School Lane Surgery

14/01/2026

You can get oral contraception and emergency contraception directly from participating pharmacies, without needing a prescription or GP appointment. This makes accessing contraception quicker and more convenient, helping you stay in control of your s*xual health. Trained pharmacy teams can offer confidential advice and support to help you choose the right option for you. 💊🩺

Emergency contraception can stop you getting pregnant after unprotected s*x (s*x without contraception or when contraception might have failed). If you need emergency contraception after having unprotected s*x, speak to your local pharmacist as soon as you can. You need to use emergency contraception within 3 to 5 days of having unprotected s*x. ✨

Find a pharmacy offering contraception without a prescription: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmacies/find-a-pharmacy-offering-contraceptive-pill-without-prescription/

13/01/2026

School Lane Pharmacy Update...

Just to let our patients know that School Lane Pharmacy is no longer closed during lunchtimes and is now open throughout the day.

A reminder that School Lane Pharmacy is a separate business to the surgery. We are sharing this message on their behalf to help keep our patients informed.

13/01/2026

Did you know that keeping a warm home can help keep you healthy?

Read more tips for people with long term health conditions well in the winter weather ➡️ www.winterwellnorfolkwaveney.co.uk

12/01/2026

Living well is about taking care of your health in ways that fit into everyday life, and trusted NHS advice can support you at every step. 💙✨

Whether you want to eat a more balanced diet, reach or maintain a healthy weight, move your body more, improve your sleep, quit smoking or cut down on alcohol, there is practical guidance to help you make lasting changes.

Support is also available for addiction and s*xual health, helping you look after both your physical and mental wellbeing. Making small, positive changes today can lead to a healthier, happier future. 🌱💪

Explore NHS Live Well advice on healthy eating, exercise, sleep, addiction and s*xual health: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/

09/01/2026

Important Date: 24th Feb 2026 13:00 to 18:30 - Closed for Staff Training

We just wanted to let Pts know that on Tue 24th Feb, the surgery will be closed for staff training from 13:00 to 18:30. This is for essential staff training & to help ensure we continue providing the best possible care.

So the surgery, including the Surgery at the Healthy Living Centre, will be closed from 13:00 to 18:30 on this day.

The pharmacies at both SLS and HLC will remain open as usual.

If you need medical advice while we are closed, please call 111 or visit www.111.nhs.uk

For life threatening emergencies, please call 999.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 111 and select option 2 to reach the Crisis Response Service.

We will reopen as normal on Wednesday 25th February.

We try to keep staff training from impacting as much as possible, but sometimes it is not always possible. That is why we limit this to four afternoon per year.

Just to share the current provisional dates for the other afternoons the surgery will be closed for training in 2026, these are:

• 12th May
• 14th July
• 10th Nov.

These may change, but we will make sure that you are kept updated to any changes. Thank you for your understanding and support.

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09/01/2026

Starting the new year smoke free can make a huge difference to your health, finances and wellbeing. 🚭

Creating a personal quit smoking plan helps you understand your triggers, set clear goals and prepare for cravings so you can quit with confidence and support. Taking that first step today can lead to lasting change. 💪✨

Create your personal quit smoking plan: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ready-to-quit-smoking/personal-quit-plan/

If you would like more support, you can contact your GP practice and they will be able to help you get started on your journey to quit smoking 🚭🌱✨

08/01/2026

Did you know you can view messages about your care in the NHS App?

The NHS App is a simple and secure way to receive messages from your trusted health care providers.

Turn on notifications for the NHS App to stay up to date.

Find out more: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/

07/01/2026

HLC Car Park - 07/01/26

Just a quick heads up that the car park at HLC is a bit icy this morning due to the cold weather. It seems that it has not been gritted.

Please take care when walking to and from the building for any appointments and wear suitable footwear if possible.

We've been in touch with the building landlord to chase & hopefully the car park/paths should be gritted shortly.

07/01/2026

Colds are very common in babies and toddlers, and while they can be worrying, most get better on their own with simple care.

Keeping your child comfortable with fluids, rest and age-appropriate remedies can help ease symptoms, and knowing when to seek medical advice is important for peace of mind. Trusted guidance can help you support your child safely at home. 👶🤧💙

NHS advice on colds and infections in young children: https://ow.ly/flts50XKctQ

Patient advice on coughs and colds in children: https://ow.ly/1BCl50XKctP

06/01/2026

Visit a local warm space during the cold weather.

They’re free to spend time in and will always be a place of warmth for everyone.

Find out more ➡️ www.winterwellnorfolkwaveney.co.uk

05/01/2026

Love Your Liver Month is a reminder to look after an organ that works hard for you every single day. Your liver fights infections, removes toxins, stores and produces energy and helps you heal.

Making small changes like reducing alcohol, eating well, staying active and knowing your risk factors can help protect your liver and support long-term health. There are simple tools and trusted advice available to help you take positive steps today. 💚🍎✨

Learn more about Love Your Liver Month: https://ow.ly/YhOL50XJHoG

Check your risk with the liver screener: https://ow.ly/XmL450XJHoW

Read advice on showing your liver some TLC: https://ow.ly/fJPX50XJHoX

02/01/2026

December Friends & Family Feedback

We hope that you all had a great festive period and ready to launch into 2026?...Ok, launch might be a bit too much for the first Friday of 2026!

We’re delighted to share the results of our December Friends and Family Test (FFT), and we want to thank every patient who took the time to provide feedback. Your comments help us reflect, learn, and continually improve the care we provide.

The FFT is a brief survey that is sent out to Pts to allow for feedback. It asks the following questions:
• Overall, how was your experience of our service?
• Please can you tell us why you gave your answer?
• Please tell us about anything that we could have done better.
• Would you recommend School Lane Surgery to a friend or family member?

In December 95%* of patients said they would recommend School Lane Surgery to their friends and family.
(* the figure was 94.8%, but I’m rounding up…hope you don’t mind 😊)

This is something we are genuinely proud of and reflects the hard work of our entire team. GPs, nurses, HCA’s as well as the Reception and Admin staff, all who work hard every day to deliver safe, compassionate, and efficient care.

The overwhelming majority of feedback described care that was kind, professional, and reassuring. Many patients highlighted:
• Friendly and helpful reception teams
• Nurses who put them at ease and explained procedures clearly
• Clinicians who listened carefully and took time to discuss concerns
• Level of patient care and the involvement they had.

Here are just a few anonymised comments that reflect this experience:
• “Quick and efficient appointment. Staff were friendly and made me feel at ease.”
• “I felt listened to and not rushed. Everything was explained clearly and I felt confident in the plan going forward.”
• “The nurse was kind, professional and reassuring. I didn’t even feel the procedure and was treated with real care.”
• “A simple phone call to reception… doctor rang and made an appointment for that same day. Very quickly sorted & couldn’t have asked for anything more efficient.”

Now, you all know that as a surgery we are committed to being open with patients as much as possible. Not every experience was perfect. A small number of patients told us about areas where we could improve, such as:
• Waiting too long to be called in for your appointment
• Communication about tests
• Needing more GPs
• Wait time on the phones

We read every single comment, good and bad. We are committed to improving and this feedback really helps to identify where changes can make a real difference. Feedback from previous months has led to changes in the surgery, including the refurbishment of the waiting room and better signage (which will be up in Jan). It also highlights areas we continue to work on.

Some patients understandably wish services could be exactly as they were 20 or 30 years ago, with more GPs and easier access. Trust me, we feel the same. The reality is that general practice has changed. There are fewer GPs nationally, needs are more complex as we live longer, and demand has increased substantially. While some factors are outside our control, I can assure you that we make the best use of every resource available and continually look for ways to improve efficiency while maintaining a patient-centred approach.

Will we get it right 100% of the time?...No.

Will we try 100% of the time?...Absolutely.

Thanks for those who have taken the few moments to complete the FFT when you receive your text message after an appointment. The more feedback the better we can make it for as many as possible.

We also have a feedback form on the website if you would like to use that as well.

Lastly, don’t forget that we also have a Patient Participation Group ‘PPG’ for short (bit like a PTA at a school). If you would like to join, then please see the website for more information. The PPG is a voluntary group, and we meet to discuss patient experiences and look at service improvement. Just to note though that being on the PPG doesn’t come with any special privileges or access. Some do tend to think that it does. I just wanted to manage that expectation from the start…but it does come with biscuits at the meetings…so that is a plus!