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Surgery Signposters

     

On Friday 11 December 2020, Co-ordinators, Volunteers and friends of the Surgery Signposters service gathered virtually to mark the end of this successful project, which supported over 800 people in need during the past 5 years.

Although funding for this service has come to an end, the support is continuing in the form of GVA’s Community Compass.  If you’re not sure what services are out there to help you better manage your health condition or support you in improving your wellbeing, Community Compass can help: www.gva.org.uk/compass

What was the Surgery Signposters service?

The Surgery Signposter service operated from four Gosport locations including GP surgeries and Northcott House Care and Residential Home. Individuals visited the service for a 40 minute confidential session, with a trained Volunteer Surgery Signposter. The Signposter talked with the individual in confidence and put them in touch with voluntary and community services in the local area, that met the individual’s needs. They helped with issues such as:

  • Any newly or pre-diagnosed medical condition short or long term
  • Coping with Dementia/Arthritis/COPD
  • Dealing with isolation, depression and/or anxiety
  • Parenting problems and services to help with children challenges
  • Debt and/or housing issues that are affecting wellbeing

Download Surgery Signposting poster here.

Which GP surgeries offered the service?

Brune Medical Centre Forton Medical Centre
Phone 023 8231 1034
10 Rowner Road
Gosport
PO13 0EW
Brune Medical Centre
Phone 023 8231 1034
Bury Road
Gosport
PO12 3AQ
Forton Medical Centre
Waterside Medical Centre Northcott House, Residential Care & Nursing Home
Phone 023 8231 1034
Mumby Road
Gosport, PO12 1BA
Waterside Medical Centre
Phone 023 9251 003
Northcott Close
Gosport, PO12 2PP

Who was eligible for the service?

The service was open for anyone as you did not need to be a patient of the surgeries offering the service.

Was there a cost for the service?

No, the service was completely free

How could the service be accessed?

You could make an appointment by calling one of the surgeries listed above and asking to see a Surgery Signposter or call the Surgery Signposting office on 023 92604 683.

Becoming a Volunteer Surgery Signposter

If you are a warm yet professional person, who’d like to make a difference to people’s well-being, good interpersonal skills and 2-3 hours a week to spare, we would love to hear from you. Full training and induction provided as well as on-going supervision and support.

This rewarding role can make a real, tangible difference to the health of local residents!

Get in touch

If you would like to find out more about the Surgery Signposter Service, please contact the team on 02392 604683, or email Angela Gould on sspgosport@gva.org.uk

Further information for Health Professionals

The Surgery Signposter Scheme was run by a partnership between Gosport Voluntary Action and the NHS South East Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group. 

The objective of the service was to help local people access the community organisations in their area, that can help them to lead a healthier and happier life.  The Surgery Signposters supported the clinical staff by dealing with the patients who have non-clinical issues which affect health and well-being such as debt, housing or loneliness, who might otherwise want to see a doctor.

Dr David Chilvers, CCG Clinical lead and GP at Waterside, said:

‘’As a GP I obviously do everything possible to diagnose illness and prescribe treatment, but helping patients feel good and get the most out of life is often about more than that.

As a GP I don’t unfortunately know details of all the many excellent organisations which provide help and lifelines to so many people in our community, but our trained Surgery Signposters do know about these groups, which is where they can make a huge difference.”

Find out more…

An introductory video to the project from Sally Bigham, previous Surgery Signposter Project Manager below:

Surgery Sign Poster service, Gosport – Sally Bigham explains the service from Better Local Care on Vimeo.

Gosport Surgery Sign poster service – Mrs O’Brien’s experience from Better Local Care on Vimeo.

 

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