Debenham Group Practice - Debenham

Patients are not restricted to attending a specific flu clinic (unless they are in one of the minority cohorts). All relevant information is on the practice website and patients are sent invites to clinics in the order they are planned, allowing the patient to choose which clinic they wish to attend. Due to COVID-19, this year we are providing a substantial number of extra options to all applicable patients.

Patients can choose which surgery they would like to collect their medication. The dispensary at Grundisburgh is currently open three mornings a week, so for routine collections there is no reason why you would have to go to Otley – unless the prescription was urgent and that was the quickest way for you to be given your medication. Can you please contact the surgery and speak to a member of the dispensary team who can check to make sure that your records correctly specify your preferred collection surgery.

We have had to substantially rationalise our service provision during the on-going pandemic, but are now in the process of gradually re-opening Grundisburgh; increasing the opening hours of dispensary as well as starting some limited clinics. Logistical decisions are based on many different factors other than just who is potentially the larger village, i.e. Debenham Group Practice has a very large geographical catchment well in excess of 100 square miles, just under 9,000 patients, over 20 different large villages and many more rural sites. As a three-site practice, our priority will always be to provide the best level of care possible to all of our patients, but living in a rural area will unfortunately mean that some patients will have to travel several miles on some occasions.

We have had to substantially change the way in which we provide primary care to our patients and community, part of which has unfortunately resulted in a rationalisation of some of our opening hours and service provision. The only reason that these changes have been made is to protect the health and safety of our patients and our staff.

All initial contact with a GP is being done remotely; telephone triage, video consultation or via submission of an on-line consultation using e-Consult on the practice website (www.debenhamgrouppractice.co.uk).

Although uncertainty remains during the coronavirus pandemic with government and NHS England rules and regulations being subject to continuous review and change, over recent weeks we have started to reintroduce services and clinics across the practice, part of which will include reinstating some limited services at Grundisburgh. It is very sad to see your comment asking what all our GP’s doing? The staff and doctors have all been working extremely hard over the last several months, having to deal with additional requirements and restrictions, but the overriding priority throughout has always been to try and provide the best possible levels of care and service in a safe environment.

Debenham Group Practice is a three-site GP surgery and prior to COVID-19, Debenham was our main site providing a combination of daily clinics as well as the “on the day” urgent care. Our branch surgeries at Otley and Grundisburgh, opened alternate half days, providing pre–booked routine clinics. Due to our rural location, patients requiring urgent care needed to come to Debenham.

With regard to your daughter, this was previously discussed by telephone. As you are aware, one of our GP’s contacted her immediately and has subsequently followed matters up with her directly.

Due to the on-going COVID-19 situation, this year’s flu vaccinations and associated clinics have been subject to a substantial amount of additional planning and preparation. Our priority has been a combination of patient safety and inclusion and we are providing options in order to hopefully cater for various situations and circumstances. With specific regard to patients living in the Grundisburgh area, provision has been made for a walk in clinic for those 65 and over who do not have a car. We will also be providing the same option for the under 65’s when their clinics are arranged.

We are sorry to hear that you have been experiencing issues with your prescriptions. Can you please contact the surgery and ask to speak to the dispensary lead or the operations manager so that we can look into any issues and resolve matters. Thank you.