Dear Patients,

We are pleased to inform you that The Rural Practice Network (Bruton Surgery, Millbrook Surgery, Queen Camel Medical Centre, Milborne Port Surgery and Wincanton Health Centre) will be providing Covid-19 Booster Vaccinations for all our eligible patients* from the 25^th September 2021 at Haynes International Motor Museum. Please read the information below which summarises the process by which patients will be invited for their booster vaccinations and be able to book an appointment.

All patients in Cohort 1 – 9 will be invited to attend for a booster vaccination when they are approaching a period of six-months since their second vaccination. Patients that have a mobile number on their clinical record will receive a text message to book an appointment 1 – 2 weeks before they are due.  Please note that these text messages will come from Millbrook Surgery regardless of which surgery you are registered with.    If you can please follow the directions in the text message this is really helpful as it allows us more time to telephone patients that cannot book in this way.   If we do not have a mobile number for you or you find it difficult responding to text messages our booking hub team will telephone you directly.   All our patients will receive the Pfizer vaccine regardless of which vaccine they had for their first and second dose.   If you have a query about your eligibility please contact:  [email protected].

The practices are currently identifying extremely frail and housebound patients so that we can make alternative arrangements to get them vaccinated.

*Cohorts 1-9 – patients who will be eligible for a booster dose 6 months after second dose

The NHS has made Queen Camel Surgery aware that there is a global shortage of products used for blood collection and blood tests.

In order to preserve supplies for people that urgently need blood tests, the NHS has been advised to reduce the number of non-clinically urgent tests as well as to delay routine tests where it is safe to do so. We appreciate the inconvenience that this may cause. We would like to reassure all patients that may have their routine testing delayed that we will have clinically assessed that it is safe to do so.

We will be re-booking tests when supplies become more readily available. If you require urgent care or experience a change in symptoms, please do not delay speaking to a member of our clinical team.

The best way to contact your GP is via askmyGP. This service is available from 5am – 4pm for routine enquiries. We aim to respond within 2 working days and will prioritise requests by clinical need. For urgent problems please contact us on 01935 850225. If you would like a reply from a specific GP and are happy to wait until they are available please include this in your request.