Surgery News
Change to GP Partnership
Dr Mark Rickenbach is retiring from the GP partnership and moving to a GP locum role from November. Welcome to Dr Naomi Drummond will take over his list of patients. Over 33yrs he has been a dedicated local GP and also led initiatives such as the introduction of teaching, research, counselling and the local healthwalks. Alongside this he is a visiting university professor, has been an associate dean in education and published the poetry book “Healthcare Heros”
Mark says “It has been a real privilege to help support so many people locally. Some I have known from delightful baby checks to adulthood, others from being parents to grandparents, sharing both joyful and tough times. I have been proud to be part of a real team at Park and St Francis surgery who strive to provide the very best care, in the face of all the dramatic changes in healthcare”
Covid and Flu Vaccination information from October 2025
We are currently accepting bookings for eligible patients to receive their Flu and COVID Booster vaccinations.
To schedule an appointment, please contact reception by phone or visit the front desk.
Patient Survey Feedback from January 2025
We welcome the findings of this snapshot survey which helps us to understand our patients’ experience of using or interacting with our services.
We are pleased to see so many of our patients have had a positive experience, and this is something we want to ensure we continue providing and build upon.
We always welcome feedback and will continue to monitor our patient sentiment.
We can confirm that 70% of patients find it easy to contact the practice using the NHS app – The National percentage is 49%
95% of patients who knew what the next step would be after contacting the GP - The national result is 83%
We have also achieved 87% of patients who describe their experience of contacting their GP practice as good - The national result is 70%
81% of patients who felt they waited the right amount of time for their last general practice appointment - - The national result is 67%
97% of patients who felt the healthcare professional they saw had all the information they needed about them during their last general practice appointment.
We also want to say thank you to the practice team, who work tirelessly to support our patients where we know sometimes demand can be high.
Important Update on Weight Loss Treatment
You may have seen recent headlines that people living with obesity will be able to begin accessing tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight loss purposes in primary care settings. This does not mean prescriptions will be provided immediately. It means primary care settings can begin discussions with patients about whether tirzepatide is the right option to improve their health through weight loss. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight around 1,000 people currently qualify for the medication based on national eligibility criteria – the ICB are working to set up services quickly however this will not be available locally until later this year (Autumn) – so please don’t contact the surgery just yet, as we will be unable to help currently.
Full qualifying criteria is a BMI of 40 or greater and FOUR or MORE of the following diagnosed health conditions: - Type 2 diabetes - Hypertension - Cardiovascular disease - Obstructive sleep apnoea - Dyslipidaemia
Research News
Every day in the UK, someone receives a diagnosis for a disease or health condition. The treatment, care and support they receive will be shaped by research. That’s why we need everyone to take part.
Participating in research can help people live healthier and better lives - now and in the future. Advances in disease understanding and management could not happen without the involvement of the people who have the conditions being studied.
It is vital that all new treatments are thoroughly tested amongst people affected by that condition. This is so healthcare professionals can be sure that the treatment works well – and provides the best option for patients.
#Be Part of Research is a free service which makes it easy to find and take part in vital health and care research across the UK.
Our active participation in Clinical Research, in collaboration with the NIHR (National Institute of Clinical Research), several university research departments (including Southampton, Oxford, Nottingham and Bristol), helps us to find answers for important questions in the management of a diverse range of health conditions.
Trials we have been involved with have been published in various medical journals, including BMJ, Lancet, NEJM, and have influenced the shaping of various local and national guidelines.
We are actively recruiting patients into the following clinical trials:
- TIGER - Does food allergy test-guided dietary advice improve disease control in children with eczema?
- ATHENA - Can taking amitriptyline tablets, stop long term pain from shingles?
- RELIEF - Assessing a new relief inhaler for mild Asthma - is it more effective than the current standard treatment?
- COAT - Is a short course (5 days) of antibiotics as good as a standard course (7 days) in patients with cellulitis?
- Virology Surveillance is a programme to to monitor the spread of respiratory viruses, like flu and COVID-19, in different regions throughout the winter. It also helps measure the effectiveness of the influenza/flu and COVID-19 vaccinations using results from swabs taken by patients who are unwell.
Patient Participation Group
We are looking for more patients to get involved. See our PPG page for more information.
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