS Improvement have launched a new helpline in response to disruption to normal diabetes services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and response.
The service is for adults living with diabetes who use insulin to manage their condition and require immediate clinical advice.
Whether you or a member of your household have caught the virus, or routine care has been disrupted, the helpline is available for immediate clinical advice to help you understand how to effectively manage their diabetes.
You can access NHS Diabetes Advice via Diabetes UK’s support line on 0345 123 2399 Monday-Friday 09:00-18:00.
Face Coverings
4th June 2020
Following new guidance anyone coming to the surgery for an appointment must wear a face covering. Please do not purchase surgical masks as this may cause a shortage for clinicians.
Carers Week
3rd June 2020
Carers’ Week is 08-14 June 2020. Are you a carer? Am I? Is your colleague?
Carers don’t wear a badge and may not even label their role, but they’re vital to our world. This Carers’ Week, recognise our county’s carers for the role they play in our homes and communities. Have a look at what’s going on here
Join a COVID-19 Clinical Trail
1st June 2020
The PRINCIPLE trial aims to find treatments that reduce hospital admission and improve symptoms for people with COVID-19. You could be eligible to join if:
- You have had these symptoms for fewer than 15 days
- A continuous new or worsening cough
- A high temperature
- You are aged 50 to 64 with a pre-existing illness
- You are aged 65 and above
Find out more here.
Antibody Testing
1st June 2020
In line with national guidance, antibody testing (to see if you have had Coronavirus) will be rolled out in Suffolk and North East Essex in a safe and phased way. It has begun with NHS hospital staff.
We will keep you updated as to when this test is available to different staff and patient groups. Meanwhile, please may we request that you do not ask your GP about availability or adding the test onto routine bloods, as it is currently not available. This will help us to help you with all other urgent calls.
We will make an announcement as soon as we can.
Pharmacy
28th May 2020
A reminder that our pharmacy is still open and fully stocked for any over the counter medication that you may need.
Bank Holiday Opening – Friday 8th May
4th May 2020
Woolpit Health Centre (and other practices in Suffolk) will be open on Friday 8th May.
We will be running a small than normal team but please contact the surgery by phone for any urgent problems.
Woolpit Health Centre will be open from 08:00 to 18:30 and the Pharmacy will be open from 08:30 to 18:30.
Reminder – Saturday Surgery Suspended
24th April 2020
A reminder that, until further notice, there will be no Saturday emergency surgery at Woolpit Health Centre.
This is to reduce the risk to our staff and patients and to help us manage staff absence.
The pharmacy will be open on Saturday morning (as per our normal hours) offering standard pharmacy services and medication advice – if you need clinical advice or medical help over the weekend then please call NHS 111 (or use online NHS resources). In a medical emergency dial 999.
Computers Back Online
24th April 2020 – 15.53
Our computer network is now back online and we have full access to our systems once again. Thank you for your patience this afternoon.
IT Failure – Update
24th April 2020 – 14.31
Our IT provider is continuing to deal with our computer failure as an urgent priority but we have been advised it may take several hours until the issue is resolved.
Our phone lines are operational but without access to records we can only offer basic assistance. Please only contact us if you have an urgent problem you need help with immediately – NHS 111 will also be able to offer assistance.
Further updates will follow.
In an emergency please dial 999.
IT Failure – Update
24th April 2020 – 13.21
The practice computer system is still down following a network failure.
Our IT provider is dealing with this as an urgent priority. Thank you for your patience.
If your call will wait please try us later. In an emergency dial 999.
IT Failure
24th April 2020 – 12.05
We are currently experiencing a surgery-wide computer failure. This is being investigated and will be resolved as soon as possible. If you are planning to contact us today and your call can wait then please leave it until later.
In a medical emergency please dial 999.
Further updates to follow.
Reminder – Saturday Surgery Suspended
17th April 2020
A reminder that, until further notice, there will be no Saturday emergency surgery at Woolpit Health Centre.
This is to reduce the risk to our staff and patients and to help us manage staff absence.
The pharmacy will be open on Saturday morning (as per our normal hours) offering standard pharmacy services and medication advice – if you need clinical advice or medical help over the weekend then please call NHS 111 (or use online NHS resources). In a medical emergency dial 999.
We do have a team of our staff on call who are ready to help local services at the weekend if things get very busy: as we were asked to open over the Easter weekend. If this happens then we will make announcements via social media.
Easter Opening
09 April 2020
NHS England has asked all GP surgeries in England to open on Good Friday and Easter Monday. Woolpit Health Centre (and many other practices in Suffolk) have decided we will be open all Easter weekend.
We will be running a smaller than normal team but please contact the surgery by phone FOR URGENT PROBLEMS that won’t wait until after the bank holiday weekend.
The health centre and pharmacy will be open from 8am to 6.30pm on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Delivering Prescriptions to Vulnerable Patients
08 April 2020
If you are self-isolating or you are classified as a vulnerable patient, please make this clear when you are ordering your prescription. We have a team of volunteers in our surrounding villages who we will be able to put you in touch with to get your prescription delivered.
Changes to Appointments, Checking in and Parking.
31st March 2020
During the current COVID-19 outbreak we have made a number of changes to how to book appointments, how to check in and how our doctors will consult with you to help protect our staff and patients and adhere to social distancing guidance.
Until further notice all appointments will be triaged by a doctor and we will conduct all appointments by telephone (and in some cases by other means e.g. video). Sometimes a doctor will decide that you need to come to the surgery in person – for example for a blood test or to be examined. If this is required then the doctor will explain our new procedures to keep everyone safe during your initial telephone call.
To speak to a doctor please call reception (01359 240298) during normal hours Monday-Friday 8am-6.30 pm. Out of hours please use the 111 service.
We have made some changes to the car park – if you are coming to the practice to use the pharmacy or for any other reason then please PARK IN ZONE 1 – If you are directed to park in another zone by us then please follow these instructions.
Changes to appointments, parking and check-in procedures are detailed on the appropriate pages on this website.
We have also made some changes to using the pharmacy during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Signs in the pharmacy area will direct you to wait for your prescription in your car – there are more details here.
Reminder – Saturday Surgery Suspended
27th March 2020
A reminder that, until further notice, there will be no Saturday emergency surgery at Woolpit Health Centre.
This is to reduce the risk to our staff and patients and to help us manage staff absence.
The pharmacy will be open on Saturday morning (as per our normal hours) offering standard pharmacy services and medication advice – if you need clinical advice or medical help over the weekend then please call NHS 111 (or use online NHS resources). In a medical emergency dial 999.
Looking After Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak.
26th March 2020
The coronavirus outbreak might make you feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed and unable to rely on normal sources of support. Social distancing and endless news and social media reports on COVID-19 can be extremely distressing especially if you already struggle with anxiety. Woolpit Health Centre – like other NHS providers and the UK Government – is trying our best to keep the public informed of the news and information they need to know but appreciate it is a worrying time.
NHS OneYou has published ten tips to manage your anxiety during the current difficult time.
1 – Stick to the facts
There is a lot of rumour and misinformation out there. Make sure you get your information from reputable sources like the Woolpit Health Centre website the NHS website or the UK government.
You might want to limit the amount of time you spend on social media or watching, listening or reading about the COVID-19 outbreak in case focussing on it too much just makes you feel worse.
2 – Connect with people
It is very important to follow social distancing and isolation guidance but this doesn’t mean you’re alone. Social media (sometimes), instant messaging and video calling (and don’t forget the phone) are all going to be helpful to keep you connected with friends and family you cannot connect with face to face right now.
Why not take the opportunity to message or call an old friend to reconnect. Video calls are going to be especially useful for children away from school, friends and the wider family and might provide a much needed break from home learning.
3 – Talk about your worries
If you are feeling worried then talk to someone you trust about it. Everyone is going through this situation together and will be able to understand some of what you’re going through. If you can’t think of someone then you can try one of the trusted helplines listed on the NHS website.
4 – Support and help others
Sometimes helping others can help you manage your own worries too. While keeping mindful of current social distancing guidance is there someone you could reach out to? Even if you can’t leave the house then you might have someone close to you who could really use a phone call from someone who cares.
The NHS is recruiting hundreds of thousands of volunteers to help people in need – if you have some time to give then you can read more about it and sign up here.
5 – Make a plan
For some people thinking about all the things that can go wrong will only add to their stress, but during difficult times sometimes having a back up plan can be helpful. Would giving some attention to your store cupboards help you plan meals if you’re going to struggle to get supplies? Could speaking to your mortgage lender sooner rather than later prove useful if money starts to get tight – most lenders are happy to arrange repayment holidays during the current crisis.
6 – Look after your body
Regular exercise can help manage your stress levels. This is going to be particularly important to build into yours (and any children at home) day at the moment. There are some great resources online for exercises you can do at home such as on the NHS website as well as live exercise classes available for adults and kids (for free) on video streaming websites.
7 – Stay on top of difficult feelings
To feel stressed at times like these is normal – but some people can become overwhelmed by intense anxiety or panic attacks. If you have an existing mental health problem you may be struggling with your symptoms more than normal at present. If you are really struggling then remember the doctors and any community mental health team you may already have contact with are still working – but access may be different to normal. We are still here to help if needed.
For some general tips on keeping anxiety under control you can read this useful guide. If you need more support then the help lines detailed here might be useful.
8 – Do things you enjoy
If you are feeling stuck at home then the temptation to keep checking the news or social media can be overwhelming. Make time for keeping up to date with what is going on outside – but don’t forget to actually devote some time to doing something you like as well.
A long-neglected hobby, that book you have been meaning to read or the films or box set a friend has recommended? Now might be an opportunity to devote some time to things that will make you feel better.
9 – Focus on the present
Trying to devote your attention to the here and now rather than worrying about what might be can be extremely helpful for managing stress and anxiety. Mindfulness exercises often available for free online or through free or paid-for apps can be really valuable to help you focus on what is important right now.
10 – Look after your sleep
Getting enough good quality rest will help you cope with whatever life throws at you. Some guidance from the royal college of psychiatrists might help with your sleep.
Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine Not Licensed or Recommended for Treatment of COVID-19
26th March 2020
There have been media reports about hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine (medicines usually used in Malaria) for the treatment of COVID-19 with or without an accompanying antibiotic. These medicines are being trialled in some countries and the UK will reach a consensus about whether they are safe to use in due course.
These medications have potential serious side effects and they may, in some cases, be more dangerous than the infection itself – in addition some (very preliminary and small-scale) studies show some improvement in COVID symptoms, and some show no change.
Until the picture is clearer the UK government has confirmed that these medicines are not licensed for use in the treatment of COVID-19. They are not available from Woolpit Health Centre and are not currently being used in NHS hospitals (except in studies to attempt to rapidly identify if they are safe and useful).
‘Your NHS Needs You’ – NHS call for volunteers
25th March 2020
- Delivering medicines from pharmacies;
- Driving patients to appointments;
- Bringing them home from hospital;
- or Making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home.
Suffolk Constabulary Fraud and Scam Warning
25th March 2020
Suffolk constabulary have reminded all residents to remain extra vigilant from scammers and fraudsters during these unpredictable times.
Sadly there are people who are hoping to use the current public health emergency to take advantage of vulnerable people. Examples include calls from people posing as healthcare workers claiming to be testing for the virus, selling masks or offering to collect shopping and taking money.
Suffolk constabulary give the following advice:
- Only accept help from people you know and / or trust. Never deal with unexpected cold callers
- You do not have to agree to anything you don’t feel comfortable with
- Police, health workers and others will not and do not call at your house to test for coronavirus or ask for money regarding investigations
- Check the person calling at your door has valid identification, even if they are dressed in uniform
- Do not transfer any money across to someone who calls you over the phone, banks will not ask for your personal security details
- Do not trust anyone asking for money transfers or cash over the phone
- Do not make shopping purchases from a company or person you do not know and trust. Use a credit card to pay to protect yourselves.
If you feel in immediate danger call 999 or if you know someone is vulnerable and has been a victim of fraud, please contact Suffolk Constabulary on 101 or Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
Updated Government Guidance
23rd March 2020
The government has, this evening, stepped up the strength of its guidance on what the population needs to do to limit the spread of Covid-19.
The single most important action we can all take to limit the spread of the virus, to protect the wider community and to help the NHS cope is to stay at home.
Do not leave home unless it is absolutely essential; for example to buy food, for medical reasons or for essential work. The government also will permit people to undertake one episode of exercise outside the home per day (alone or with other members of household).
*New* COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information Page
20th March 2020
We have published a dedicated information page regarding COVID-19 for our patients today. We hope it is a useful resource and answers some common questions.
Saturday Surgery Suspended
20th March 2020
Until further notice we regret that there will be no Saturday emergency surgery at Woolpit Health Centre.
This is to reduce the risk to our staff and patients and to help us manage staff absence.
The pharmacy will be open on Saturday morning as per normal hours offering standard pharmacy services and medication advice – if you need clinical advice or medical help over the weekend then please call NHS 111 (or use online NHS resources). In a medical emergency dial 999.
Link Worker Appointments Cancelled
20th March 2020
Our partner organisation Suffolk Wellbeing has advised us that all face to face appointments in primary care have been cancelled until further notice.
If you had an appointment booked with our Link Worker (Mental Health Nurse) Sarah Miller then this has been cancelled as of today – Reception and/or Suffolk wellbeing will contact affected patients to let them know.
If you are in need of psychological support (whether you had a Link Worker appointment or not) then please contact Suffolk Wellbeing directly on their website or call them on 0300 123 1503 to discuss what they can offer to help.
Staff Absence and Prescription ordering
19th March 2020
We currently have members of our team off work as a result of being unwell or self-isolating. This clearly affects our ability to maintain our service. Please be patient with staff who are doing their very best.
We are receiving very large numbers of requests for medication – much more than we would normally expect. Many of the requests are a long way ahead of when they are due. Please DO NOT order medication too soon and please do not stockpile. Patients who are ordering too much or too early are putting the health of others at risk.
We are receiving a lot of medication requests on paper and would like to reduce this as much as possible to protect our staff. Please use online requests or email WSCCG.pharmacist-wms@nhs.net – obviously our staff shortages mean that answering the phone will take them away from other tasks.
If you have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (any cough or fever) please stay at home and manage your illness there. If you are getting worse please use the NHS 111 online symptom checker https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 – DO NOT COME TO THE HEALTH CENTRE.
Prescription Information
16th March 2020
Due to the increase in the number of prescription requests received in the last few days, our team are now working on a 72 hour turnaround for the foreseeable future.
Our staff continue to work tirelessly to ensure prescriptions are fulfilled in a timely manner, but please bear this in mind when handing in your requests.
Please also ensure you ask someone to collect any items on your behalf if you are self-isolating, have a temperature of 37.8 degrees or a persistent cough.
Thank you.
Important Notice
COVID-19 Update
We are now in the delay phase of the UK’s response to COVID-19. This entails significant changes to how cases of COVID-19 are being identified and managed.
If you have a new continuous cough or a high temperature (of 37.8° or higher) you should stay at home and self-isolate for 7 days from the onset of symptoms.
If you have serious symptoms that you cannot manage at home you should use NHS 111 online (or call NHS 111 if you cannot get online).
After 7 days of self-isolation, if you feel better and no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine. If you have not had any signs of improvement after 7 days and you have not already sought medical advice, you should use NHS 111 online (or call NHS 111 if you cannot get online) before you leave your home or let visitors in.
For more information please click here.
Booking Appointments Online
6th March 2020
Important Message:
Following guidance received from NHS England, we have taken the decision to remove the online appointment booking service as a safety precaution to minimise the risk to patients and staff of contracting COVID-19.
Appointments can be made by telephoning 01359 240 298 and selecting option 2.
Please be advised appointments which have already been booked using the online service are still valid in our system.
We will notify patients when the online booking service is reinstated through our website and social media accounts.
Telephone System **Update 03/02/20**
The telephone system is currently working, however BT are still investigating a wider scale problem which may lead to some intermittent disruption. We appreciate your continued patience.
Telephone System
We are currently experiencing issues with our telephone lines. This is an external fault and we are receiving updates from our telecoms providers regarding a solution.
We appreciate your patience during this time. If you require medical assistance, please call 111.
Further updates will be issued as we receive more information.
Operational Support Manager
We are delighted to announce that Jess Gaskell will be joining us on Monday 27th January 2020. Jess was previously the Reception Manager at another Practice in Suffolk.
Charity Bake Sale
Amy Hills, Dispenser at Woolpit Health Centre, kindly organised a charity bake sale to raise funds for Target Ovarian Cancer. Staff from the Pharmacy baked a variety of cakes and savouries for staff to donate and fill their plates, particularly Dr McCann!
The total raised by Amy and the team was £235 – well done to all involved!
15/11/19
Patient Survey
Thank you to all of those that took part in our survey; we are very pleased with the results. We have read all of the feedback and will use this to help further tailor our services to our patients in future.
01/11/19
Breast Screening Unit
The breast screening unit will be onsite throughout September in order to help maintain the excellent uptake of breast screening for our patients. Naturally this has a knock-on effect on availability of spaces in the car park. If patients who are able to use other methods of transport, where possible or park off site, as our staff are, to enable frail or vulnerable patients to use the car park we would appreciate it. Please bear with us.
01/09/19
Building Works – Update
The second phase of the building works is in it’s final stages and should be completed by the end of December. Our contractor will be moving their compound next week to ensure that the breast screening unit (see above) will not impact on parking in addition.
Access routes around the Health Centre may alter from time to time in the next few weeks – please be patient as we finalise improving our facilities to benefit all our staff and patients.
We look forward to a grand unveiling in the near future – watch this space!
21/11/18
Automated 24 hour Telephone Booking
Due to low rates of use by our patients we have made the decision to withdraw automated 24 hour telephone booking of appointments. This will be effective from December 2018. Patients will continue to be able to book appointments 24 hours a day, as well as requesting medications and viewing selections from their medical records, using the Patient Access system via this website. If patients require access to this system then please contact our reception team for assistance.
14/11/18
Building Works
The works to improve and extend our facilities are well underway with Phase 1 having reached completion at the beginning of August 2018. This phase used an unused courtyard space to create a new Nursing Treatment Room and extend the Waiting Room along with creating a new integrated ‘Admin Hub’
Phase 2 will result in the creation of an Urgent Care Suite to physically separate Routine and emergency appointments to help patient in navigating the growing building and to ensure the right mix of clinicians working as a team along with the correct equipment to deliver our Emergency surgery. The entire project is programmed for completion in October 2018
SMS and E-Mail
To help to remind patients about their appointments and possibly in the future inform patients of Health Centre updates or test results we would like your permission to send you information by SMS or E-Mail.
We hope in the first instance this will help to reduce the number of appointments that patients forget to attend or cancel. This would of course enable us able to offer these appointments to other patients
If you are happy to be contacted please fill in the form below and bring it to reception or email it to
Woolpit Health Centre SMS Consent Form
Goodbye to Dr Riches
Dr Riches left the Health Centre on 17th January. She has been a fantastic addition to our team and we very much hope she enjoys her new role in the East of the county. The staff hope our patients will join her in wishing her the very best for the future.
Christmas Prescriptions
- Are you worrying about getting your medicines over
- the Festive Period?
- Please don’t panic!
Every year the number of requests for prescriptions nearly doubles over the Christmas and New Year period. This leads to a lots of strain on our fantastic Pharmacy and dispensary staff as they try to keep up. This is turn leads to longer queues and waits for patients – something none of us want. Please help us to help you.
Woolpit Health Centre is open as normal over the Holiday period, apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
You can use the ‘managed repeat’ system or the 24 hour collection point if this makes it easier for you.
Please speak to staff for details
Everyone at Woolpit Health Centre would like to wish our patients a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Social Media
Follow us on social media to join in on conversations and keep up to date with the latest information.
Our social media sites are administered by staff and monitored during normal office hours – they are not routinely monitored 24/7. If you require medical assistance you can contact us on 01359 240298. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
- Woolpit Health Centre Twitter feed – twitter.com/woolpithealth
For advice, guidance and full details of our social media policy click the link below:
Woolpit Health Centre Social Media Policy
Social Media Guidelines
We reserve the right to remove any comments or block accounts that breach our social media guidelines.
Our social media guidelines are:
- Do not use social media to ask for medical assistance or make a complaint.
- Do not post messages or comments that are deemed to be any of the following:
- abusive
- defamatory
- harassing
- harmful
- libellous
- racially offensive
- sexually offensive
- unlawful
- spam
3. Do not swear.
4. Do not make offensive remarks about someone else.
Flu Clinics 2019
Flu Clinics this year will be held on:
Weeks commencing 23rd September and 30th September.
Please ring 01359 240298 to book your slot
Dr Shephard’s Retirement
Dr Shephard retired on Friday 11 August 2017. We will miss her and wish her a long and happy retirement.
Dr Nicola Martin, who some patients may recall from her previous time here when she was completing her general practice training will be joining us in October 2017.
We will also be welcoming Dr Victoria Wilson in October.
We will release further details of their surgery days nearer the time.
April 2017 Patient Newsletter
The Patient Newsletter April 2017 is now available
Goodbye Dr Pearson, Hello Dr James
Dr Pearson retired on 16th September 2016 after 32 years at Woolpit Health Centre. We are sure that he will be much missed by all the staff and patients.
Dr Pearson’s named patients will be transferred to our new doctor, Dr Daniel James who joins us from his training in London. Dr James will be holding surgeries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Farewell to Dr Aung
Dr Aung retired on the 1st April 2016 after 28 years at the Health Centre. We wish his a long and happy retirement. All the staff and patients will miss him greatly.
Dr Shephard will become the named GP for those who used to be on Dr Aung’s list, however patients remain able to see whichever doctor they wish.
Patient Newletters
Click here to view our Winter 2015 Newsletter
Click here to view our Winter 2014 Newsletter
Practice Accreditation Award Evening
Drug Driving Law
The law regarding drivers found to be over the limit for driving for certain prescription drugs has changed. Drivers can now be prosecuted from driving under the influence of prescription drugs as well as illegal drugs. This should not usually affect those taking the prescribed amount of their medication.
Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:
- amphetamine, eg dexamphetamine or selegiline
- clonazepam
- diazepam
- flunitrazepam
- lorazepam
- methadone
- morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, eg codeine, tramadol or fentanyl
- oxazepam
- temazepam
Further details can be found here
