Verwood Surgery

11/11/2025

We appreciate that this change may affect some patients. If you need support with your diet or coeliac disease management, please contact us for guidance.

📢 Changes to gluten-free food on NHS prescriptions
Following national guidance, NHS Dorset has recently requested that our GP practices cease prescribing gluten-free foods. This is because NHS Dorset has one of the highest expenditures on gluten-free products in the country, despite having a relatively small population, and the NHS must ensure that funding is used in ways that benefit as many people as possible.

What does this mean for you?
Gluten-free products are now widely available in supermarkets and online. If you rely on gluten-free foods, you will still be able to purchase them directly, but they will no longer be provided on NHS prescription.

If you need support with managing coeliac disease or your diet, don't hesitate to get in touch with your GP practice.

Thank you for your understanding as we work together to maximise the use of NHS resources for the entire Dorset community. For more information, visit the NHS Dorset website here:
https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/health/medicines/helpyournhs/gluten/

07/11/2025

ℹ️Important Vaccination information for patientsℹ️
Flu season has arrived early this year — and it’s already hitting hard.
Cases are 3x higher than this time last year, and many people are falling ill sooner than expected. Protect yourself and the people you care about. If you are
▪️pregnant
▪️aged 65 years and over
▪️aged 18 to under 65 with certain long-term health conditions
and haven’t had your flu vaccine yet, it’s not too late.

Our practice nurses are running smaller ongoing clinics, and we’re happy to book you in.

📞 Just contact the surgery and we’ll arrange an appointment at a time that works for you.
Let’s stay healthy this winter, together. 💙🍂
https://www.verwoodsurgery.co.uk/contact-us

04/11/2025

🩺 Cervical Screening Saves Lives
Regular cervical screening is one of the best ways to detect early changes that could lead to cervical cancer. It’s quick, simple, and could make all the difference.

Cervical screening is important for anyone with a cervix — including transgender men, non-binary, and gender-diverse people. Find out more here:
👉 https://tinyurl.com/3pn3nvaf

Everyone deserves access to care that feels safe and supportive 🌈

Early detection matters. If you have been invited, please book your screening today by booking online or calling us on 01202 825353. 💙

13/10/2025

‼️Monday 13th October - Information for patients‼️
We’re very sorry, but our triage service is at full capacity today as we are one GP down.. If you need urgent medical help, please get in touch with NHS 111. For non-urgent matters, we kindly ask that you contact us again tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding.

29/09/2025

🚨 Important Update for Our Patients! 🚨
Verwood Surgery is now using SystmConnect — our brand-new online consultation system. This will replace some of the services we previously provided through eConsult.

You can now use SystmConnect to:
✅ Get help with a new health problem
✅ Request a sick/fit note
✅ Enquire about test results
✅ Ask about a medication you're taking including requesting a medication review
✅ Ask for a report or letter, for example insurance

💻 You don’t need a SystmOnline account to use it — but if you do log in with SystmOnline or your NHS login, it’ll save you time by filling in some of your details automatically.

SystmConnect is one of many online ways in which you can contact us. Find out more on accessing online health services on our website here>>
👇
https://www.verwoodsurgery.co.uk/our-online-services

25/09/2025

See details of when and where the After-Reach Support Group meets>>
⬇️
https://communityswitch.org/event/after-reach-support-group/

Taking the first step towards recovery can feel daunting, but help is available. Reach Drug and Alcohol Services provided by Waythrough is for people who want support to manage, reduce or stop their drug and/or alcohol use or those worried about someone else's.

The After-Reach Support group offers ongoing peer support for people who have completed the REACH programme for alcohol and drug addiction. They meet weekly in Ferndown on Monday evenings.

Find details of these and other local support services available locally on our Community SWITCH website>>
www.communityswitch.org

23/09/2025

📢 We're upgrading our online GP consultation system!
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve patient access to our services, from September 30th, SystmConnect will replace eConsult. This will mean:
✅ Getting in touch with the practice is now even easier
✅ Better integration with your clinical records
✅ Forms usually go to your regular GP for continuity of care
✅ You can use it for prescriptions, admin requests, sick notes, test results, and common conditions

You won’t need a SystmOnline account to use it, but our Reception team may contact you to ensure your GP receives the right information to support your care.

This change will not affect the service we provide — we believe it will improve your care. Keep an eye on this page and our website for more about these changes! 👀

11/09/2025

Guys: Got Half a Minute? Check Your Prostate Risk
Take Prostate Cancer UK's quick, 3-question online check that could save your life.
Prostate cancer is easier to treat when found early—don’t wait.
Check your risk now: bit.ly/42p4TcP

Guys: Got Half a Minute? Check Your Prostate Risk
Take Prostate Cancer UK's quick, 3-question online check that could save your life.

Prostate cancer is easier to treat when found early—don’t wait.

Check your risk now: bit.ly/42p4TcP

09/09/2025

Update at 4pm - we are back up and running. Thank you for your understanding

⚠️ Notice to patients ⚠️
Our phone and computer systems will be disrupted today between 3 pm and 4 pm due to essential recabling work.

Please bear with us during this time, and check here for updates. Thank you for your understanding.

08/09/2025

Important information about Dental Services in Dorset

Important information about Dental Services in Dorset

Your GP practice is often the first point of contact for those experiencing dental pain, particularly patients who are not registered with an NHS dental practice. Patients can often become very upset when they are advised that GP surgeries can not provide dental care.

To support patients, NHS Dorset has commissioned 29 dental practices across Dorset to provide one-off urgent care. The most straightforward route for patients to access this service is via NHS 111.

For further guidance and answers to frequently asked questions on accessing appropriate dental care for urgent or longer-term treatment, please follow this link>>
⬇️
https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/health/dental/