Clinics and Services | Welcome to Ironbridge Medical Practice

Clinics and service provision

Here at Ironbridge Medical Practice, we offer clinics with a range of Health Care Professionals who offer many different services.

Appointments

We accept appointment bookings online or via the telephone. Please phone after 10am for non-emergency appointments. New emergency appointments are released at 8.30am each day.

Extended Access Clinics

We have clinics at the surgery two Saturdays a month. These are usually the first and third Saturday.

Patients can pre-book these appointments by calling the surgery on the usual number.

Prescriptions

You can either request prescriptions via our online Patient Access portal, or through Prescription Ordering Direct on 01952 580350. Please note we no longer accept prescription requests via the telephone or in person.

Test Results

Test results can either be viewed via our Patient Access portal or you can speak to a member of the team after 10am.

Home visits

If you need a home visit please telephone reception before 10:30.

Details of your visit request will be taken by our reception team and passed onto a clinician for triage purposes, if deemed appropriate arrangements will be made to visit.

Home visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the surgery.

Online Consultations

There are two ways to access the practice if you prefer an online consultation. Please use this link for our online consultation package https://www.online-consult.co.uk/org/ironbridge-medical-practice

Alternatively you can register for Patient Access the link below. https://www.patientaccess.com/

Support and services for military veterans

The scheme, called the Military Veteran Aware Accreditation, has now been adopted by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs as a nationwide initiative so that family doctors can better identify and treat veterans, ensuring they get access to dedicated care where appropriate. If you are an ex services member please inform our practice so that the relevant information can be included in your medical record to ensure you access services in a timely manner.

Out of Hours cover

For non-emergency healthcare outside of surgery hours, please call the surgery line and you will be advised of the appropriate number to call to access out of hours services.

In case of emergency, please call 999

Disabled access

Our premises are fully accessible to the disabled. If you require any additional assistance, please ask at reception.

Appointment reminder service

The practice will remind you of any appointments via text message.

Healthy Lifestyle – Healthy Telford

To access support for weight management, smoking cessation, alcohol awareness and physical activity and exercise please use the link below.

https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20087/healthy_telford

Travel advice and immunisations

Child Immunisation Clinic

We hold child immunisation clinics on a Thursday morning with our Practice Nurse.

An open letter to Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin residents

15 December 2023

Joint statement from NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire Council, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and West Midlands Ambulance Service.

To the residents of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin,

Winter is upon us, and we need your help to protect you, your friends, your families and our health and care services, which are already under extreme pressure. The level of demand we have seen in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin over the last few weeks has been very high and shows no sign of relenting. It is the same story across the country, and it will likely get even more challenging, especially as we enter the festive period.

As health and care leaders, we give you our word that we are doing everything within our power to see that our communities get the appropriate care they need when they need it. However, we also recognise that some experiences are not as we would expect and apologise for that.

We are taking additional steps to prioritise and maintain safe services for patients. Where possible, we are bringing in additional staff to work in our communities and our hospitals and we are maximising resources to manage urgent and emergency care pressures. Our aim is to prioritise those with the highest needs and ensure that we continue to be able to manage emergency care.

Our staff continue to work exceptionally hard, and we appreciate everything that they are doing to ensure that despite the challenges we face, our services remain open to anyone who needs them.

But we need your support. We write to you today to set out the scale of the challenge and to ask you to take the steps you can to help us and help each other. We are all in this together, your decisions and small actions can make a difference this winter.

The challenge we face

Both Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are seeing sustained and high numbers of patients, with the number of instances of norovirus, which brings on diarrhoea and vomiting, and other respiratory illnesses such as covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on the rise.

Our hospitals are very busy and full. This is causing lengthy waits in A&E and delays in ambulances being able to hand over their patients. As a result, ambulance crews are unable to respond to other 999 calls in the community.

We also face delays in discharging patients from hospital – many of whom have complex personal circumstances and needs. This is leading to extended waiting times to access beds and adding to ambulance handover delays.

Our social care and health teams are doing everything possible to support people who are well enough to leave hospital but need ongoing care. Priority is being given to the most vulnerable people.

Your GPs are also under unprecedented pressure. Surgeries are seeing record numbers of patients, and the demand continues to increase.

How you can help

There are some things you can do to play your part in tackling these challenges:

Get your covid and flu vaccinations, including the booster jab if you’re eligible. They are simple steps that will help you stay well and reduce the likelihood of you needing other health and care services.
If you have norovirus (vomiting and diarrhoea) stop it spreading by washing your hands regularly. If you or a family member have been sick with norovirus, you should avoid visiting hospitals and care homes, and not return to work or school until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. Also avoid visiting elderly or vulnerable people.
Visit NHS 111 Online or call NHS 111 if you or someone you’re with has a medical problem that isn’t life-threatening but requires immediate help, NHS 111 will get you assessed and directed to the right place.
If you need to see a GP, they will see you, but you could also be signposted to other clinicians or health professionals who can see you quicker and give you the help you need. That could be a nurse practitioner or pharmacist – these are skilled people who can help you to get well sooner.
Consider using your local Minor Injury Unit in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Whitchurch, which on average have much shorter waiting times. These can provide rapid treatment for urgent, non-life-threatening injuries such as cuts, burns and sprains.
Local pharmacies are open seven days a week to offer advice and over the counter medications for minor ailments such as upset stomachs, earache, skin rashes and relief from coughs and colds.
Support a loved one to get home from hospital as quickly as possible. Spending as little time in hospital as possible is better for patients. Collecting your loved one from hospital as early as possible will also help free up beds for patients who require admission.
If you have a relative or loved one in hospital waiting to be discharged with homecare and community health support, you may help them get home quicker if you and your family can support them at home. If you feel that this is an option that you could consider, please speak to their ward manager or social worker to explore further.
Only call 999 or attend A&E departments for genuine life-threatening emergencies.