News

SURGERY & DISPENSARY CLOSURES

Covid & Flu Vaccinations 2025

We will be running our annual flu vaccination clinic for our over 65yrs old eligible patients on Saturday 4^th October 2025 at the Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall. Please save this date as we would like as many of our eligible patients to attend. We will be in touch when appointments are available to book.

Autumn 2025 COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility Criteria:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in care homes for older adults
• individuals who are immunosuppressed aged 6 months and over

We are unable to give vaccines outside of these cohorts. Please note, the criteria has changed from the autumn 2024 which also included adults aged 65 to 74, and all those aged 6 months and over in a clinical risk group.  Covid vaccinations can only be given after 1st October 2025 and will be dependant on delivery.

Flu Vaccination Eligibility Criteria:

From 1 September 2025:

• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025
• primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
• secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
• all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years

From 1^st October 2025:

• those aged 65 years and over
• those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza chapter 19)
• those in long-stay residential care home
• carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants

Welcome to the Team

We are delighted to announce that Dr Jon Dent has officially joined the partnership at our practice, effective from 1st September 2025. Dr Dent did his last year of GP training with us as a Registrar from August 2021 for 12 months, and then he joined us as a salaried GP from January 2023. 

We would like to welcome our new Pharmacist Janine who will be working with us on Mondays doing medication reviews for patients.  

We would also like to welcome Frances, our new Receptionist, to the surgery Admin Team. Francis is taking over in Reception for Kelly on a Friday. Kelly has reduced her hours at the surgery due to an increase in caring responsibilities but will continue in her Social Prescribing and Carers Lead role for the surgery. 

We are also very pleased to welcome back Tracy, who has returned to help us with our phlebotomy appointments!

Cervical Screening Results

Starting in September, the NHS plans to trial sending cervical screening results through the NHS App. If your test result is negative, you’ll get a message and notification in the app. If you don’t read the message within 72 hours, a letter will be sent to the registered address as a backup. Any abnormal results will continue to be delivered by letter.

To access the app, you need to be signed up to online services at the practice. Speak to one of our receptionists if you are unsure whether you have online services. To download the NHS App and turn on notifications go to www.nhs.uk/nhs-app.

If you would like help to set up and use the app, please speak with our Social Prescribers at the surgery who can signpost you to local help and support.

Dorchester Carers Nook - A Space for Those Who Care

Are you a carer in Dorchester? The Dorchester Carers Nook is here to support you. Created with carers, for carers, this monthly drop-in offers a warm welcome, practical advice, and the chance to connect with others who understand the challenges and rewards of caring.

What’s on offer?

• Carer Café – Meet other carers, share experiences, and enjoy a well-earned break.
• Activities for the cared-for person – Supervised sessions to give carers some breathing room (pre-booking required).
• Information & Advice – Access to local charities, health services, and community organisations.
• On-Hand Support – From Primary Care Network teams, Social Prescribers, and Long-Term Condition Coordinators.

When and where?

• Every 2nd Wednesday of the month
• 10:00am – 12:00pm
• Dorchester Connect Day Centre

September's focus: Physical Wellness. Organisations attending will be: Carer Support Dorset, Age UK, MDPCN Occupational Therapy Team, LiveWell Dorset and Community Action Network.

Booking information

No booking needed for carers – just drop in anytime between 10am and 12pm.
Pre-booking is required for cared-for activities (spaces are limited).
To reserve a place, call 01305 269073.

Who is behind the project?

Dorchester Carers Nook is a joint initiative from: Mid Dorset Primary Care Network (PCN), Age UK, Dorset Council, Dorchester Day Centre and Carer Support Dorset. Together, we’ve created a safe and welcoming space where carers can unwind, recharge, and access the support they need.

👉 For more information, please visit: https://mid-dorsetpcn.co.uk/dorchester-carers-nook 

Lower Limb Health Tool

Worried about your legs and feet? Download the NHS Dorset lower limb health screening tool to assess if your legs and feet are healthy and find out what to do next.

www.staywelldorset.nhs.uk/conditions/legs

Weight Management Medication

New Weight Management Medication – Not Yet Available from Your GP

Please note that GP practices in Mid Dorset are not yet set up to provide the new NHS weight management medication, Tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro®), which is due to become available nationally from 23 June 2025.

While around 1,000 people in Dorset are expected to meet the national eligibility criteria for this treatment, local access will not begin until autumn 2025.

What’s Happening Locally?

NHS Dorset is currently working to commission a new community-based weight management service during the summer. This service is expected to launch later in 2025 and will provide access to Tirzepatide through a dedicated referral pathway – not directly through GP practices.

We kindly ask that you do not contact your GP about this medication at this time, as we are currently unable to offer advice, prescriptions, or referrals.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible under the current national NHS guidelines, individuals must:

• Have a BMI of 40 kg/m² or more, or 37.5 kg/m² or more for people from minority ethnic backgrounds
  and
• Have at least four of the following long-term conditions:
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Dyslipidaemia
• Cardiovascular disease
• Obstructive sleep apnoea

This guidance comes from NHS England’s interim commissioning framework (based on NICE TA1026).

What to Expect

The upcoming local service is being designed to reflect public feedback, focusing on:

• Choice – both face-to-face and online options
• Accessibility – easy to access and inclusive support
• Equity – addressing health inequalities
• Integration – linking with behavioural and lifestyle support already in place in Dorset

Until the new service launches, existing weight management support remains available via LiveWell Dorset. We will share more information as soon as the service is ready.

For more information please visit: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) – NHS Dorset

DNA (Did Not Attend) Appointments

Between January 2025 and April 2025 189 patients did not attend their appointments, equalling a total of 53 hours 45 minutes of clinical time wasted.

• NURSE time wasted: 28 hours 40 minutes = Equivalent of 172 blood tests; or 57 asthma/COPD reviews; or 57 baby immunisations; or 86 cervical smear tests lost
• GP time wasted: 18 hours 40 minutes = 75 GP appointments lost
• HCA time wasted: 4 hours 5 minutes = Equivalent of 24 blood test appointments lost
• PHYSIO time wasted: 2 hours 20 minutes = 7 Physio appointments lost

Some of these appointments are up to 40 minutes long, so missing your appointment or forgetting to cancel means we waste valuable clinic time. For ONE missed Long Term Condition Review appointment, THREE people could have had blood test appointments, so it's important not to waste these slots.

If you can’t attend an appointment, please can we ask that you cancel it at least an hour before so someone else can receive the care they need. This can be done either over the phone or by replying CANCEL to your text reminder.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter - It could make a huge difference to another patient.

Surgery Facebook Page

Our surgery Facebook page (@miltonabbassurgery) is a great way to stay up to date with surgery news, closures, and helpful information to support you and your family’s health and wellbeing.

If you'd like to learn more about using it, why not book a session with one of the Digital Champions sessions run by Dorset Council? 

Digital Champions at Dorset Council are a group of friendly and patient volunteers who are good at explaining computers, without using jargon. They can help you to:

• set up and using devices including mobile phones, tablets and computers
• get online and show you how to do home shopping
• access digital NHS services like the NHS app or SystmOnline to be able to book appointments, view test results and consultation notes

Dorset Council run Digital Champion sessions in Blandford Library on Tuesdays from 10am till 12.25pm, and every other Friday 10.30am till 12noon. To book a session please call 01305 221048.

eConsults

Please can we ask that from now onwards, rather than use the surgery email address for clinical or medication queries, you complete an eConsult form online as the GP’s no longer take questions via email. This would also include requests for sick notes.

To access the eConsult service please click on the ‘Complete an eConsult’ button on the front page of our surgery website www.masurgery.co.uk. You can also submit an eConsult from the NHS app.

For more details on how to use eConsult please click here https://econsult.net/nhs-patients/how-to-use-econsult

This will help with efficiency and the GP workload. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.