Press Release

Tackling the backlog

Ludlow’s Portcullis Surgery has launched an important campaign to help tackle the backlog of NHS surgeries and procedures generated by the Covid 19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, NHS waiting times were already worse than usual and this is likely to have deteriorated. Unfortunately, once GPs have referred a patient, they are sent no detail about their progress. The campaign aims to identify the Portcullis patients that need prioritising to ensure that their waiting times are minimised. 

The practice’s Senior Partner Dr. Catherine Beanland told us “Now that winter pressures are easing and the Covid-19 Vaccination program is well underway, we want to find out the extent of the backlog for our patients and help to expedite their treatment.” She added “We are worried that people have avoided coming to the surgery with medical problems because they don’t want to be a burden or cause additional work for the practice or the hospitals. They may also be scared of catching the virus from others at the practice, or anxious about being admitted to hospital. ” 

We are told by the practice that none of the concerns mentioned needs to be worried about.  Their clinical staff do not view patients as a burden and now that the winter pressures have lessened, they have more capacity for appointments so encourage patients to come forward and seek help. They also want to assure them that it is absolutely safe to come to the practice as it is regularly sterilized with UV light technology, the number of patients attending is kept low and the waiting room is socially distanced. In addition, all patients with any Covid symptoms are seen in the practice’s Hot Room – a room with a separate entrance from the rest of the building which was installed at the start of the pandemic.

Dr. Beanland states “We are trying to make it easier for our patients to tell us if their condition has worsened over the past year, or if they have any new, unreported symptoms. We would prefer them to fill in the form on our website but if this is not possible, they can either call the surgery to book an appointment or pop in to one of our three drop-in clinics at Ludlow Mascall Centre. If we have patients who are undiagnosed and untreated, then the effect on their long-term health and mortality is going to be significant – we don’t want them to suffer in silence, we want to help.”   

The form can be found at www.portcullis.surgery@nhs.net on the homepage.

The Portcullis drop-in clinics will take place at Ludlow Mascall Centre on:

Monday 12th April, 2.30pm to 3.30pm

Saturday 8th May, 9.30 to 11.30am

Monday 10th May, 2.30 to 3.30pm

Call the surgery on 01584 872939