Friends of Worthing Medical Group Newsletter

Update from Adur and Worthing Council regarding WICC

Contractor takes back control of Worthing Integrated Care Centre's water system to fix problems that are preventing it opening. Released: Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Construction firm Galliford Try has taken back control of the water system at the Worthing Integrated Care Centre (WICC) to resolve the issues preventing the building opening.

The contractor has been working through issues that need to be dealt with, including the presence of legionella bacteria in the water supply and a fault with the water system. Galliford Try is contractually responsible for the design, construction and compliance of the water system at the WICC. The problems with that system have been complex and the contractor has accepted the system back into its control to sort out. The company has installed a new, larger water pump in the building which it hopes will resolve the issues

However the council is clear that it won't accept the water system back until it is demonstrably fully safe and functional, so the NHS partners can move in and patients can be seen there.

When it is fully operational, the WICC will be the first centre of its kind in Sussex, providing a range of NHS services on one site and allowing the community to receive better healthcare.

Councillor Sophie Cox, the leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “We understand how frustrating the delays are for everyone involved in this project - the NHS, the GP surgeries relocating and patients as well as the wider public.

“I can assure everyone that we are extremely frustrated too by these continued delays, but it's vital all these safety issues are fixed before the building opens to the public. “As a council for the community, we're committed to being open and transparent about projects and can assure residents that a lot of work is going on in the background daily to get this project resolved and the building open. We'll continue to give updates when we have more information to share.”

Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment. If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other health professional if needed. They will also update your GP health record, but your information will not be shared with anyone else.

Most pharmacies can provide prescription medicine for these conditions but contact them before visiting to check.

Your General Practice team is here to help you

Your GP practice is open and here for you and your family. Across the country, practice teams are busier than ever.

So we can provide the right care at the right time, GP practices have a wider team of specialists and professionals working together to care for you and your loved ones.

A larger team means GPs have more time to treat those with complex or chronic health needs.

We have a variety of healthcare professionals working at the surgery, including:

• GPs
• Mental Health Coordinators
• Social prescribers
• Clinical Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Reception staff
• Advanced Nurse
• Practitioners Nurses
• Health Care Assistants
• Phlebotomist
• Physicians Associates

Meet Wothing Medical Groups GP Practice Team

Fit for the Future: A Look at the NHS 10-Year Health Plan

The NHS Long Term Plan, sometimes called the "Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England" is the blueprint for how your local health services will change over the coming decade.

The core goal is to shift the NHS from a service that mainly treats sickness to one that prevents it, using modern technology and offering more care closer to your home.

This plan focuses on three big shifts that will directly impact how you access and receive care

More Care in the Community, Less in Hospital

• The biggest change is moving care out of large hospitals and into your local neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Health Centres: These new centres are being established to bring many different services (like diagnostics, mental health support, and rehab) under one roof, often with longer opening hours (potentially 12 hours a day, 6 days a week).
• Faster Community Response: Developing rapid community response teams to deal with health crises at home, which can help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and speed up discharge.

Going Digital and Personalised

The plan makes the NHS easier to access and navigate using technology.

• The NHS App as Your Front Door: The App is being developed to be the main way you can access services—checking symptoms, booking appointments (including telephone or video consultations), viewing your health records, and communicating with healthcare professionals.
• Personalised Care: Using technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to free up staff time for patients, and eventually using a single patient record so you don't have to repeat your medical history to every different health team.

From Treatment to Prevention

The plan aims to help people live longer, healthier lives by tackling the major causes of illness.

• Early Diagnosis: Major focus on spotting serious conditions like cancer, heart disease, and lung conditions much earlier to improve survival rates.
• Targeted Prevention: Expanding programmes for things like Type 2 diabetes prevention, weight management, and tackling smoking and alcohol-related harm.
• Mental Health Investment: Significant increased funding and expansion of mental health services, particularly for children and young people, and ensuring people with severe mental illness receive better physical health checks.
•  

In summary

The plan means you should have easier, quicker access to services through digital tools, more joined-up care closer to where you live, and stronger support to help you stay well and prevent serious illness.

Submitting Your Urine Samples

A New, Simpler Way to Hand in Urine Samples

We've made a small change to how we accept urine samples to make sure you get the right care as quickly as possible.

If you think you need to provide a urine sample, please call our Patient Services Team first.

• Our team will ask you about your symptoms. A GP will then review this information and let you know if a sample is needed.
• If it is, we will tell you exactly where and when to drop it off.
• This new process helps our team work more efficiently and get you an answer faster.

Help Us Improve with the Friends and Family Test

What is the Friends and Family Test?

The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is a quick and simple way for you to give feedback on the care or treatment you 've received from any NHS service in England (like your GP, A&E, or hospital ward).

• The main question you'll be asked is: "How likely are you to recommend our services to your friends and family?"
• You can answer using a scale from "Extremely likely" to "Extremely unlikely. "

How Your Feedback Helps Us

• Positive comments show us what we need to keep doing.
• Suggestions for improvement highlight areas where we can make changes to give you and future patients better care.

Your opinion is confidential and essential! Your Voice Matters: Tell Us About Your Care!

After your appointment, treatment, or stay with us, you might be asked: "How likely are you to recommend our ward/service/practice to your friends and family?"

• Why we ask: Your honest feedback helps NHS services across England see what they're doing well and where they need to make improvements.
• It's Quick: It usually only takes a minute to answer the main question and give a brief comment.
• Look Out For It: You might receive a text message, see a card or poster, or be given a tablet to use before you leave.

Published: Dec 18, 2025