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City Wellbeing Practice 2014-09-29 Person 5 5 0

The City Wellbeing Practice is going from strength to strength. My husband and I have been with the practice, then called Tower Medical Centre, since 1997. During these 17 years my husband's Parkinson's Disease has advanced, he has been diagnosed as having Lewy Body Dementia via referral to the Memory Clinic in 2009 (without a £25.00 payment), has lost the ability to walk and has many other complications. All the doctors know him and their care has been as is exemplary. The telephone triage works well but they never begrudge a home visit if it is needed. As his main carer I rely heavily on the practice to support me in keeping him safely at home and have nothing but praise for the dedication of everybody working there who willingly help me to achieve this. My husband's care support workers all tell me that we are very lucky to be registered with this practice and have a great respect for the doctors and receptionists who they deal with. I too use the practice for everything from blood tests, cervical smear tests flu jabs etc as well as GP services. I am grateful that they do not hand out antibiotics or, indeed, other medications, unless really necessary. When a breast screening X ray identified a lump I went straight from the hospital to the practice and saw a Dr straight away. I was helped and supported through the various tests I underwent and congratulated after the lump was removed but found to be benign. As I've aged I am calling on the practice to help me cope with many problems that, without treatment, might have made it impossible for me to continue to care for my husband. I value the fact that having four Doctors allows both of us to get to know, and be known by, every doctor. This is a great when asking for advice as all of them know the background and can make informed decisions on new evidence rather than having to look up copious notes etc. The telephone triage system works well - in 1997 one simply turned up and waited! - apart from increasing the efficiency of the Dr's input I suspect it will result in fewer missed appointments thereby saving time and resources. The City Wellbeing Practice also operates a very strong equal opportunities policy. Patients are accepted and supported regardless of their gender, age, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. The community it serves is very varied but we are all treated with respect, interest and compassion. The only improvement I can think of might be an extension to the Cannon Street Road premises but, short of digging out a basement, I guess this is impossible. As a practice in one of the most deprived parts of one of the most socially segregated London Boroughs, City Wellbeing offers a comprehensive range of services to its patients. It is not afraid to introduce new ways of working to increase efficiency. opening hours etc but NOT at the expense of us, the patients. This is the 7th practice I've belonged to in the 6 towns I've lived in and it is the best one.