Dear Patient

Revised short-term opening times for Rockland St Mary Surgery

Staffing is key to the safe delivery of clinical and dispensing (prescription) services from our branch surgery at Rockland St Mary.

We are at the current time experiencing staffing challenges in our dispensary team at a level which we have not seen before.

One of our dispensers is moving to pastures new and despite advertisements for qualified dispensers to replace her, we have not been able to recruit to the team. Our efforts continue.

This weekend, another of our team has had an accident requiring hospital treatment which has led to her needing a period of time away from the Practice. It is therefore not possible for us to continue to operate dispensing (prescription) services from our Rockland St Mary during all our regular days of opening.

To avoid confusion, and frustration with being open for some services and not others, from Friday 21st October, the surgery will be open the following times until our full complement of staff are available.

• Monday 8.30am to 12 noon
• Wednesday 8.30am to 12 noon
• Friday 8.30am to 12 noon

This means the closure of the surgery in the afternoons until further notice. Most of our GP and Nurse clinics are in the mornings and these remain. If during this period, you would rather your prescription be prepared for collection at our Poringland site, please let us know.

Thank you for your understanding during this period, which continues to see unprecedented demand for NHS services. We will continue to offer a full range of services from our Poringland site.

During these periods of closure at Rockland St Mary Surgery, between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, you should contact the team at Poringland Surgery on 01508 494343. Outside of these hours (including weekends) urgent healthcare support is available via 111.

We remain committed to offering local healthcare services from our site at Rockland St Mary and will look to return to regular opening in the afternoons as soon as we can safely do so.

Yours sincerely

Garry Whiting
Managing Partner

Heathgate Medical Practice