INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

9, Chesterton Lane, Cirencester, GL7 1XG

Our Aim: To promote the lifelong health of the patients of the practice and respond to their needs in a way which draws on a wide range of preventative techniques and holistic practice methods.

Patients are registered with an individual doctor who works in partnership with the patient and an extended practice team. We have developed a large range of services in keeping with our philosophy and we are proud of our tradition of innovation and success.

The Phoenix has grown from its origins as two small practices in the town to its present size of over 11,000 people.

We, as GPs, work closely with other members of the practice team. We have experienced health visitors who co-ordinate child health services and provide support and health education for parents with pre-school children. Our specialised health visitor for the elderly co-ordinates the Staywell 75+ team of volunteers. Their aim is to support the elderly in their own homes by identifying problems and maximising their independence. Our community nurses provide care for patients who are unable to attend the surgery for follow-up nursing care. Midwives provide antenatal care as well as support for hospital and home birth deliveries. The practice nurses play an important role in health promotion, education, travel advice and screening. They have specialist interests in asthma management, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We are developing other co-ordinated services for women and adolescents.

Each partner has a special area of interest and we share knowledge and expertise. As a training practice we have medical students and experienced doctors specialising in general practice attached to us from time to time. We have developed one of the first fully integrated services for patients with complementary practitioners with a variety of services based at the Phoenix and at the complementary health suite at South Cerney. This includes osteopathy, acupuncture, stress management, counselling, homoeopathy, massage, chiropody and courses and individual tuition in meditation. This venture is supported by the Phoenix charitable trust, Cirencester and District.

We are keen to promote health awareness, and towards this aim we have developed In Touch With Health, an interactive computer programme situated in the main waiting room. This provides patients with direct access to information on common medical conditions, surgical procedures, self help groups (both local and national), travel information, healthy lifestyle advice, complementary practitioner services and newsletters about the practice and the Phoenix charitable trust, Cirencester and District. This helps to raise funds for activities related to health outside the normal remit of the Health Service.

We learn much from you and welcome your comments, active support and suggestions for improvement in our service. These can be channelled through the practice manager.

This website has been designed to tell you about the practice and the services that we offer. Please read it carefully. We trust that you will find it helpful and informative.