The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery

Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
Information>News and current topics
Updated: 4 July 2010

Race for Life
Congratulations to several of our staff who survived high temperatures to complete the 2010 Race for Life in Nowton Park on Sunday 27 June.  Ann Norman, dispenser in the main surgery, organised the "Team Guildhall" and all members completed the course in an hour or less.  Entry into next year's event is planned with the firm intention of returning even better times!
GP Patient Survey 2009/10
 We are pleased to report good results for the Surgery in the recent GP Patient Survey published recently.  Fuller details can be seen by clicking on: Patient Survey or Main surgery results .pdf or Barrow branch surgery .pdf
New Lift
 A lift is currently being installed to improve patient access to the first floor.  Inevitably, the work involves a considerable amount of noise, which will continue until August, and we apologise if you experience any discomfort or inconvenience.

 Parking
Public parking is available in the vicinity of the main surgery, in the car park opposite our building, on Lower Baxter Street.  Charges at present are £1.40 for up to one hour and £1.90 for up to two hours on weekdays, with a maximum stay of two hours.		 Travelling overseas?
Don't forget to think well ahead about whether you need any travel vaccinations or malaria tablets.  Look at our Health Links page for links to travel sites with information about what immunisations you may need and any necessary precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday.  Print off a Travel Risk Assessment form (see Immunisations on the Services page) to complete prior to making an appointment to see one of our nurses for up-to-date advice.  You should arrange your first appointment more than a month before your intended date of travel.  Malaria tablets can be purchased from the surgery.
Practice merger
From Monday 7th. September 2009, The Guildhall Surgery doctors have each been providing one session per week at Barrow Hill Surgery.  Patients of the combined surgery are able to see their own doctor at either site although Dr Cooledge sees patients only at Barrow.  This has opened up new opportunities to provide improved services for patients.  If you have any comments about this extension to our service, please email us through this link: Comments
The Guildhall Surgery joined with the Barrow Hill Surgery to become The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery on 1 April 2009.  An unavoidable delay in merging computer data accurately resulted in the need to postpone a combined operation.		 HPV vaccination
From autumn 2008, the Government is funding a full course of HPV (the virus that causes cervical cancer) immunisation to all Year 8 girls (born between 1/9/95 & 31/8/96) through schools and, as announced recently, to all girls aged 17 to 18.  In addition, a catch-up programme for all girls who are currently in Years 8 to 11 will be introduced from autumn 2009 (current Year 10 & 11) and autumn 2010 (current Year 8 & 9).  No decision has been made on how girls who will have left school by then will be vaccinated.  No NHS funding for immunisation of girls and women outside these groups is currently available.  Further guidance from the Department of Health will be available later this year.  Click on this link for more information from DH: HPV campaign information
Prescriptions online
Through our computer clinical software provider, EMIS, it is possible to order your repeat prescriptions online, at a time that suits you and without having to keep on ringing back when the dispensary telephone number is engaged.  See details of how to register for this on the Prescriptions page.  We will be able to provide you with all the information you need to access this secure service.  Please retain this information for future use when using EMIS Access.		 Choose and Book
We are able to offer you a choice of hospital to be referred to should you need specialist advice.  Please advise your doctor, at the time of your consultation, which hospital you wish to be referred to. 
After the booking has been made you will, shortly after, receive a letter giving details of the appointment.  Included in the letter are details of how to change the appointment if the original date is inconvenient for you.  This is for some routine, outpatient appointments, only.