Welcome to Ball Tree Surgery

The Medical Team at Ball Tree aims to provide all our patients with access to quality personalised care in a friendly environment.

We aim to be Safe, Effective, Responsive, Caring and well-led as directed by our governing framework and our regulators the Care Quality Commission

Our team have created a mission statement for our practice which outlines our aspirations - Mission Statement

Every patient registered with Ball Tree has a named GP responsible for their overall care. We strongly encourage you to see the same GP for ongoing problems whenever this is possible.  We believe that prevention of illness is better than cure and actively educate and encourage our patients to make healthy choices and share responsibility for improving their well being.  Please see our Practice Leaflet [PDF] for more information.

Self-care can often be the best care for many conditions and we ask our patients to think carefully before booking to see a GP or Nurse.  Before contacting us about minor conditions that have only been present for a couple of days we recommend the Self Care Forum or NHS Choices where there are many helpful resources.  You can also pop into your local pharmacy who will be happy to help you with many common conditions and problems - see a list of common issues where No Prescription Is Required [PDF]  There is a video just below and a leaflet Help my NHS

Our duty of care extends widely and we believe that every child and vulnerable adult has the right to be safe. We are committed to safeguarding all our patients and staff.  If you have personal concerns or would like to share concerns about welfare of child or adult, we have a dedicated member of our team who, supported by our partner organisations, can work with you.

We are working with Going Local - a community referral service accessed via our GPs to help people by supporting access to local organisations for finance, employment, housing and digital engagement.  Going Local has highlighted a range of local activities that may be of interest... Going Local [PDF]

Ball Tree Patient Voice: If you have feedback - compliment or complaint please see our information on the routes available to get in touch

Local GP Access Hubs

GP and Nurse appointments are now available during the evening and at the weekend at local GP access hubs

• Urgent appointments for a new illness
• Same day and next day appointments
• Access to your GP medical records with your consent
• Appointments booked via Ball Tree
• Clinical are operated by IPC which is a not for profit organisation owned by local GP practices

If you are offered one of these appointments by the team please do consider accepting as it will likely mean that you are seen sooner.

We will lose this valuable service if people do not accept the appointments that we offer there.  

To keep your local GP service at Ball Tree available and sustainable we need our patients to see the most appropriate person and often this will be at the Access Hubs.

Talk to our reception team and they can advise you further!

Flu Jabs Available - especially for those aged 18 to 65

IMPORTANT:  This year there are two DIFFERENT Flu Jabs
Please make sure you book the correct type for either Age 65 and OVER or for Age UNDER 65 in the App or Online.  

For eligible patients aged over 70 we will be offering the Shingles vaccine during at the Flu appointment - for more information on this please see www.shinglesaware.co.uk

GP Appointments

Please download our GP Appointment Guide [PDF]

On the day GP appointments are only available if you are urgently unwell

We have more pre-bookable appointments for non-urgent matters - book online or via the MyGP App or call your usual branch

Communication: Let us know if you need support accessing our services or our communication materials and we will do our best to meet you needs.  

Under pressure:
Please be aware that General Practice is facing significant challenges due to increasing workload and reducing resources (despite what you may see in the headlines - there is no new money).
Please use our services wisely so that we can continue to provide a safe and caring service for all our patients.
Patients NOT coming to appointments costs us tens of thousands of pounds each year - which could be going towards your health care
Please lobby your MP - we are in need of a new building and additional resources - Lancing is not currently a priority for the area - please help us raise its profile

LGBTQ+ Friendly

Ball Tree is a safe and welcoming space

We have pledged to be Antibiotic Guardians This is important for YOU and those whom you love. Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to our current way of life.  Without effective antibiotics, many routine treatments will become increasingly dangerous.  Please do not expect to receive antibiotics... trust the expertise of our GPs to prescribe them when they are truly needed. Click here for information.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

	Ball Tree is committed to working to receive a Mental Health PACE Setter Award - supported by Coastal West Sussex Mind Over the next few months we will be working with our patients and staff to help improve our access to services and also to help the health and wellbeing of our team.
	Ball Tree hosts Time to Talk - Click the logo to self-refer

Practice Leaflet

Ball Tree Surgery - Practice Leaflet - December 2018 [PDF]

Our Opening Hours

Ball Tree Surgery

Kingfisher Branch

When We Are Closed

When the surgery is closed (Out of Hours), you are still able to access a GP.   Telephone NHS 111 (free from land line or mobile) NHS 111 Team will talk through the reason for your call, and just like our reception team, if they agree that you need an urgent appointment they are able to book this for you at a local surgery / arrange a home visit. They may advise you to attend Accident and Emergency - but this would only be in the most serious of situations.

 Usually it is always better to telephone:

• 111 - When you need advice or guidance when we are closed (or you can talk with a local pharmacy if they are open).
• 999 - To report a serious accident, injury or illness - 999 Team will advise you and may arrange an ambulance.

Only visit Accident and Emergency if you or someone you are caring for has a very serious injury or illness. If you attend A&E for less serious issues, it causes huge problems for the hospital and costs the NHS many times the cost of using 111 or visiting your GP during usual opening hours.

Your Local Pharmacist

Your local pharmacist will be able to give you free health advice at any time – you don't need an appointment.
Many pharmacies operate extended hours on a rota basis.  Download our guide to local Pharmacy Opening Hours [PDF]

Serving You

Our dedicated team are here to treat those minor ailments that occur as well as providing specialist management of long-term conditions and clinics covering a wide range of healthcare issues. The technology also means you can now do a lot of things from the comfort of your home such as order a repeat prescription or cancel an appointment.

Partners in Care

Once registered, patients and healthcare professionals work together to ensure the most appropriate care is provided. This partnership philosophy extends even further and our active patient group exists to make sure that patient needs and the practice offering are always heading in the same direction.

Access

Our surgery has suitable access to the ground floor for patients using a wheelchair. A stair lift is available to the first floor which staff will be happy to operate for you. We also have a parking space which is reserved for patients displaying a disabled sticker.

We can arrange interpretation and translation services for patients who do not speak English. Please let us know if you need this service when booking an appointment - it may require additional time for us to be able to arrange interpreting services and we will also need to book a longer appointment.