Winter is upon us once again, and this time, not only are we now facing the fury of our fourth named storm of the season but were also facing the scourge of the quad virus attack! We urge you all to keep safe, keep warm and stay healthy. With another year over it’s time once again to update you with the happenings at Cornerways.
August 2024 marked 20 years since we took over Cornerways from Mr. David Wright. Looking back, the practice certainly has come a very long way in so many aspects. We can now claim that we are a very modern dental practice using the very latest equipment and techniques to still deliver the very highest level of care to our patients but still in a dignified and caring manner. Here’s to the next 20 years!
Team Update:
Graham Bell stepped in to Kirsten’s shoes over a year ago now and has displayed impressive dental and surgical skills. Graham qualified at Guys Hospital and after working for various dentists, started his own practice in Horsham in 1986 where he practiced for 30 years. Besides attending to the general dental requirements of his own patients, Graham has provided very competent root canal treatments and minor surgical procedures for our other patients as well.
Graham is married to Sarah and between them have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, swimming, the gym and walking.
Graham and Sarah love to travel and do various mission trips abroad mainly to Kenya where he provides dental care and Sarah provides reading glasses.
Fee Increase:
With so many new political and economic factors involved now, it was inevitable that we are having to increase our fees in order to remain viable and continue to provide the highest level of service to our patients.
As an example, a check up will increase to £80.00, a pair of bite wing X rays will increase to £42.00 and a routine hygienist appointment will increase to £80.00 for an approximately half hour appointment.
Direct access hygienist appointments will now be £85.00.
Children’s fees remain unchanged.
For those patients who are on the Cornerways Dental Plan, your monthly fees will now be:
Standard plan: £30.17
Plan+: £42.17
Plan H+: £46.33
Children: £3.95
Remember, we still offer families with children under the age of 18 the family discount of 5% off their total monthly direct debit.
Cornerways will honour treatment plans issued in 2024. These will still be valid for 6 months from the date of issue.
These increases will come into effect on 1 January 2025. Plan patients will see the increase to their monthly subscriptions starting 1 February 2025.
Road works:
As many of you have already experienced, the ongoing road works around us continues to cause significant traffic disruption and havoc for patients travelling in to see us. We will endeavour to keep you as up to date as possible with road closures but there have been times when we have not been given any notice. Please be aware that these roadworks appear to have become part of your journey to Angmering. Please take alternate routes and allow sufficient time for your journeys.
Patient feedback:
There are patient feedback forms in the waiting room along with a box in which to place them. We would really appreciate feedback from you regarding your experiences with us, good or bad. The CQC lists this as a requirement in order for us to gauge whether we’re providing the level of service demanded by our patients
Failed appointments:
There has been a marked decrease in the number of patients who fail to attend their appointments. This is in part due to our very clever, practice management system which automatically sends reminders out for upcoming appointments via e mail 4 days before and via text 2 days before our patients’ scheduled appointments. However, a small number patients still fail to attend. If you haven’t cancelled your appointment at least 48 hours before and fail to arrive, we may charge you for the failed appointment, depending on the reason for missing the appointment. Those patients who are on our Cornerways Dental Plan will have to forfeit that appointment until the next one is due, or else pay for a replacement appointment. Because we’re currently experiencing an increased work load, it is unfair on the operators to lose out on their income if someone fails and also it is unfair on other patients who could have had the appointment instead.
Holiday closures:
Cornerways will be closed from 23 December 2024 and will re open on 2 January 2025 for the Christmas break. If you have a dental emergency during this period, emergency telephone numbers will be left on the practice answer phone, 01903 782530. There will be a call out fee of £150.00.
Personal:
Our daughter, Danielle, has scaled down her sauce production due to the increased production and packaging costs. They are still available to purchase so please visit https://happyeatinghouse.co.uk/. In addition, she now works for a Swiss bank helping them to sort out their integration software.
Our son, Jason, and wife, Rosie and their little Jack Russell, Jonty, celebrated their first wedding anniversary in February. Rosie now works at Chailey Heritage helping children with a variety of disabilities with their dietary requirements. Jason is about to embark on a new venture in the new year providing physiotherapy services in the hospice environment including St. Barnabas and Chestnut Tree House.
We’d like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a festive and happy Christmas and all the very best for 2025.
Thank you for your continued support.
Regards,
Brian and Jenny Hong and the Cornerways Team