Welcome to Ball Tree Surgery

Please note we have two locations

Main site - Western Road North, Sompting Lancing, BN15 9UX 

Kingfisher Branch - 19 to 21 Culver Road, Lancing, BN15 9AX

Please check where your appointment is located if you are coming in to see us.

If you need support when we are closed please use 111 on the phone or online

If you have a medical emergency please use 999

We have a new website which can be found at www.balltree.nhs.uk 

This website will soon be retired and will redirect to the new website address.

We are CLOSED on Good Friday 29th of March and Easter Monday 1st April 2024

Click the image to access online GP Services

We have now opened our electronic consultation system - Engage Consult

This is a new alternative route to the surgery instead of using the telephones.

We strongly recommend using NHS Login or creating an account with this service as this enables two-way messaging.

• This can be used for non-urgent medical enquiries and administration queries.
• This is not for prescription requests or urgent medical problems.
• The busiest time for phone calls is 8-12am. The electronic consultation service is available during these times and may be a quicker way to access care and support

Please note the service may close earlier in the morning at busier times.

Please use this link or sign up for the NHS app to access this service.

If successful, we will aim increase the capacity of Engage Consult, so please be patient as we build on the service available.

What happens to my query?

The care navigators will initially review the query as they would have done with when answering the phone.
They will direct your query to the most appropriate person.
If you have been dealing with a particular clinician for your problem already, please let us know as we will aim to direct your query to them.
While many queries can be dealt with within 72 hours, some may be booked for a future routine appointment with the most appropriate clinician.

Why can’t I request my prescription through this system?

We already receive prescription requests through a variety of channels.
Engage Consult has limited capacity so we need to ensure it is used safely and efficiently.
To request a prescription electronically you can sign up to the NHS app or for online access via our reception team.
Otherwise you can request with the traditional paper slip.

We do not take prescription requests over the phone unless there are special circumstances as we have limited phone capacity and also there is more risk of errors.

HOSPITAL WAITING TIMES 

Important information for patients currently on hospital waiting lists

Home - Patient initiated request to move hospital (pidmas.nhs.uk)

The NHS has been working hard to address the backlogs built up during the COVID pandemic. As part of these plans, the NHS will be proactively contacting patients who have been waiting a long time for NHS funded treatment to remind them of their right to request to move to an alternative hospital where they may be seen quicker. 

From Tuesday 31^st October new digital portal called the Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS) will be introduced. Patients who have been waiting 40 weeks or more can use this portal to request an alternative choice of hospital.   

Any patient who is eligible will receive either a SMS text message or a letter from their current hospital explaining how to request to choose a different hospital.

Please do not contact the practice regarding this process as we have no information regarding individual patients. 

The hospital will contact you if you are eligible. Please do not contact them either.   

Further information about alternative choice is available on hospital websites. 

	World Anitimicrobial Awareness Week 18 to 24 November 2023
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. It is important to only prescribe antibotics when really necessary and it is important for those taking antibotics to always complete their full course of medication to help prevent resistance.

Please BE KIND to our Teams  

It has been a very difficult few years for everyone and we have really appreciated the kind words, patience and support towards our staff from so many people that use our services.

We can understand and share people's frustration at times.

Unfortunately we have had a rise in aggressive calls and this puts additional pressure on our already over stretched team. 

Our trained team may ask for details when you call so they can direct you to the best member of the team to help you in the most appropriate timescale

We want you to have a safe sustainable service at Ball Tree - we work incredibly hard every day to provide this and we are doing our best in very challenging circumstances.

Please help us to help you by being kind to all the teams when you get in touch - we will always try to offer you whatever we can as soon as we can. 

We operate a zero tolerance policy.  Rude and aggressive patients are removed from the practice list and need to register elsewhere.

GP Appointments

We are aiming to increase our pre-bookable GP appointments, though much of our availability is still filled on the day. please check hear for updates coming soon. 

Where needed, a GP will be able to speak to you on the day and the GP decide with you if a face to face appointment is needed. This will usually be on the same day.

Once we have reached a safe level of capacity each day we will then only be able to take GP requests for urgent matters. 

The phone message will change at this time.  Please note that we are still able to support questions and bookings for all other matters during the urgent only time periods.

We are sorry that this may cause inconvenience.

The demand on our service has increased substantially and we do not have any additional resources.

We want to operate safely for everyone's benefit and want to be available to you in a sustainable way.

Please call as early as you are able to help us plan our daily activity.  Please stay on the line and we will reach your call as soon as we are able.

Please consider if you could also be supported by contacting NHS 111 online or by phone or by a local pharmacy before calling us.

Annual Reviews for Ongoing Conditions

We have moved back to our previous programme of annual reviews for people who have ongoing medical conditions.  This means that we aim to contact people around their birthday month for one or two appointments to cover key areas of health.  These may be by telephone or in person depending upon the type of review.  We are required to send out at least two invitations per person per year for those who have ongoing conditions.  These invitations will mainly come out by SMS or Email so please do ensure that we have your latest contact information.  

If you have any concerns or worrying symptoms at any time you can book a review of your conditions with a Nurse or GP.  It may be that we ask you to book an appointment with one of our healthcare assistants for a blood test or other checks before your review appointment so that the clinician has the most up to date information to support your care.

For people who are more frail and unable to leave their house we offer review appointments at home

COVID VACCINES

Currently @ Kingfisher Site

We are currently focusing on the over 75's and immunocompromised people for their Spring Boosters . Please call 119 or the surgery if you haven't yet booked your appointment. 

COVID PASSPORTS - PLEASE CALL 119 or use the NHS APP 

Mental Health

Coronavirus and your wellbeing - MIND

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

https://www.westsussexmind.org/news/news/covid-19-corona-virus-west-sussex-mind-services

Every Mind Matters   https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

NHS Mental health signposting   https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/

Mental Health Apps List of Mental Health Apps - April 2020 [PDF]

Wearing Face Masks Help with anxiety relating to wearking a face mask from MIND if you have a hidden disabilty - information at Hidden Disability Store

Loneliness Independent Age https://www.independantage.org 

CRISIS Support - Sexual or Violent Abuse

Safe in Sussex https://www.safeinsussex.co.uk

Survivors Network (Susex Based) https://survivorsnetwork.org.uk/) 

Refuge https://www.refuge.org.uk/

Survivors UK (for Male victims)  https://www.survivorsuk.org/

Women's Aid https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

Rape Crisis https://rapecrisis.org.uk/

Younger People's Support 

NSPCC https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/childrens-services

Bernardo's https://www.bernardos.org.uk

LGBTQ Younger People https://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk

Childline https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/childline/ Call 0800 1111 (for kids) Call 0808 800 5000 (for adults concerned about a child)

Loneliness - Local Youth Organisation - Esteem - http://esteem.org.uk

COVID Support

Local Council Support for Vulnerable People If you know someone who cannot access these internet resources, please assist them or ask them to call the surgery

UK Government Support for extremely vulnerable people

Lancing and Sompting local support via Facebook

Top Ten Tips for Managing COVID at Home [PDF]

Isolation Pack for Over 70s - Useful information [PDF]

Local and Community Resources to help with impact of COVID [PDF]

Support for Younger People [PDF]

Support for Older People and those with dementia [PDF]

Support for Maternity and New Parents

Planning your birth during covid-19

Looking after yourself and your baby in pregnancy during covid-19

Parent information for newborn babies during covid-19

e-Consultations

We apologise. We have suspended the eConsultation system while we work with the CCG to improve the system 

Self Care Leaflets and Advice for those with long term health conditions

COPD and Asthma - Keeping Yourself Well

Diabetes Type I - Sick Day Rules

Diabetes Type II - Sick Day Rules

How To Look After Your Kidneys

Diabetes and CKD - Keeping Yourself Well

COPD Assessment Test - Monitoring your COPD symptoms

Asthma Control Test - Monitoring your Asthma Symptoms

Your Ball Tree Surgery

We welcome you feedback and involvement in your surgery. 

The Medical Team at Ball Tree aims to provide all our patients with access to quality personalised care in a friendly environment.

We aim to be Safe, Effective, Responsive, Caring and well-led as directed by our governing framework and our regulators the Care Quality Commission

Our team have created a mission statement for our practice which outlines our aspirations - Mission Statement

Every patient registered with Ball Tree has a named GP responsible for their overall care. We strongly encourage you to see the same GP for ongoing problems whenever this is possible.  We believe that prevention of illness is better than cure and actively educate and encourage our patients to make healthy choices and share responsibility for improving their well being.  

Self-care can often be the best care for many conditions and we ask our patients to think carefully before booking to see a GP or Nurse.  Before contacting us about minor conditions that have only been present for a couple of days we recommend the Self Care Forum or NHS Choices where there are many helpful resources.  You can also pop into your local pharmacy who will be happy to help you with many common conditions and problems - see a list of common issues where No Prescription Is Required [PDF]  There is a video just below and a leaflet Help my NHS

Our duty of care extends widely and we believe that every child and vulnerable adult has the right to be safe. We are committed to safeguarding all our patients and staff.  If you have personal concerns or would like to share concerns about welfare of child or adult, we have a dedicated member of our team who, supported by our partner organisations, can work with you.

We are working with Going Local - a community referral service accessed via our GPs to help people by supporting access to local organisations for finance, employment, housing and digital engagement.  Going Local has highlighted a range of local activities that may be of interest... Going Local [PDF]

If you are able to give the time to feedback in the survey that will help us understand what works , and doesn't. If you would want to be more involved in shaping our services then please contact the practice manager via the reception team. 

Ball Tree Patient Voice: If you have feedback - compliment or complaint please see our information on the routes available to get in touch

Ball Tree Patient Voice: Click Here for the results of our latest patient survey

Local GP Access Hubs

GP and Nurse appointments are now available during the evening and at the weekend at local GP access hubs

• Urgent appointments for a new illness
• Same day and next day appointments
• Access to your GP medical records with your consent
• Appointments booked via Ball Tree
• Clinical are operated by IPC which is a not for profit organisation owned by local GP practices

If you are offered one of these appointments by the team please do consider accepting as it will likely mean that you are seen sooner.

We will lose this valuable service if people do not accept the appointments that we offer there.  

To keep your local GP service at Ball Tree available and sustainable we need our patients to see the most appropriate person and often this will be at the Access Hubs.

Talk to our reception team and they can advise you further!

Communication: Let us know if you need support accessing our services or our communication materials and we will do our best to meet you needs.  

Self care advice

Under pressure:
Please be aware that General Practice is facing significant challenges due to increasing workload and reducing resources (despite what you may see in the headlines - there is no new money).
Please use our services wisely so that we can continue to provide a safe and caring service for all our patients.
Patients NOT coming to appointments costs us tens of thousands of pounds each year - which could be going towards your health care
Please lobby your MP - we are in need of a new building and additional resources - Lancing is not currently a priority for the area - please help us raise its profile

LGBTQ+ Friendly

Ball Tree is a safe and welcoming space

We have pledged to be Antibiotic Guardians This is important for YOU and those whom you love. Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to our current way of life.  Without effective antibiotics, many routine treatments will become increasingly dangerous.  Please do not expect to receive antibiotics... trust the expertise of our GPs to prescribe them when they are truly needed. Click here for information.

Our Opening Hours

PLEASE CHECK WHICH SITE YOUR APPOINTMENT IS AT

Ball Tree Surgery - Main Site - Western Road North, Lancing, BN15 9UX

Kingfisher Branch - Branch Site -19 - 21 Culver Road, Lancing BN15 9AX (USE BUZZER TO REQUEST ACCESS)

When We Are Closed

When the surgery is closed (Out of Hours), you are still able to access a GP.   Telephone NHS 111 (free from land line or mobile) NHS 111 Team will talk through the reason for your call, and just like our reception team, if they agree that you need an urgent appointment they are able to book this for you at a local surgery / arrange a home visit. They may advise you to attend Accident and Emergency - but this would only be in the most serious of situations.

 Usually it is always better to telephone:

• 111 - When you need advice or guidance when we are closed (or you can talk with a local pharmacy if they are open).
• 999 - To report a serious accident, injury or illness - 999 Team will advise you and may arrange an ambulance.

Only visit Accident and Emergency if you or someone you are caring for has a very serious injury or illness. If you attend A&E for less serious issues, it causes huge problems for the hospital and costs the NHS many times the cost of using 111 or visiting your GP during usual opening hours.

Your Local Pharmacist

Your local pharmacist will be able to give you free health advice at any time – you don't need an appointment.
Many pharmacies operate extended hours on a rota basis.  Download our guide to local Pharmacy Opening Hours [PDF]

Serving You

Our dedicated team are here to treat those minor ailments that occur as well as providing specialist management of long-term conditions and clinics covering a wide range of healthcare issues. The technology also means you can now do a lot of things from the comfort of your home such as order a repeat prescription or cancel an appointment.

Partners in Care

Once registered, patients and healthcare professionals work together to ensure the most appropriate care is provided. This partnership philosophy extends even further and our active patient group exists to make sure that patient needs and the practice offering are always heading in the same direction.

Access

Our surgery has suitable access to the ground floor for patients using a wheelchair. A stair lift is available to the first floor which staff will be happy to operate for you. We also have a parking space which is reserved for patients displaying a disabled sticker.

We can arrange interpretation and translation services for patients who do not speak English. Please let us know if you need this service when booking an appointment - it may require additional time for us to be able to arrange interpreting services and we will also need to book a longer appointment.