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CLOSED FOR TRAINING FROM 1.30 - 4.30pm TODAY
In common with the other mid-Dorset practices, Portesham Surgery is closed for training this afternoon, Thursday 12th May, from 1.30 to 4.30pm. Our phone lines re-open at 4.30. If you need urgent medical help while we are closed, please ring the NHS helpline on 111 for advice. Click on the "Out of Hours help" icon below for information on other sources of urgent help outside of normal GP opening hours.
Exciting News - Practice Merger!
The GP partners of Portesham Surgery and Prince of Wales Surgery in Dorchester are pleased to announce plans to merge the practices under one contract. Joining forces offers many benefits to patients and practices alike. As a bigger organisation we will be able to offer the combined skills within our GP and nursing teams to the patients of both practices, and will be more attractive to recruiting new clinicians, making us more sustainable.
We anticipate the merger taking place in early to mid-2023. Once the application has been approved by NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group, there will be a process to follow to bring our individual practices together contractually and systematically. We will engage with you over the coming months to ensure you are fully informed and have an opportunity to ask further question or share your views with us.
You will undoubtedly have questions about what this means for you, so we have prepared some initial Questions and Answers - see the link below. All this information is also available on leaflets in the surgery and we have written to, emailed or texted all our patients over the last couple of days, according to their preferences. We have talked to our Patient Group representatives and they are happy to talk to you and help answer your questions - you can contact them through contact@porteshampatients.org.uk or click on the Patient Participate Group box below to look on their page on our website.
We look forward to working on your behalf to maintain and improve primary care services.
Dr Louise Beale Dr Stephen Scott
Portesham Surgery Prince of Wales Surgery
Supplies for Ukraine
Guidance for using Econsult, for everything else please call us
Sick notes |
Administration queries or requests |
Non-urgent prescription query |
Insomnia |
Simple urine infection in a woman aged 18-64 with mild symptoms |
Skin problems where a photo can be provided |
COVID BOOSTER UPDATE 24 March 2022
After completing the booster programme for immunocompromised patients, NHS England are now rolling out the second booster for the following groups: |
Eligibility criteria: |
- 75+ years |
- Live in a care home for older people |
- 12-74 and immunosuppressed |
Eligible patients will need to book through the National Booking System as we are not running these clinics at surgery level, or at the Atrium as we have previously done. **(with the exception of patients below) We would therefore kindly ask that you do not call the surgery, please book via nhs.uk or by telephoning 119 (you do not need to wait for a letter from NHS England to do this) There are two local venues undertaking clinics in Dorchester, Vespasian House and Pharmacy2U in order to provide plenty of appointments. |
** Please note that Portesham Surgery and others in the Mid Dorset Primary Care Network will be undertaking the spring boosters for housebound patients and care homes only. If this applies to you we will contact you as soon as we can arrange for the vaccination team to visit you. Thank you |
Continued Use of Face Masks for Patients
Medical settings are a higher risk environment and we are following guidance that we should take stronger control measures than other public facilities. We are acting very cautiously and are maintaining:
- Face coverings
- Social distancing
- PPE for healthcare staff
- open windows in all rooms
The Omicron variant is very transmissable and we have to protect our vulnerable patients and staff from the risk that patients may come to the surgery when they are contagious without realising. Please help us to keep our service running by continuing to wear a mask whilst you are in our Surgery. Thank you.
We are seeing an increasing number of patients coming in without masks saying they are exempt, especially when collecting medication. In this situation we will offer you a face-visor to wear or ask you to collect your medication from the outside, through the dispensary window.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
Portesham Surgery