Surgery Relocation

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)   

1. I need a copy of the patient letter and FAQs in a different language/format?

If you require the contents of the patient letter or FAQs in a different language or format, please contact the practice and we will arrange this for you. 

2. Why are patients being notified of this change at short notice?

As outlined in the patient letter, the practice was due to relocate to the new development at Jazz Yard in the autumn of this year, when the lease at 47 James Street expired. Due to a number of unprecedented factors the new site will now be ready in early 2026, and therefore temporary arrangements had to be sought at short notice. 

The practice has been working closely with NHS North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) to explore the most suitable option for the practice and patients. Several options were considered before deciding on the temporary relocation to alternative premises. 

3. Why could the practice not extend its lease at the current site at 47 James Street?

This was one of the options explored with support from the ICB, however an agreement could not be reached. The landlord (freeholder) is under no obligation to provide an extension, and the landlord already has plans in place for the future use of the space.

4. How will I know which site to visit if I already have a pre-booked appointment after 15th October?

Any patients that have a pre-booked appointment after 16 October, we will be contacting you either via SMS or phone with details of which site you will need to attend for your appointment. 

5. After the relocation, how will I know which site to visit for my appointments?

We will make it clear to you at the time of booking your appointment which site you need to attend. We will also send you an appointment reminder with the relevant site details by SMS to the mobile number that you have shared with us.

6. Will patient services be reduced because of the relocation?

There will be no change to service provision as a result of the relocation. We will continue to offer the same level of services as we do currently. If there are any changes to service provision, we will communicate this to you in advance. 

7. Will I have the option to attend appointments at either of the sites?

We will have patient services running from both sites. Majority of our GP appointments will take place at The Firs site and Nurse appointments at Forest Road. However, we will try to accommodate requests for choice of location where possible, particularly for our vulnerable patients. 

8. Can I still use my nominated local pharmacy to collect my repeat medications?

Yes, you can continue to use your designated pharmacy to collect your repeat medications. If you wish to change your nominated pharmacy, please speak with the practice in the first instance. 

9. How can I check what pharmacies are located near to The Firs and Forest Road Medical Centre?

You can visit the NHS website to locate nearby pharmacies: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy Alternatively please speak to a member of our reception team who will be able to provide you with information on local pharmacies. 

10. When is the new development at Jazz Yard likely to be completed?

Works are due to be completed by early 2026. We will keep patients informed if we anticipate any further delays. 

11. Will the community phlebotomy service and midwifery clinic operating from St James Health Centre be affected?

The community phlebotomy and midwifery clinic will move their operations to alternative premises. Details are as follows:

Community phlebotomy

St James Phlebotomy (blood testing) will close on Thursday 17th October 2024 and will be moving to Comely Bank Clinic on Monday 21st October 2024. The new address is:

  • 1st Floor, 46 Ravenswood Rd, Walthamstow, E17 8LY

The existing community blood test clinics are running as normal. These include:

  • Langthorne Health Centre Blood: 13 Langthorne Rd, Leytonstone, E11 4HQ.
  • Silverthorn Medical Centre Bloods: 2 Friars Close, Chingford, E4 6UN.

You can book an appointment at any of these clinics including the new site at Comely Bank online.

You can also call and book an appointment at one of the community hubs including weekends on: 020 8519 3999. Locations of these clinics are as follows: 

  • Queens Road Medical Centre, 48 Queens Rd, Walthamstow, E17 8PX
  • The Orient Practice, 75 Oliver Rd, Leyton, E10 5LG
  • The Forest Surgery, 2 Macdonald Rd, Walthamstow, E17 4BA
  • Addison Rd Medical Centre, 46 Ravenswood Rd, Walthamstow, E17 9LY

Blood tests for children under 12 months need to be booked at Whipps Cross Hospital, you can book online: Online Appointment Healthcare Platform | Swiftqueue or call: 07546 655 797 or 0208 539 5522 to arrange an appointment.

All the information about blood testing can be accessed via our practice website.

Community Midwifery

The Topaz Team Midwives are based at Whipps Cross Maternity Community Hub and Antenatal and Postnatal Clinics. Locations are as follows:

  • Forest Road Medical Centre, 354-358 Forest Road, E17 5JL
  • Comely Bank Health Centre, 46 Ravenswood Road, E17 9LY
  • Wood Street Health Centre, 6 Linford Road, E17 3LA

The Team covers parts of Waltham Forest, the E17 area. Each community midwifery team provides cover for the home birth service.

12. Will any of the practice contact details be changing because of the temporary relocation?

The practice telephone and website will remain unchanged. Patients will still be able to contact the practice using these details. 

Only the location of the practice will be changing, which will be as follows: 

  • GP appointments and multi-disease management clinics will run from: The Firs Medical Centre, 26 Stephenson Road, London E17 7JT
  • Nursing / Health Care Assistant (HCA) appointments will run from Forest Rd Medical Centre: 354-358 Forest Road, London E17 5JL

13. What will happen to staff working at the practice?

Staff will continue to be employed by the practice. No staff changes are planned as part of the relocation. We have been engaging with our staff and reassuring them of this. 

14. How can I find out more information about the temporary relocation?

We have written to all patients, and we will be holding patient engagement events on the following dates and times: 

  • Wednesday 9th October 2024: 11am to 12pm - Face-to-face at the practice
  • Wednesday 9th October 2024: 5.30pm to 6.30pm - Virtual via MS Teams

If you would like to attend any of the patient engagement sessions, please register your details online.

You can also contact the practice on: 020 3233 0870. Please ensure you do this as soon as possible, as this will particularly help in the planning of the face-to-face session. 

When registering for the session, please remember to include the following information:

  • Full Name
  • Email address*
  • Mobile Number*
  • Specify the session you will be attending i.e. face-to-face or virtual. 

*We will require your email address / mobile number if you are attending the virtual session as we will email / text you joining instructions in advance of the meeting. 

Please note both sessions will cover the same content and therefore you are only required to attend one of the sessions. 

15. Do I have the choice to register with another GP practice if I am not happy with the temporary arrangements?

We are keen to continue serving our patients and hope patients remain with us until we are ready to move into the newly built health centre at Jazz Yard. However, you do have the option to register with another nearby GP practice if you wish.

Please visit the NHS website for more information.

You can also contact the NHS England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 22 33.

Updates from commissioners / stakeholders can be found here.

16. Why were the delays to the completion of Jazz Yard not anticipated earlier?

Several parties were involved in the development of Jazz Yard, this included both the Local Authority and NHS organisations. When issues arose, the relevant parties did try to resolve these immediately, however in this instance the resolution was not swift enough. There will be a lessons learnt exercise undertaken in due course to understand what went wrong and how processes can be improved in the future to ensure instances like this do not happen again.

17. When is the new development at Jazz Yard likely to be completed?

Works are due to be completed by early 2026. We will keep patients informed if we anticipate any further delays.

18. Can we see a timeline of the move to Jazz Yard?

We are working with the Local Authority and the ICB for a project timeline of when the build at Jazz Yard will be completed and when the practice will be able to move in. We will publish this information on the practice website shortly and provide updates accordingly.

19. Will there be further patient engagement events to discuss the move to Jazz Yard?

Yes, we will be holding patient engagement events to discuss the move to Jazz Yard. We will be writing to all patients nearer to the time with the relevant details. Our focus currently is to establish operations from the two temporary sites and ensure continuity of care for our patients.

To read more about the latest updates and Patient Engagement event please see our dedicated News page.