The surgery is now closed. If you require urgent medical assistance, please contact NHS 111 or, in an emergency, 999.
Our Travel Clinic is back up and running. We hold the Purple Star Award. We are an Armed Forces veteran friendly accredited GP Practice. New patients - please visit our 'Register with the Practice' page and you can be registered online as quickly as within 2 working days. You no longer have to call the surgery at 8am for an appointment. Our patient triage form is open 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Visit the Appointments page to find out more.
Purple Star (Learning Disabilities)
Bennetts End Surgery holds accreditation with the Purple Star Award for their work in improving services for people with learning disabilities.
What is Purple Star Accreditation?
The Purple Star brand was developed in 2014 by the Hertfordshire Community Learning Disability Services through the Health Liaison Team (Herts County Council) in partnership with people with a learning disability, people who support them and the University of Hertfordshire Business School.
The Purple Star is a Trademark which is accredited to Primary health services who demonstrate the delivery of high quality reasonably adjusted services to adults with learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, in line with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
The presence of a Purple Star at a health service provider indicates that a defined set of standards, as set out in the Purple Star Promise, have been achieved by that health service provider and are consistently being maintained.
For more information, please visit Learning Disability: My Health
Have you got a purple folder?
If you’re over 18 and live in Hertfordshire, you can request a purple folder. The Purple Folder is a record of health information about you. It helps doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals to give you the healthcare and treatment that is best for you. It is your choice if you would like one – you do not have to have one. For more information, visit Purple Folder
If you would like to order a purple folder, please email purplefolder@hertfordshire.gov.uk
If you’re aged 11-18, there is a helpful information leaflet to read called Preparing for a Healthy Adulthood.
Annual Review
We hold a Learning Disabilities Register at the Practice. All patients aged 14 and over with learning disabilities will be invited to attend an annual review with one of our doctors – Dr Goldsmith, Dr Mandalia, or Dr Brown. If you have one, please bring your purple folder to the appointment. Our designated learning disabilities admin staff member, Christine, will contact either you or your carer to book the appointment.
It’s important that you attend your annual review, so that we can support you to stay healthy. It’s helpful if you can complete the preparation forms ahead of your appointment:
Part of the annual review is to have blood tests. These are to check things like your cholesterol, blood sugar levels, thyroid function and iron levels. It’s important that these are checked regularly as the blood tests can let us know if part of your body is unwell or if you need a special medication. If you’re worried about having a blood test, please either let Christine know when she calls you to make the appointment or speak to the doctor.
At your appointment, you will be given a health check action plan to put in your purple folder. Part of your action plan will include How to stay healthy. There’s a checklist that can be printed and kept in your purple folder.
If there are any changes you need to help you access the surgery, please let us know. These are called Reasonable Adjustments. If you give us your consent, we can record and share your reasonable adjustments with other services via the Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag.
For more information about carers, please visit our Carers page.
Flu vaccinations for patients with learning disabilities
It’s important that you have your flu vaccination every winter. If you don’t like injections, we can give you a spray in your nose instead. For more information, please read this leaflet easy-read-flu-info-with-nasal-spray.
