Stamford Surgery Newsletter

Patient Survey 2025

Fill in a short form to let us know how we're doing, open until Sunday 25 May 2025.

We are inviting all patients to take part in our 2025 Patient Survey, which is open until 11.45pm on Sunday 25 May 2025. This is your chance to tell us about your experience with the practice and help shape the way we deliver care in the future.

Jessica Bawden, Chief Executive of Lakeside Healthcare, said: “Your feedback, whether it’s positive or highlights areas for improvement – is incredibly valuable. It helps us understand what matters most to you, so we can continue to provide the best care possible. Even if you haven’t visited the practice recently, or have filled in a survey before, we would still really like to hear from you. Your comments show us what’s working well and where we can do better.”

The survey is being run across all Lakeside Healthcare practices and will help us identify common themes and areas for improvement. Last year, thanks to the feedback we received, we made several changes to how we work.

These included improvements to our appointment systems, staffing structures, triage process, call handling, and the availability of different types of appointments.

This year’s survey asks about your experience when contacting us, as well as whether you accessed any other advice or services beforehand, such as NHS 111 or online resources.

Patient Survey 2025

Fill in a short form to let us know how we're doing!

Open until Sunday 25 May 2025.

There are also free text boxes where you can share more detailed comments. We kindly ask that you do not include any confidential or medical information in your answers.

The survey should take around 10 to 12 minutes to complete. You can take part by scanning the QR code displayed on posters in our surgeries, or by following this link.

If you would prefer a paper copy of the survey, you can ask for one at reception. If you need help filling it in, please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of our team – we’ll be happy to support you.

Mel is the Digital and Transformation Manager at Four Counties Primary Care Network

Mel Scott will be developing projects and initiatives to help patients as part of her new role as Digital and Transformation Manager at Four Counties Primary Care Network.

She has an extensive background in customer service and healthcare, having run a busy 111 call centre and most recently was a manager at a GP training hub. She joined the Primary Care Network, which provides services for patients in Lakeside’s Stamford and Bourne practices, as she wanted a new professional challenge.

She works with the Integrated Care Board, stakeholders and the Four Counties Clinical Director, Dr Tom Ashley-Norman, to identify and run projects for patients. She also works closely with colleagues doing the same role in other Lakeside practices so they can share strategies and ways of working.

It is a new role which means that Mel can be responsive to change and grow positive working relationships with colleagues across the healthcare sector.

She said: ‘My background is in customer service and management, in retail, health and safety and most recently in the healthcare sector, joining as a 111 call handler and working up to managing the call centre. It was a really pressured environment, particularly through Covid, and my career has been heavily focused on leadership and management. I like working with people and am a positive communicator so I will bring that to my PCN role. I bring people and management skills, healthcare overview, I am very strategic with an awareness of other opportunities.

‘We make sure we are not missing out on any opportunities for patients or funding to enhance what we do. It is about looking at opportunities that allow us either to grow our service or that optimise what we already offer. I find it fascinating and challenging.

‘We have already implemented a women’s health hub project and I am doing some work with Lincolnshire Health Community Services around occupational therapists and ARRS GPs. It is good to join Lakeside’s Digital and Transformation team with people from so many different backgrounds.’

Introducing our new Social Prescribers

Here’s Collette Dowson and Melissa Dutton, who have both recently joined our Health and Wellbeing Team as Social Prescribing Link Workers.

Social Prescribers can help with non-clinical health and lifestyle issues, including weight management, smoking cessation, loneliness and housing or financial problems.

Our staff are able to refer you directly to them if they are the most appropriate team members to help. We are sure you will join us in welcoming Collette and Melissa to the Stamford team.

Getting ready to launch Total Triage

We are pleased to announce that we’re preparing to introduce Total Triage at Sheepmarket Surgery and St Mary’s Medical Centre, starting on Wednesday 11 June 2025. This change aims to make it easier and fairer for you to access care by improving the way we manage appointments.

Total Triage is a new way of working that changes how we assess and manage your requests for care. When you contact us, you will be asked to provide some information about your health concern. Our team of Triage Clinicians will review this information to determine the best next step for your care. This system will help us respond more quickly, reduce waiting times, and ensure you receive the right care at the right time.

Currently, appointments are given on a first-come, first-served basis, which can sometimes lead to long waits, especially in the rush at 8am. This new system will allow us to manage appointments more efficiently, prioritising those who need care most urgently. It will also mean that you, as a patient with more urgent needs, will be seen more quickly.

Anima

You will still contact us in the same ways as usual – via Anima on our website, by phone, or in person. No method of contact is faster than another, and all requests will be handled in the same way - through Anima, our online consultation platform. If you prefer to contact us by phone or in person, our Patient Service Advisors will use Anima to record your health concern. During busy times, you can also use our callback service, which holds your place in the queue and returns your call when it’s your turn.

Anima will guide you through a secure health questionnaire that helps our Triage Clinicians better understand your needs. The questionnaire is designed to gather relevant information about your health concern in a structured and secure way.

Once submitted, our team of Triage Clinicians will assess your request and determine the best next step. This might involve offering self-care advice, referring you to a local service or pharmacy, or arranging an appointment.

We aim to respond to all requests within 24 hours. If we need more information, you may receive a message with a link to provide additional details. Urgent issues will be prioritised for same-day appointments, while routine appointments may be scheduled for a future date. You will receive a booking link or be contacted by phone.

Appointments will be with the healthcare professional best suited to your needs – whether it’s a doctor for general health concerns, a physiotherapist for musculoskeletal issues, or a nurse for long-term conditions like asthma or diabetes.

If all appointments have been allocated for the day, an urgent on-call GP will be available for health concerns that cannot wait until the next day.

We’re working closely with our Lakeside Healthcare partner, The Hereward Practice in Bourne, which introduced Total Triage in November 2024. They’ve seen an improvement in patient access to care and have shared their experience with us to help guide our approach. We’re also conducting a project to analyse patient appointment data to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for everyone.

We’re also working with Anima to introduce account-less access, making it easier for you to contact us. This means you will no longer need to create an account to use Anima. This project is in the early stages, and we’ll share more details with you soon and keep you updated as we progress.

For anyone unsure about using Anima, we’re here to help. We will be offering digital drop-in sessions to help you get familiar with Anima. While we don’t have specific dates yet, please watch out for more information as these sessions will be happening soon. Additionally, we’ll have Digital Champions at each practice who can help if you need extra support.

We are also providing training for all our staff to make sure they’re confident with the new way of working. We want you to know that although the process is changing, the quality of your care won’t. What’s changing is how we understand and respond to your needs more effectively.

We’ll keep you updated with important information about these changes between now and Wednesday 11 June 2025. Look out for posters and displays with more details at both St Mary’s Medical Centre and Sheepmarket Surgery. You will also find further information on our website and Facebook pages soon.

Thank you for your support as we work to improve the care we provide.

Yours sincerely,

The Stamford Surgery Team

Published: May 9, 2025