Flu vaccines are now available for the Over 65s and those at risk.

Please contact us to make an appointment.

New Appointment System at The Spires Health Centre

We wish to inform our patients of a significant change to our appointment system that will improve the way our surgery delivers care to our patients.

GP Practices across the Black Country and nationally are moving to a ‘Modern General Practice’ model’ to make access to care and treatment easier and to help improve patients’ satisfaction.

From1st October 2025, we are starting a new system where for routine concerns or non-urgent requests you will need to submit a form where you will be signposted or offered an appointment with an appropriate Clinician or Service.  If we are at full capacity, you may also be referred to 111 or walk in centre

Please DO NOT USE this service for URGENT APPOINTMENTS, Chest pain, Shortness of breath, palpitations, Mental Health Issues, any symptom that may need an X Ray or other urgent health issues.

For Urgent appointments please contact the Reception Team on 0121 203 2800 at 8.00Am Monday to Friday.

If you don’t have access to the website please call reception, they will be happy to help you.

HOW DOES IT WORK ?

Routine requests can be made by doing the following:

·         Visit the practice website, https:// www.spireshealthcentre.co.uk

·         Click on the Appointments banner and follow the instructions

A member of the team will establish if your symptoms and circumstances meet the criteria for other health services, e.g., Pharmacy, Self referral onto other health services, or Administrative requests. 

If you are fortunate enough to have symptoms that can be dealt with by a Pharmacy you will be advised to attend a Community Pharmacy.  The Pharmacy First scheme - can treat sinusitis, sore throat, infected insect bites, impetigo ,shingles, uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women 16 -64 years old, earache in children 1 -17yrs old. Your Local Pharmacy also offers: NHS blood pressure checks to people aged 40 and over, NHS Contraception service You may be able to get the contraceptive pill from a pharmacy if you need to start the contraceptive pill for the first time or take the contraceptive pill again after a break from using it. Flu vaccine if you are over 65 or in at risk group. The service has been established to give patients easy access to minor health issues at a place and time convenient to them.  If the Pharmacy feel your symptoms need to see a GP they will direct you to us.

To enable us to action your request it is very important that you include detailed and accurate information about your symptoms and ensure you enter the correct contact details, including your telephone number and email address.

During the weekends, bank holidays or after 6.30pm weekdays please continue to use the 111 service or call 999 for life threatening emergencies.  You may be referred to 111 or the walk in service if we are at capacity. 

We hope that the new appointment system will hep improve your patient journey and satisfaction.

Over the past few months we have seen a large increase in patients requesting personal letters for Universities.  Due to the volume and capacity to provide the letters The Spires Health Centre will no longer offer this service.  A printed summary can be provided but no letters will be completed.  Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, however Primary Care is working beyond capacity and we have to prioritise our workload in order to meet patient care.

The Spires Health Centre
is hosting a
monthly coffee catch up. Whether you're
looking for companionship, advice, or just
a warm cup of coffee, everyone is
welcome!

Meet your friendly social prescriber,
Kulwinder Kaur, to discuss personalised
support options tailored to your interests
and needs.

Mark your calendars for our next
coffee catch-up! We look forward
to seeing you there.

First Friday of each
month, 10am-12pm

Speak to a member of staff for
more information.

THE BLACK COUNTRY ICB STATEMENT ON TIRZEPATIDE (MOUNJARO)

UPDATE JUNE 2025

Access to Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for Weight Management in the Black Country

From 23 June 2025, access to the medication tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is beginning in England for a small number of patients living with obesity who are at the highest risk of serious health conditions.

In the Black Country, new community-based weight management services are currently being developed to support safe and effective access to this treatment, this means GPs are not yet able to prescribe tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management in this area. We’re working quickly to make these services available.

As part of our phased approach, the first group of patients who may be eligible will include those who:

Have a BMI of 40 or more (or 37.5 for people from minority ethnic backgrounds),

And have obstructive sleep apnoea on CPAP (or where CPAP is not suitable or tolerated),

And have at least three of the following long-term conditions:

Type 2 diabetes

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Cardiovascular disease

Dyslipidaemia (HIGH Cholesterol)

Other patients who meet the broader NHS criteria

(BMI ≥ 40 and four or more related health conditions) may become eligible in later stages.

Please do not contact your GP about tirzepatide at this time. GPs currently cannot prescribe this treatment or refer patients into the new pathway until local services are launched.

Get your oral contraception at a Black Country pharmacy 

Women across the Black Country can now get their supply of oral contraception at a local pharmacy, without the need to see a GP.  
 
More than 200 pharmacies in the Black Country are participating in this new service, aiming to increase choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception.   

Oral contraception, known as ‘the pill’, can now be accessed at a pharmacy without a referral from a GP. Women can also be referred to their pharmacy by their GP practice or a sexual health clinic. 
 
The pharmacist will offer a confidential consultation and will offer the first supply of the pill, or the ongoing supply of their current oral contraception. This is an NHS service and so the supply of oral contraception will be exempt from any prescription charges. 
 

Sukhy Somal, Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “This new service is another great milestone in showing how much of an important role community pharmacists are improving wider access to healthcare services.  
 

“This is a safe and confidential service for women across the Black Country and allows general practice and sexual health services to free up appointments for more complex assessments. 
 

“Women will still receive their yearly pill check-up, like they would with their GP, which they will have when requesting their next supply of contraception. It is still encouraged to seek medical advice from a pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects continue after three months.” 
 

Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP to access this service. Pharmacies will only inform the GP practice that individuals have accessed the service, with their consent.  Business cards are being rolled out for patients across the Black Country enabling pharmacists to write down the date of the next supply of contraception and the name of the pharmacy. 

Contraception is free and confidential, including for young people under the age of 16. The doctor or nurse will not tell anyone, including parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm. 

For further information, visit the NHS Black Country ICB website.