Important Information

Practice Half Day Closures 2025

Our organisation is allocated three half-day closures each year to facilitate essential staff training. These sessions are crucial for ensuring that our team remains well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide high-quality service. The training covers a range of important topics, including Basic Life Support, Fire Safety Training, and Dementia Awareness. Additionally, these sessions may include other mandatory training programs required to maintain compliance with industry regulations and uphold best practices within our field. These dedicated training periods allow our staff to stay updated on critical procedures and enhance their professional development.

Dates for 2025

We will close at 13:00 on all three dates and will re-open the next working day.

Tuesday 15th April
Thursday 17th July
Wednesday 15th October

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Zero-Tolerance

Joint Statement from Abbey Surgery, Tavyside Health Centre, and Yelverton Surgery – West Devon PCN

Dear Patients

At Abbey Surgery, Tavyside Health Centre, and Yelverton Surgery, we are committed to providing the highest standard of care to our patients. Our teams work tirelessly to support the health and well-being of our community, often under significant pressure.

Recently, we have seen an increase in abusive behaviour directed at our staff, not only on social media but also via telephone and in face-to-face interactions. While we understand that patients may have concerns or frustrations, we ask that these are shared through the appropriate channels rather than through verbal abuse, personal attacks, or defamatory statements. Abuse of any kind will not be tolerated.

Our staff—both clinical and administrative—are dedicated professionals who strive to provide the best possible care. It is important to remember that behind every phone call, appointment, and decision made is a team of people who genuinely care about the community they serve. Any form of aggression or abuse, whether online, over the phone, or in person, can have a significant impact on staff well-being and, ultimately, on the care we provide.

We encourage patients to reach out directly if they have concerns so that we can work together to find solutions. We have clear processes for feedback and complaints, and we welcome constructive discussions that help us improve our services. However, abuse does not contribute to positive change and will not be tolerated.

We kindly ask for mutual respect and understanding as we continue to work hard for the health and well-being of our community.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

West Devon Primary Care Network

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Shared Care Agreements

A shared care agreement is a formal arrangement where responsibility for a patient’s medication is shared between a specialist consultant and a GP.

Share care agreements are used for specialist medications examples include disease modifying drugs, some hormone therapies, and ADHD medications.

Tavyside Health Centre considers all shared care requests from locally commissioned NHS providers.

Tavyside Health Centre will no longer be entering into new shared care agreements with private and independent providers.

What this means for patients:

Existing agreements: Patients currently under private shared care arrangements will continue to receive care as per their existing agreement until further notice

New requests: We will no longer accept new requests from private or independent providers for shared care agreements. Patients seeking such arrangements will need to explore alternative options and may wish to consider:

· Fully private treatment through their specialist

· Discussing NHS referral options with their GP

This decision has been made to ensure equitable access to services and to maintain high standards of prescribing safety and monitoring for our patients, it is in line with the guidance from NHS Devon and the BMA. Mixed funding (Private and NHS) Shared Care requests – One Devon

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BMA Collective Action

Following the recent BMA ballot which you may have heard about in the press, we are writing to explain what this means for you and the future of General Practice.

GPs have for years been doing work that is not funded and not contracted due to gaps in commissioned services and pressures in secondary care services; they have been doing so out of concern for their patients and to ensure that you continue to receive the care you deserve. However, with chronic underfunding and increased demand it is no longer sustainable for GPs to continue working in this way.

Since 2015 we have seen 1600 Practices close or merge, there are 6 million more registered patients and 2000 fewer full time equivalent GPs across the country. Our funding levels are significantly lower than 2018 levels. This means we will be focussing on the safety and stability of our service going forwards.

Collective action is about working legitimately within our contracts. You may have heard this referred to in the press as industrial action; this is factually incorrect. We will not be doing anything that compromises your safety, and we will not currently be going on strike.

We hope you understand that we are taking this action to ensure that general practice locally, in Devon and across England is there for our patients in years to come, and hope for your forbearance.

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