Sandown Health Centre (Sandown Medical Centre NHS (Isle of Wight))

Member Name: newby2

Product:	Sandown Medical Centre NHS (Isle of Wight)
Date:	05/09/08 (138 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: New building, top form staff

Disadvantages: None

Sandown Medical Centre, Sandown , Isle of Wight....

The medical centre in Sandown on the Isle of Wight has moved to new premises and has been up and running now for a whole year. They have moved from a small 1960's building into a large and purpose built modern one. The surgery is now called Sandown Health Centre and is situated in a more noticeable place on the Broadway (the main road).

Because of the building being purpose built and brand new, it is absolutely perfect to meet the needs of the community living in Sandown and the needs of holidaymakers who find themselves in need of a doctor or nurse. The building is a lot larger than the old building and has a chemist attached which makes it ever so easy to get prescriptions written and dispensed all in one trip.

The Health Centre now offers services that they were unable to offer in the old building because of there being a lot more space. You are able to see the Midwifes and Health Visitors in the upstairs rooms where as before you have to travel a short distance to another clinic to see them. Upstairs offices also house the District Nurses and a Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner works from one office a few times per week (which saves people travelling to Ryde or Newport). Citizens Advice visit the Health centre twice a week also and hold a drop in centre for anyone needing different types of information. (Again this saves local people having to travel up to half an hour to have this service).

The Reception area is a lot larger and brighter and there is a self-check in service for those wishing to bypass the receptionists and also the desk has a disabled friendly level so people who are in wheelchairs can still talk to the receptionist without them having to look down at you.

They have changed the phone system so instead of calling a local number you have to call a larger number that will put you through to an alternated service but this is still just as quick and possibly more efficient than the old system (or lack of) used to be.

All the rooms for the doctors and nurses are a lot cleaner, brighter and generally friendlier. The whole Centre has a more Private Hospital feel to it than the usual doctors surgery feel and this makes it very friendly and appealing. The nurses seem to have a lot more space to be able to treat patients and therefore hold more clinics than they used to thus getting an appointment with the nurse is a lot quicker than it used to be.

The patient toilets are a lot nicer than before with a clean and spacious feel and when you are waiting they is a water dispenser for people to help themselves to fresh water in a cup which is something that was never on offer before.

All the staff are bright and helpful especially the doctors and nurses. The new surgery seems to have cheered them up also although the work load I am sure has got a lot harder what with local people changing over so they can be seen at this new and improved health centre.

The surgery have also just got their hands on a new scanner machine which is the first on the island to be housed within a practice based environment. This has been bought with the help of local groups raising money and a lot of donations from the patients themselves. The scanner will make it far easier to diagnose certain things a lot quicker and without the need for the patient to travel all the way to the hospital for a diagnosis. Things like gall stones etc can be picked up on this and it must cut the waiting time of getting a diagnosis by weeks and that really can only be a good thing.

To conclude I would say the Health Centre in Sandown is a brilliant place offering a brilliant service. With friendly and helpful staff, happy and bright doctors and nurses and a clean and welcoming environment I don't think you could ask for more from a local Health Centre. Top marks for the Sandown Health Centre 10/10.

Check out the new and improved website for the Health Centre at:

http://www.sandownhealthcentre.co.uk

This has all the right information and is laid out in a exceptionally easy to use way.

Summary: A great atmoshpheric Health Centre!