Skip to main content

Patient update

MenACWY vaccine is given to young people at school in year 9, with catch ups until year 11. The vaccine can be offered in primary care from the age of 14, opportunistically or upon request to anyone who missed it at school, up until the age of 25. No additional boosters are recommended. Please check your immunisation record and if you have not received this vaccine please book an appointment with the nurse at the practice – Request an appointment with a nurse or healthcare assistant – Surrey Lodge Group Practice

The Men B vaccine is not offered to teenagers/young people under the national immunisation programme, unless you are in an “at risk” group (from 2 years of age who are at increased risk of invasive meningococcal infection with asplenia, splenic dysfunction or complement disorders (including those on, or to commence, complement inhibitor treatment such as eculizumab)). There is currently no recommendation for any additional Men B vaccinations for young people.

For further information:

One problem per consultation policy

We have a ‘One Problem Per Consultation’ policy

We kindly ask that all patients try and stick to our ‘One Problem Per Consultation’ policy. The main reason for this request is for clinical safety.

We know that getting an appointment with the doctor is sometimes difficult and that some patients ‘save’ their problems and present them to the doctor at the same time, with or without a list. We also know that the clinician may run late. All of this increases the tendency for patients to present multiple problems to their doctor/ANP at one consultation.

Each appointment is only 10 minutes long. Ten minutes is not a lot of time, even for just one problem and there is no time left in the ten minutes to write up notes, fill out forms, dictate referrals or speak to other team members for advice.

Presenting the clinician with multiple problems means that there is a real increased risk that mistakes will be made and things to be missed as the clinician may be inclined to rush, particularly if other patients are waiting.

One of Primary Care’s main purposes is to detect serious diseases early.

Presenting multiple problems to the clinician, not all of which may be serious increases the difficulty of this task – it is like finding the ‘needle in a haystack.

Doctors cannot see huge numbers of patients with multiple problems and continue to practice safely and effectively. A stressed doctor will struggle to be a good and safe doctor.

We do consider that GP appointments are a limited resource and we would kindly ask that such a service be used with care and consideration. Therefore please do not be offended if the doctor asks you to rebook for your other problems. We are working in your best interests to keep you safe.

We would always encourage patients to book double appointments if there are multiple problems that need discussing.

Page published: 31 October 2023
Last updated: 31 October 2023