Happy New Year to you all as we welcome in 2026.
We have been looking at patient access and over the last 12 months, due to this we have increased the doctor’s face to face appointments by 24 a week. This gives you 12 extra appointments on a Monday and 12 extra on a Friday. We still offer prebook able appointments alongside urgent on the day which can be requested 8am and 2pm. We used patches for online requests this can be accessed 8am to 6.30pm weekdays via the Prenton website. Our nursing team has also expanded in the last 12 months, and we are supported by 2 Nurses, 2 Advance Nurse Practitioners and our Healthcare assistant to meet all patient’s needs.
All our team works over both sites to share the skills and accommodate patients needs. We have extended access appointments every Thursday evening at Prenton where you can see our doctors and Nurse, we even offer child vaccinations in the extended access clinic along side baby 8 week checks when our Advance Nurse Practitioner Rachel is working. This means both parents can attend should they not be able to in the day. Extended access is 6.30-8pm. Saturday clinics are held the 2nd Saturday in the month at Prenton 9am -12noon and these clinics give extra access to see both our own male and female doctors, we feel continuity of care is best served when you get to see the same doctors within the practice.
We have a new Doctor who will be joining us on a Friday at Woodchurch she has already done one session in December with lovely feedback from the patients. So, a warm welcome to DR Milligan.
The Medical team is also supported by First contact Physio held in Woodchurch every Tuesday. Max see’s patients who have muscle and joint pain, he will assess your needs and action pain medication with your GP, referrals for joint injections or any further treatment needs. You will be signposted to Max before the doctor as he is the most appropriate practitioner for all muscle and joint needs.
Should you wish to self-refer to Physio treatment you can do this via our website on the home page click the link to self-referral to Wirral adult musculoskeletal service and complete the form.
Social prescribers
Our Social prescribers have had a busy 2025 supporting patients and community events for all Prenton and Woodchurch patients, they have been involved with the practice carers event in July, the ADHD support group which was held in Woodchurch weekly for 10 weeks this ran from October. The role of a social prescriber is vast should you need their support please contact the surgery.They do see patients face to face, over the phone and home visits when needed. Some of the work they do is:
- Community groups, sign posting to palaces to get help, they have even attended some groups with patients who needed support.
- Emotional support for isolation and loneliness and people just struggling with mental health or a current crisis in their lives.
- Housing, benefits and financial advice.
- Energy plus project for support around boilers, bills and home warmth.
- Fuel poverty project.
- Community wellness project.
- Signposting to support for meals and food banks. Including vouchers when people are eligible.
Vickey and Kacey are here to help.
Health coach
Our health coach Kerry has also been out and about supporting schools and community events alongside her face-to-face work on Monday in Woodchurch.
- Health walk and talk groups.
- Support to the ADHD group.
- Drop-in weight clinics.
- Kerry is here for all diet and health needs and face to face weekly support.
Call into the surgery and we will arrange a first contact call with Kerry.
Counsellor
Marissa our in-house counsellor has been seeing 4 patients a week for the past 12 months to support in many areas and offer a listening ear in a nonjudgmental space. Marissa has also supported our ADHD support group.
Should you need a referral to see our councillor please ask at reception or speak to any of our medical team, you will be added to the waiting list and Marissa will contact you when she has space. The wait time is a lot shorter than other referrals.
Care coordinators
In the background we have many services seeing to patients which not everyone may be aware of as these are targeted groups for different conditions. The care coordinators work on projects like cancer care support, cancer screening uptake, and most recent the frailty project. The frailty project is for patients who are classed as frail but wish to remain at home with a team of support in place. They work with our care coordinators from our primary care network, district nurses, community matrons and care agencies to best support patients and prevent hospital admissions should a person wish to transfer to residential or nursing care they will support the patient in this journey and their familys.
Pharmacy support
This year Sam joined the team she is based in Woodchurch Monday and Tuesday each week and on hand for questions the rest of the week when needed.
- Sam does face to face medication reviews.
- She has worked on the STOMP project which helps prevent learning disability patients from being over prescribed medication.
- She checks discharge medication and helps align medication for patients when needed. Should you have a medication query please either book in to see her face to face or via a call.
- Medication shortages Sam helps locate medication or looks at alternatives when needed.
- Sam also works on medication audits with the practice to make sure best care and treatment is being given to patients.
Ear irrigation service
We are lucky to facilitate the ear irrigation service at Woodchurch Medical Centre for all our primary care network (Healthier neighbourhoods) This is a service that needs your doctor or nurse to refer you to. The wait time is normally around 2 weeks but may on occasion be up to 8 weeks. You will have been contacted within the first 2 weeks to be offered an appointment.
Woodchurch Medical Centre also hosts the respiratory clinics, spirometry service every Monday and Community Midwifes every Thursday.
Stop smoking clinics are held in both Woodchurch on a Tuesday and Prenton on a Thursday. Should you need this service please contact ABL on 0151 541 5656 to make your appointment.
Our practice staff have also been busy in 2025
We have held events for:
- Drop in health checks and carers events with health checks both held on a Saturday to give people the opportunity to attend who may not be able to on a weekday.
- Vaccination weekend clinics.
- Extended access clinics.
- ADHD support group which we hope to run again soon.
- Charity events for Macmillan coffee morning and the Christmas jumper day for save the children. Raising a total of £486.49.
We have lots of ideas for events in the coming year 2026, both health and charity related. Should you have any ideas please contact the practice.
We are always looking for new members to join our patient participation group, meetings are held every 3 months. Should you wish to join please contact the practice manager on Kellyknight@nhs.net
The NHS APP is a great way for patient to see their own medical records, blood results with out having to ring the surgery and order repeat medication online anytime of the day. Should you need help setting up your NHS app please contact the surgery, and we will be happy to help you. There are also YouTube videos on how to set your NHS app up should you wish to use them.
Our Facebook page gives current helpful information and signposts to support.
Google reviews should you wish to leave a review please use the Prenton medical centre site not Woodchurch as we do not have access to the Woodchurch site
We all look forward to delivering you Compassionate Healthcare for another year and wish you all a Happy New Year.