Hamstreet Surgery

Welcome to Hamstreet Surgery

We are a progressive and forward thinking practice in purpose built modern premises. We aim to provide an efficient service in a friendly, caring manner. Our rural dispensing practice covers an area of 150 square miles.  

Address: Ruckinge Road, Hamstreet, Ashford, Kent TN26 2NJ

Telephone: 01233 730190

Email: KMICB.hamstreetsurgery@nhs.net

We're a Training Practice

The pratice has been accredited as being suitable for the training of doctors intending to become general practitioners. 

Primary Care Network 

Hamstreet Surgery a part of the Ashford Rural Primary Care Network along with Woodchurch Surgery, Ivy Court Surgery and Charing Surgery.

Get the right help when you need it

NHS services are very busy. It's important to come forward with any health concerns, but you can help ease the pressure by choosing the right service. 

Knowing the right place to go can help you get the treatment you need faster. Please choose wisely and help us help you.

Click here to visit our online health advice page

In the last few weeks there have been several directives released by the NHS, some are guidance, and some are mandated.  Here we explain what the recently mandated changes to the GP contract means for patients accessing their General Practice. These recent changes were not agreed by the profession and have not been accompanied by additional funding to support increased capacity.

When a patient contacts a practice, what should they now expect?

A patient can expect a response based on an assessment of their need and the finite capacity within General Practice.  The contract now states that following a patient contact (in-person, phone or on-line) the General Practice must take steps to provide an ‘appropriate response’ the same day or the next day if contact is after 6.30pm.

 An ‘appropriate response’ includes one of the below options:-

• Invite the patient for an appointment (in-person / phone) at a time which is appropriate and reasonable having regard to all circumstances.
• Provide appropriate advice to the patient – this could include emailing / texting advice or signpost to on-line resources.
• Invite the patient to make use of appropriate services - this could include where suitable directing patients to community pharmacies, urgent treatment centres or A&E departments.
• Communicating with the patient:-
• asking for further information to make an adequate assessment
• if suitable the practice can let the patient know they will receive further information about their options at a future date

Following patient contact can my General Practice ask me to seek help from another service?

The latest changes make it clearer that an appropriate response to a patient query can include signposting patients to other sources of help that may include attending a pharmacy for advice, refer to self-care advice on a website or even suggest attendance at an urgent treatment centre, A&E or referral to the Community Pharmacy Consultation Service

Does my GP or other member of the GP team have to see me within 2 weeks?

There is no mandated requirement for General Practices to offer appointments within 14 days. There is an aspiration payment that practices working in groups called Primary Care Networks (PCNs) can work towards an offer of appointments in 2 weeks. The new contract can allow for much longer waiting times for routine appointments as long as the patient is made aware of the likely waiting time.