Felton Surgery Patient Participation Group

28/08/2025

If you’re eligible for the flu vaccine, it’s important that you get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones from becoming unwell this winter.

You’ll be able to book an appointment once you have received a text message from us with a booking link. You’ll then be able to choose a date and time to attend one of our flu clinics.

By getting your flu vaccine with your NPC GP practice, you’ll be in a familiar environment with staff who know your healthcare history and who can support you to stay safe this winter.

To learn more about flu vaccinations, click the link in the comments 👇

25/08/2025

Introducing the Northumbria Patient Charter!

We’re excited to launch the Northumbria Patient Charter — our promise to patients, families, and carers about the quality of conversations and care they can expect from all of us.

What does the Charter include:

It’s a clear commitment to

Make NHS services easy to use — More choice over appointments, help prepare for appointments, and better care coordination to cut down unnecessary visits.
Plan care together — we should aim for the same clinician whenever possible, listen carefully to what matters most to patients, and make decisions together.
Agree what happens next — Give clear info about care, what to expect, and what to do if patients have concerns. Plus, share important details with everyone involved so patients only have to tell their story once.

Search “Northumbria Patient Charter” on our website to find out more or email Patient.Experience@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

Or watch the video linked in the comments 👇

22/08/2025

£20m wasted on medicines

Medicines waste costs the NHS millions. That could fund life-saving care. Help by
ordering only what’s needed.

For more information visit reducemedicinewaste.co.uk

22/08/2025

📢 Important update – NPC Felton refurbishment works

As part of our planned refurbishment, investigatory works will be taking place at NPC Felton on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 August.
✅ The practice will remain open throughout the works.
✅ Access to the building will be maintained at all times.

Patients may notice contractors on site and minor works being carried out inside the property. We’ll do our best to keep any disruption to a minimum.

Thank you for your understanding as we make improvements to your surgery.

16/08/2025

Almost all pharmacies now offer the Pharmacy First service, giving advice and, if needed, NHS medicines to treat seven common health conditions – and all without the need for a GP appointment.

The health conditions are:
🔹 Sinusitis (adults and children aged 12+)
🔹 Sore throat (adults and children aged 5+)
🔹 Earache (children aged 1–17)
🔹 Infected insect bite (adults and children aged 1+)
🔹 Impetigo (adults and children aged 1+)
🔹 Shingles (adults aged 18+)
🔹 Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (women aged 16–64)

Ask your local pharmacy for more information about this free NHS service.

30/07/2025

Online contact with the surgery for MEDICAL requests:

Always phone 111 or 999 for urgent or emergency help. Online contact is not for emergencies.

The online system for medical requests is only available when there are clinicians on duty. Usually this is:
Monday to Thursday 7:30am until 5pm, and
Friday 7:30am until 4pm.

30/07/2025

Phoning for an appointment:

Sometimes when patients phone for a GP appointment, there is nothing available on the day.
Patients have the option to call back another day, make a request online, OR, ask for their details to be submitted to a GP for triage. This involves the member of staff completing an online request on behalf of the patient and the patient will receive a call back with a relevant appointment or other action as appropriate.

30/07/2025

Collecting Prescriptions from Widdrington Surgery:

Patients who see a clinician at Widdrington and are given a prescription, may collect their medication from the Widdrington pharmacy. PLEASE TELL THE PHARMACIST THAT YOU ARE WAITING FOR MEDS before you take a seat, so that they priorisise the prescription.
Alternatively you can ask the GP to send your prescription to the Felton dispensary.

25/07/2025

During the BMA resident doctor industrial action, our practice will remain open.

Industrial action will take place from 25 July to 30 July.

If you have an appointment booked, please make sure that you attend unless you are contacted and told otherwise.

17/07/2025

We'd like to say a big thank you to all our patients who took the time to complete the 2025 GP Patient Survey 💙

Your feedback plays a vital role in helping us understand what we're doing well and where we can do better. The feedback we get from the survey help shape how we improve our services year after year.

Since the survey was carried out at the beginning of this year, we’ve already started making changes to improve your experience with our practice. We hope these changes will be reflected in next year’s results!

To learn more about the GP Patient Survey, visit 👉 https://orlo.uk/DNQjS

16/07/2025

Our practice will have reduced availability this afternoon from 1pm today (16/07/25) due to staff training.

Staff training ensures that our teams can provide you with the best care possible.

If you need to access care this afternoon, call our phone number and you will be directed to the team at Vocare, who will be able to help.

Thank you for your understanding, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

15/07/2025

Don't forget the surgery refurbishment update at the village hall tomorrow at 6pm. This has been arranged, in response to feedback, for anyone who was unable to get along to the previous afternoon session.

At 6pm on Wednesday 16 July, we will be hosting a drop-in session about the refurbishment of NPC Felton. This drop-in session will be held at Felton Village Hall (NE65 9NH).

From 6pm, David Hedgcock, NPC's managing director, will give an update on the refurbishment. The practice team will be present to answer any further questions until 8pm. We will also have plans of our refurbished surgery for you to see.

For more information, including our clinics for the rest of July, please click the link 👉 https://orlo.uk/up4Ca