Patient Group Update – September 2026

Posted on September 18th, 2026

We wanted to share some updates from around the surgery and let you know about some of the changes and new initiatives taking place over the coming months.

Staff Updates

There have been a few changes to our clinical team over the summer.

Dr Louise Randall left the surgery at the end of July to pursue a new career at the Newsom Clinic in London. We wish her every success in her new role.

Sadly, Dr Valentine Goulstine will also be leaving the surgery at the end of September. However, you may still see her at the practice from time to time, as she will be providing some locum cover for us.

We are delighted to have appointed Dr Nafisa Yousufzai as our new Salaried GP. Dr Yousufzai will be working at the surgery on Wednesdays and Thursdays and has a particular interest in women’s health, including menopause care and coil fitting. We hope that she will be joining the team in November.

We will also be welcoming Dr Angelica Montanez, a doctor who works for the RAF, who will be providing some book-on-the-day clinics for us, mainly on Mondays.

There have been some changes within our reception team too. Danielle joined us as a full-time member of the reception team at the end of July. Sara, who was previously working in reception, has moved to a new role upstairs working with our secretarial team.

Virtual AI Receptionist

Following a trial period using a virtual AI receptionist, we have decided not to continue with the service and have instead recruited an additional member of our reception team.

The trial will finish at the end of September. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback during the trial which helped us to make this decision.

Abtrace – Long-Term Condition Reviews

We have recently introduced Abtrace, a new system to help us invite patients for their long-term condition reviews.

The system allows patients to provide up-to-date information about themselves, such as their height, weight and smoking status, before their appointment. This information is then recorded directly into the patient’s medical record, reducing the amount of information that needs to be collected during the clinical appointment.

It also makes it clearer which long-term condition a patient is being invited to have reviewed.

We hope that patients are finding this new approach helpful and that it makes the review process easier and more efficient.

NHS App – Hospital Referral Updates

Patients who have been referred to hospital by their GP can now receive messages through the NHS App about the progress of their referral.

Depending on the hospital and referral, patients may receive notifications when their referral has been sent by the GP, when it has been accepted by the hospital and when there are further updates.

You can find more information about NHS App referral notifications here: NHS App – notifications and messaging about hospital referrals

COVID and Flu Vaccination Clinics

Unfortunately, our original flu vaccine order from Sanofi was cancelled, and we have had to place a replacement order with another pharmaceutical company, Seqirus. This has resulted in our flu vaccination clinics taking place later than usual this year because of the later delivery dates.

Our flu vaccination clinics will take place on Saturday 17 October and Saturday 24 October. Eligible patients will be invited to book their own appointment using the booking link, or they can contact our dedicated vaccination booking line.

Please note that flu and COVID vaccinations are being offered at separate clinics this year.

Our COVID vaccination clinic will take place on Saturday 3 October. If you are eligible and are unable to attend this clinic, you can arrange your vaccination through a participating pharmacy.

Medical Students

Our new group of Year 6 medical students started their placements with us at the end of August.

We will be hosting three groups of medical students, each undertaking a six-week placement with us, taking us through to the end of January 2027.

Our students are an important part of the next generation of doctors. All consultations with medical students are fully supervised and debriefed by one of our doctors.

Where appropriate, you may therefore be offered an appointment with a medical student. We would be very grateful for your support in helping our students gain valuable experience while also helping us to provide patient care.

You will always be informed if a medical student is involved in your consultation and can decline if you would prefer to see a doctor or another member of the clinical team.

24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring

Our Primary Care Network, Hitchin & Whitwell PCN, has recently invested in a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) machines for use across local practices.

This will allow us to loan the monitor to suitable patients so that their blood pressure can be measured over a 24-hour period while they go about their normal activities. This can provide a more accurate picture of blood pressure than a single reading taken in the surgery.

We are currently setting up the service and putting a waiting-list system in place. We will provide further information once the service is fully operational.

Purple Star Accreditation.

In June the surgery achieved the Purple Star. This accreditation recognises our commitment to providing high-quality, accessible, and inclusive healthcare for people with learning disabilities. Achieving Purple Star Accreditation reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team.

We are committed to ensuring that people with learning disabilities receive the care, understanding, and support they deserve. This accreditation is an important milestone, and we will continue to strive for the highest standards of care for our patients, their families, carers, and all those who support them.

We would like to thank our patients, carers, and staff for their ongoing support as we continue to make our services as welcoming, accessible, and inclusive as possible.