News
Information for patients of Dr. Polkinghorn
Please note that Dr. Andrew Polkinghorn will be taking a temporary break from the practice at the end of January for a planned hip surgery. He will be recuperating for at least 6 weeks.
Continuity of care is vital to us, and Dr. Polkinghorn’s patients will be well looked after by our covering doctors, many of whom you already know. Please read his personal message below for more details.
"Dear Patients,
I will be away from the practice for a couple of months while I undergo planned hip replacement surgery.
During my absence, your care will be provided by stand-in GPs, and wherever possible these will be doctors already known to you. The practice team will continue to ensure continuity of care.
I look forward to returning to work after my recovery and resuming my role as your GP.
Thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Dr. Andrew Polkinghorn"
New Service: The Perinatal Pelvic Health Team.
We’d like to share details of a new service available to patients accessing maternity care at Salisbury Foundation Trust, or at any community hub or home birth affiliated with Salisbury District Hospital.
This specialist team is dedicated to supporting women and birthing people from early pregnancy through to 12 months postnatal.
How can they help?
- Specialist Care: A multidisciplinary team of pelvic floor experts.
- Prevention: Reducing the risk of bladder or bowel-related issues.
- Treatment: Evidence-based care for mild to moderate pelvic health concerns.
Your pelvic health matters. Whether you are looking to prevent future issues or need support with current symptoms, this team is here for you.
The service is free of charge and available to all local women accessing their maternity care from Salisbury. Talk to your Midwife, Health Visitor, or GP to learn more or to request a referral.
You can also self-refer by completing an online form with all the relevant information here>>
Perinatal Pelvic Health Team website>>
Update to the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme
Children under 6 are now being offered the MMRV vaccine instead of MMR as part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme.
This replaces the existing MMR vaccine and adds protection against chickenpox, in addition to measles, mumps, and rubella.
You don’t need to do anything — your GP will contact you when your child is due.
🔗 nhs.uk/mmrv
Ready to Feel Healthier in 2026? Start Today!
At Verwood Surgery, we’re here to help you: eat better, move more, manage stress, lose weight, and feel your best! 💪
Here’s what we offer:
- NHS Health Check for adults aged 40–74 who don’t already have certain long-term conditions. This check reviews your overall health, identifies risks like high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes, and helps you take action early
- Personalised advice from GPs and nurses
- Health coaching to reach your goals
- Weight loss support via LiveWell Dorset
- Exercise classes and local wellbeing programmes
- Mental health & stress management support
- Social prescribing to connect you with community activities
- Long-term condition reviews and follow-up
Don’t wait — small steps make a big difference!
Contact us today to find out more about all the support we offer and how to get started
Exciting News from Verwood Surgery!
New GP Appointment System – Launching 1st December
We’re making changes to improve your experience and provide better continuity of care.
- We’re sending messages to confirm who your usual GP is.
- If you’re unsure, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.
- A new buddy system means you’ll still receive consistent care when your GP is away.
Learn more about how the new system works here>>
Important Vaccination information for patients
Flu season has arrived early this year — and it’s already hitting hard.
Cases are 3x higher than this time last year, and many people are falling ill sooner than expected. Protect yourself and the people you care about. If you are
▪️pregnant
▪️aged 65 years and over
▪️aged 18 to under 65 with certain long-term health conditions
and haven’t had your flu vaccine yet, it’s not too late.
Our practice nurses are running smaller ongoing clinics, and we’re happy to book you in.
Just contact the surgery and we’ll arrange an appointment at a time that works for you.
Let’s stay healthy this winter, together.
Cervical Screening Saves Lives
Introducing SystmConnect — our brand-new online consultation system
SystmConnect will replace some of the services we previously provided through eConsult.
You can now use SystmConnect to:
- Get help with a new health problem
- Request a sick/fit note
- Enquire about test results
- Ask about a medication you're taking including requesting a medication review
- Ask for a report or letter, for example insurance
You don’t need a SystmOnline account to use it — but if you do log in with SystmOnline or your NHS login, it’ll save you time by filling in some of your details automatically.
Please note: SystmConnect is available during our surgery opening hours, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:30 pm (excluding bank holidays). Outside these hours, any medical requests will be directed to NHS 111, or to 999 in an emergency.
SystmConnect is one of many online ways in which you can contact us.
Concerned about drug or alcohol addiction?
Taking the first step towards recovery can feel daunting, but help is available. Reach Drug and Alcohol Services provided by Waythrough is for people who want support to manage, reduce or stop their drug and/or alcohol use or those worried about someone else's.
The After-Reach Support group offers ongoing peer support for people who have completed the REACH programme for alcohol and drug addiction. They meet weekly in Ferndown on Monday evenings.
Find details of these and other local support services available locally on our Community SWITCH website>>
Supporting a Better Start in Life with Start for Life
Start for Life is a NHS programme designed to give every infant the best possible beginning. By offering trusted NHS advice and support, the campaign empowers parents and carers with the knowledge and tools they need from the very start of their parenting journey.
Whether you're a mum, dad, partner, or carer, Start for Life provides practical guidance on key topics like breastfeeding, introducing solid foods, and developing vital communication, language, and literacy skills. Through simple everyday activities like chatting, playing, and reading, parents can build strong foundations for their child’s future.
Personalised Support, Every Step of the Way
One of the most popular features of the campaign is the Start for Life email programme, offering tailored NHS advice at every stage of pregnancy and early parenthood. With different programmes available for mums, dads, partners, and carers, support is personalised and inclusive.
What you can expect from the email programme:
- Weekly updates tailored to your pregnancy stage or baby’s age
- Translations available in multiple languages
- Helpful tips on baby’s development, feeding options, mental wellbeing, and bonding
- Expert advice on pregnancy health, antenatal classes, birth preparation, and safe exercise
- And it works — 96% of subscribers say they would recommend the Start for Life emails to new parents (according to a YouGov survey).
Explore More Resources
Alongside the email programme, Start for Life offers a rich library of digital tools and resources to support parents at every step. From video tutorials to expert articles and interactive guides, the support is there when you need it.
👉 Find out more and sign up today by visiting the Start for Life website>>
Start your journey with confidence — because every baby deserves the best start in life.
Thank You to Our Patients
We’re Upgrading Our Telephone System!
We are excited to announce that we will soon be upgrading our telephone system to provide you with a more efficient and seamless experience when contacting Verwood Surgery. This improvement will help us manage your calls more effectively, reduce waiting times, and ensure you can easily reach the right member of our team.
What Does This Mean for You?
Our new system will offer:
- Faster and more efficient call handling
- Reduced waiting times
- Easier access to the right staff and services
When Will the Upgrade Happen?
The new system will be installed on Thursday, 23rd January 2025.
We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible, and our telephone engineers will work hard to keep any interruptions to a minimum.
We are confident this upgrade will improve your experience when contacting our Surgery. However, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
FREE Digital Help available at Verwood Library
Whooping cough vaccinations are available for pregnant women
Whooping cough cases have been rising in England. We recommend getting the whooping cough vaccine to help protect you and your baby. It's safe and effective and will provide important protection for your newborn in its first months.
Please contact us to let us know if you have any questions or if you'd like to schedule an appointment.
GPs are on your side - a message from the British Medical Association
NHS Health Checks - information for patients aged 40 to 74
You may be eligible for a community NHS Health Check with LiveWell Dorset. Check your eligibility and find a location near you by following this link>>
Introducing the new Verwood Surgery website!
We’re delighted to announce the launch of our brand new website.
This digital platform has been developed with our patients in mind, and we have tried to make it user-friendly and accessible for everyone, whether you’re tech-savvy or just getting started with online platforms. We have aimed to provide our patients with clear and concise access to services and information they require in an easy and convenient format.
Find our more on the Access to our Services web page by following this link>>
Make sure your child is up to date with their MMR vaccinations
May we remind parents to get their children vaccinated from measles, mumps and rubella, diseases which can cause serious illness. It's important to catch up on any missed vaccines.
Making a Repeat Prescription Request? Please Only Order What You Need!
Did you know that approximately 1.6 million medicine items are wasted unnecessarily in Dorset every year? We are asking our patients for help to reduce this.
We want people to have the right medicine and care while reducing the amount of medicine waste. If you have enough medicine at home, there’s no need to order more every time. You will still be able to request your medicine again in the future.
The good news is that you can help make a tremendous difference by only ordering what you need.
Thank you to the many people who are already doing this.
Access to our Services
We know it is getting very hard to access GP services across the UK. We are working beyond capacity, but we can improve how you can access our services to get the care you need.
From December, we are implementing improvements to our appointment system. This change is a result of your valuable feedback. It aligns with national guidance on enhancing appointment availability, ensuring that you receive the care you need when you need it safely and efficiently.
Online Access to GP Health Records
From November 2023 all patients in our network who are over 16 will be able to view notes and health records. This includes notes from GP surgery appointments, test results, medications and letters we receive from hospitals. These can be viewed online via the NHS App, NHS website, SystmOnline or the Airmid app. For more details, please visit the Crane Valley PCN information page here>>
If you do not want your record to be available online, please speak with the Reception or Patient Services team at your surgery.
We are an Armed Forces veteran-friendly accredited GP Practice
This means that as part of the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, we have a dedicated clinician who has specialist knowledge of military-related health conditions and veteran-specific services. this is important in helping ex-forces to get the best care and treatment.
If you are ex-forces, please let your GP know to help ensure you are getting the best possible care.
Find out more on our Armed Services Veteran Friendly page by following this link>>
Page created: 26 February 2024
