What would you like to see change in Birchwood?
Whether it's community facilities, local services, activities, green spaces, or other improvements, we want to hear your ideas.
Your feedback will help shape future priorities and support positive change within the Birchwood community.
Click here to complete the survey online to share your views.
Led by local people and supported through the Pride in Place initiative and CVS Lincolnshire.
September 2026
Patient Services Hub
If you have an enquiry that relates to United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals (ULTH), our practice team may not always have access to the information you need. In many cases, the best way to get help is by contacting the Patient Services Hub directly.
Patient Services Hub: 01522 573200
You may need to contact them for:
- Appointment queries, cancellations or changes
- Waiting list updates
- Referral progress and hospital booking enquiries
- Clinic locations and appointment letters
- Test results requested by the hospital team
- Follow-up appointment information
- Questions about hospital treatment or procedures
The Patient Services Hub can often provide updates and information more quickly than the GP practice, helping you get the support you need without delay.
September 2026
Baby Weighing Services
Did you know that parents and carers can access baby weighing services through Birchwood Children's Centre as part of the Lincolnshire Health Visiting and Early Years Service?
Monitoring your baby's growth is an important part of their early development, and professional weighing scales are available during health visitor appointments and child development reviews.
Address: Birchwood Children's Centre, Birchwood Avenue, Birchwood, Lincoln, LN6 0JE
How can I get my baby weighed?
Baby weighing is usually carried out during routine health visitor clinics and developmental reviews. If you would like to arrange an appointment with a Health Visitor or discuss your child's growth and development, you can contact the Lincolnshire Health Visiting Team on: 01522 843000
How often should my baby be weighed?
The NHS advises that babies do not need to be weighed too frequently, as growth is best monitored over time. Recommended weighing intervals are:
- 2 weeks to 6 months: Once a month
- 6 to 12 months: Every two months
- Over 12 months: Every three months
When attending an appointment, remember to bring your child's Personal Child Health Record (Red Book) so their growth measurements can be recorded.
Contact Details
Telephone: 01522 689991
Email: birchwoodcc
Opening Hours
- Monday to Thursday: 8:30am to 4:30pm
- Friday: 8:30am to 4:00pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
If you have any questions about your baby's growth, feeding, or development, the Health Visiting Team will be happy to help and provide advice and support.
September 2026
Do you know the signs of lung cancer?
Your lungs work hard every day to keep your body supplied with oxygen, helping you stay healthy and active. This World Lung Cancer Awareness Day, we're encouraging everyone to be aware of the symptoms of lung cancer and to seek advice if something doesn't feel right.
Looking after your lungs, staying active, quitting smoking, and attending your NHS appointments can all help protect your health. If you're concerned about any persistent symptoms, contact your GP. Early action could save your life.
July 2026
NHS App Pilot
We are part of a new NHS App pilot that makes it quicker and easier for patients to update their address details.
Instead of calling or visiting the practice, patients with an NHS App account can now securely submit address updates directly through the app.
Why this matters:
- Saves you time – no need to call or queue
- Simple, secure updates anytime, anywhere
- Helps keep your medical record accurate
How to use it:
- Open the NHS App and log in
- Select Contact Details
- Select your address
- Select Change Home Address
- Enter or search for your new address
- Review and confirm your details
That’s it – your request will be sent securely to us for processing.
If you need to update your address, we encourage you to use the NHS App wherever possible. If you don’t already have it, you can download it and set up your account to get started.
Your feedback during this pilot will help shape how this service is rolled out across the NHS in the future.
June 2026
Patient Address Details
We may contact you to confirm your current address details, as we have identified discrepancies on our system.
- If you are contacted, you need to respond promptly to confirm or update your address.
- It is important that your details are accurate, as not responding could result in removal from our patient register.
Thank you for helping us keep our records accurate and ensuring you continue to receive the care you need
June 2026
Parents & Carers – School Medical Notes
We are seeing an increasing number of requests from parents asking GP practices to confirm whether a child is “fit” or “not fit” to attend school. We’d like to clarify our role to help avoid confusion:
What we CAN do:
- Provide medical evidence where appropriate (e.g. confirming a diagnosis, ongoing condition, or attendance at an appointment)
- Support children and young people with long-term health conditions or mental health concerns through assessment, treatment, and advice
What we CANNOT do:
- Decide whether a child is “fit” or “unfit” to attend school
- Provide blanket notes to excuse absence, including for ongoing conditions or mental health difficulties, unless there is a specific medical need
Decisions about school attendance — including for children with chronic illnesses or mental health challenges — sit with parents/carers, schools, and where appropriate, education or specialist services, not the GP.
For longer-term or complex situations, schools can put support plans in place and work with families and other services to ensure the child’s needs are met.
What should you do?
- Keep the school informed about your child’s condition or wellbeing
- Work with the school on any support plans or adjustments
- Seek medical advice from us if your child’s condition changes or needs review
We understand that supporting a child with ongoing health or mental health needs can be challenging, and we are here to help from a medical perspective.
Thank you for your understanding as this helps us keep appointments available for those who need medical care.
June 2026
Ordering your medication is easy – choose the way that suits you best
You can request your repeat prescriptions using any of the following options:
- NHS App
- Your SystmOnline account
- Accurx (select “Admin / Routine Care Request”) - no log in details required
- In person at our front desk
- By post – pop your repeat slip into the prescription box at the main entrance
Whichever method you choose, please allow enough time for your request to be processed.
June 2026
Patient Participation Group (PPG) Awareness Week – 31 May to 6 June 2026
This week, we’re shining a spotlight on our Patient Participation Group (PPG) – and we’d love you to get involved!
Our PPG gives patients a voice in how services are delivered at the practice. It’s a great way to:
- Share your feedback
- Help improve services
- Work with us to shape care for our community
Why join our PPG?
PPGs are an important link between patients and the practice, helping us improve areas such as access, communication, and overall patient experience. Your ideas really can make a difference!
Get involved!
We’re always looking for new members, especially from groups who may not yet be represented. Whether you have lots of time or just a little, your input is valuable.
Click here for more information on meetings.
Help us shape the future of your local GP services – your voice matters
June 2026
NHS App Notifications
Turn on notifications to get messages, appointments and reminders as soon as they’re sent.
You can do more with the NHS App than you realise. Discover what else you can do today.
April 2026
Spring COVID‑19 Booster Clinics
We will be running Spring COVID‑19 booster clinics at the practice on:
- Tuesday 16 April
- Thursday 18 April
- Tuesday 23 April
You do not need to contact us — we will invite you if you are eligible. Please wait to hear from the practice.
Eligible patients include:
• Adults aged 75 years and over
• Residents of care homes for older adults
• People aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed
Invitations will be sent directly with appointment details. Thank you for your patience and support in helping protect our community
April 2026
Emma and Total Triage are now Live!
Meet Emma (Enhanced Medical Management Assistant) — Our New Digital Assistant. Emma will be streamlining our phone calls, processes behind the scenes and improve access for our patients.
Using Total Triage, all patient requests are assessed first so they can be directed to the right clinician or service at the right time. This helps streamline phone calls, support our teams behind the scenes, and improve access for our patients.
Click here to find out more about Emma and Total Triage
April 2026
Important Update About Birchwood Health Centre Co-op Pharmacy
The Co-op Pharmacy located within our building will be closing on 1st May and merging with the Health Hub at Birchwood Shopping Centre.
If you currently have the Co-op Pharmacy at the Birchwood Health Centre set as your nominated pharmacy, you do not need to do anything — your pharmacy nomination will automatically transfer to the Birchwood Health Hub.
If you do not wish for this transfer to go ahead, you can update your nominated pharmacy by visiting the NHS App, selecting ‘View and manage prescriptions’, and then choosing ‘Nominate a pharmacy’.
Alternatively, you can request the practice to update this for you by contacting us on Accurx
For more information about the Birchwood Health Hub, please visit their website
March 2026
Have we got the right email for you?
To help the NHS save resources and keep you informed faster, we’re increasing our use of online communication. Please check and update your contact details on the NHS App — staying connected helps us help you.
March 2026
Our Prescription Answerphone service is no longer in use
Please refer to our Prescriptions page to find out how you can order your medications.
February 2026
Huge Congratulations to the APEX PCN Pharmacy Team!
We’re proud to share that the APEX PCN Pharmacy Team has been named Primary Care Pharmacy Team of the Year 2025!
Your commitment to patient care, innovation, and teamwork is truly exceptional—setting a benchmark for excellence in primary care pharmacy.
This award is part of the PCPA Excellence in GP Pharmacy Awards, a national UK-wide recognition celebrating pharmacy professionals who deliver outstanding impact and innovation across general practice.
A big thank you to the team for making such a difference!
November 2025