Health Centre Closures
Fulbourn Health Centre Patient Participation Group (PPG)
During July the Health Centre was closed on eight days, half of those all day. We have been told that unfortunately it was not possible to advise about this in advance because it is mainly due to a chronic shortage/illness of reception staff, and a resurgence of Covid. This has meant closures having to be done on an ad hoc basis. Two additional receptionists were needed to cover Health & Safety, illness and holiday cover. The only alternative was to resort to closures, for which the practice has offered an apology. It is clearly working under the most enormous pressure.
They wish to reassure patients that they have no intention of closing the practice permanently. One of the registrars, Dr Adam Davies, is joining the practice on the 15th August, which will offer 6 / 7 more sessions a week and three new registrars will be starting shortly, There are Ear, Nose & Throat clinics 3 days a week, midwife sessions once a week, a monthly Diabetic clinic on Tuesdays/Wednesdays p.m. and Audiology is back, all run by outside organisations, reducing the workload on GPs and Addenbrooke’s.
Sue, the practice manager, and the Health Centre manager Rosemary, have been working tirelessly to find new receptionists so that the Health Centre can be opened full-time. The good news is that two are starting on the 1st August, and a third is in training. The plan is to have two GPs present every day, holidays and illness excepted. We are most grateful for all the hard work carried out to achieve this.
Cambs. GP Network is proposing new, extended hours for practices, which could be good news. Cornford House has to show that they have consulted their patients, and your views can be submitted through a Survey. The link is: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7C25R36
Christina Rowland-Jones