We are officially accredited as an Armed Forces Veteran Friendly GP Practice
Edlesborough& Pitstone Surgeries is proud to be accredited as a veterans friendly practice by the Royal College of GPs.
We are committed to following the NHS Patient Charter to ensure that our veterans have access to the help and support they may need following their service.
Please tell us if you are a military veteran so that we can make sure you are offered the support and assistance you may need, now or in the future, as a result of your service. It would help us to know in which of the Armed Forces you served, the dates of your service and whether you were discharged or retired due to ill health.
Being accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners means that a practice can better identify and treat veterans, refer them, where appropriate, to dedicated NHS services (such as the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison service (TILS), the Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and the Veterans Trauma Network) and capture better data to improve future health provision. It also means that the NHS is better able to meet the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, which says the Armed Forces community, including veterans, should face no disadvantage in accessing health services and should receive priority care for military attributable conditions, subject to clinical need.
A veteran is someone who has served in the British Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) for at least one day. Veterans also include any member of the Merchant Marine who has served in a war zone. This includes crew from convoys in World War 2 and more recently in the Falklands conflict and Gulf Wars.
About 18,000 service people move back into civilian life every year and whilst most of these individuals have similar levels of health to the general population, around 2,000 leave on medical grounds. The top reasons for medical discharge are for issues relating to back, knees, mental health and hearing.
Op Nova – Support for veterans who are in contact with the justice system.
Op Restore – Healthcare & welfare support for veterans, service leavers, non-mobilised reservists and, their family members and carers
Veterans UK – Offers free support and looks after the assessment, award, payment and maintenance of all pensions relating to service in the armed forces.
Veterans Gateway – Gets veterans and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the advice and support they need.
Forces Employment Charity – Provides life long, life changing support, jobs and training opportunities to service leavers, veterans, reservists and their spouses, partners and children.
Simply Walk is part of a countywide programme of free, volunteer – led walks, which aims to help people get outdoors and be more active. We organise over 60 led walks to suit most abilities.
The walks are all sociable and you don’t need any special equipment to join in, just comfortable shoes.
The Pitstone Community Car Scheme aims to provide transport for those residing in the Pitstone parish to reach their medical appointments, where they are unable to do this via public transport or relatives etc.
South Beds dial a ride – for a small annual fee will provided greatly subsidised travel for exact details see the link and contact them via http://www.sbdar.co.uk/
Eaton Bray Good Neighbours
Set up by local residents who offer help to residents of Eaton Bray and surrounding areas.
If you are over 18 and need assistance with tasks such as Prescription collection; Lifts to Hospital, Clinic, Doctors and other appointments; Befriending service; Light household duties; Minor indoor repairs; Shopping; Filling in non legal forms or letter writing.
Please call the number below and they will do their best to help you or signpost you to appropriate people.
The surgery offers services that are not covered by our National Health Service (NHS) Contract. These services are known as ‘non-NHS Services’ and attract a charge – payable in advance before the activity commences.
Examples include:
Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
Insurance claim forms
Private sick notes
Letters for children for school for any reason
Our fees are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and will be provided as an initial response to your Administration Triage request.
Edlesborough and Pitstone Surgery 2024-11
Please note priority will be given to NHS work and clinical care.We aim to complete all non-NHS work within 28 workings days. The charges may be higher if the work required is significantly more than expected – we will advise you in advance if this is the case.
This list is not exhaustive – please create an Administration Triage request if you have a query that is not answered above.
Item
Non-NHS Practice Charge
Private Medical Claim Formi.e. BUPA, AVIVA, etc
£100.00
Passport, or Fitness to do an activity
Not undertaken
Gun Licence Grant/Renewal
£75.00
Driving Medical (e.g. HGV, PSV, Driving License, etc.)
£150.00
Pre-employment Medical
£150.00
Private Sick Note
£50.00
Fitness to Travel (e.g. Pregnancy, etc.)
£50.00
Fast Track Routine Private Referral
£50.00
Electronic Copy of Medical Records not covered by a Subject Access Request (SAR)
If you are eligible for a Spring booster you can book for via this link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ Alternatively you can call 119 for help with booking this vaccination
JCVI’s interim advice for planning purposes ahead of 2023 is that:
in autumn 2023, persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19 could be offered a booster vaccine dose in preparation for winter 2023 to 2024
in addition, for a smaller group of persons (such as persons of older age and those who are immunosuppressed) an extra booster vaccine dose may be offered in spring 2023
emergency surge vaccine responses may be required should a novel variant of concern emerge with clinically significant biological differences compared to the Omicron variant
JCVI also advises that:
the 2021 booster offer (third dose) for persons aged 16 to 49 years who are not in a clinical risk group should close in alignment with the close of the autumn 2022 vaccination campaign[footnote 1]
otherwise healthy persons aged 5 to 49 years who develop a new health condition in 2023 that places them in a clinical risk group would be offered primary vaccination and/or a booster vaccine during the next seasonal vaccination campaign, as appropriate. Vaccination outside these campaign periods would be subject to individual clinical judgement
primary course COVID-19 vaccination should move, over the course of 2023, towards a more targeted offer during vaccination campaigns to protect those persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19. This would include:
residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
frontline health and social care workers
all adults aged 50 years and over
persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book
persons aged 12 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers, as set out in the Green Book
research should be considered to inform the optimal timing of booster vaccinations to protect against severe COVID-19 (hospitalisations and deaths) for groups who are at different levels of clinical risk
Including all Childhood vaccines via the NHS programme, seasonal flu and travel.
Maternity Services
Book for Stoke Mandeville Hospital via this link: https://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services/maternity-services/
Book for Luton and Dunstable Hospital via this link: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/maternity-2/early-self-referral-to-a-community-midwife/early-self-referral-
Our patients usually choose to have their care based at Stoke Mandeville Hospital or At the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. The Stoke Mandeville midwives hold clinics at both our sites
Health Screening & Routine Monitoring
BLOOD TESTS
Routine monitoring blood tests can be booked using the NHS APP, a Medical Total Triage request or calling the surgery
Patients are recalled for their annual reviews in the month of their birth (e.g. Date-of-Birth 01-DEC-2000 annual reviews will typically be DEC).
Patients may receive multiple reminders depending upon what annual reviews are required (wherever possible we will minimise the number of visits required to the surgery for blood tests)
If patients require additional blood tests these need to be requested using a Medical Total Triage request in advance (as they require GP approval) – please allow 5 working days for this process to be completed
Patients should ensure that they are well hydrated before the blood test as this makes the vein easier to locate (without the need for multiple attempts). Patients should hydrate with water as caffeine and other drinks have a dehydrating effect.
Patients between 40 & 75 years of age are entitled to a NHS Health Check every 5 Years
Patients will be directly invited by the surgery for their NHS Health Check
Patients who believe they are eligible however, have not been invited should create a Medical Total Triage request requesting a NHS Health Check appointment
A SMR is your opportunity to voice what matters to you and be part of a shared decision-making process regarding your medication. A SMR will help you understand your medication better and make choices with a clinical professional that bring better health outcomes to you.
Patients will receive an invitation letter from the NHS when it is time to book their Screening appointment
The letter that the patient receives will explain whether or not the Screening can be performed at the Surgery
When patients receive their letter they should create a Medical Total Triage request for a Screening appointment (if it can be performed at the Surgery otherwise follow the guidance on the letter)
We expect Test Results to be sent to the surgery electronically from the respective test service within 5 working days however, it may take longer. IF your tests were requested externally (e.g. Consultant, Hospital, etc.) please engage the clinician that requested your tests for the Test Results (the Test Results will be sent to the surgery after the requesting clinician has reviewed them with the patient).
We will review your Test Results when they are received (typically within 1 working day)
IF your Test Results show that you require immediate (acute) follow on care the surgery will contact you directly (either by telephone or text message)
IF your Test Results show that you require a review (routine) / non-urgent follow on care the surgery will send you an appointment booking link (or telephone you)
IF your Test Results are normal they will be available on the NHS APP (or by calling the surgery Test Results line)
