Bohemia Village Voice

Dr Jerzy Kaliniecki, & Liz Joyce, practice manager

The planned polyclinic at the proposed Asda store site at Silverhill has had a mixed reception by doctors and patients alike.
While some local practices such as Silver Springs in Beaufort Road, are in favour of the government’s policy for combined bigger practices nationwide, others are definitely not.
Dr Jerzy Kaliniecki and Dr Helen Lewis, the two partners at Sedlescombe House Surgery, are determined to remain a small practice with a high standard of care, and feel it is important for patients to have the choice.
Dr Kaliniecki, who joined the practice in 1983, said, “We are an old-established practice and 23 of our patients have been registered with us since 1948 when the NHS started.” He continued, “We know our patients really well, and patients know they are going to see one of two doctors. All our staff have been here a long time. I am now delivering babies to patients whom I delivered as babies themselves a generation ago.”
The practice was formerly in London Road and moved to the current, purpose-built premises in Sedlescombe Road South in 1988. The opening ceremony was performed by their oldest registered patient.
“We planned for the future needs of the practice and expansion of services when we built these premises.” Dr Kaliniecki said.
They are still taking on patients, and offer a wide range of services. They are one of the few practices who have met the maximum 655 points in the government’s Clinical Quality Outcomes Measure every year since it was instigated. This measures how well practices have done in controlling various diseases.
All practices have to hold an annual patient questionnaire, and Dr Kaliniecki said results show that patients prefer small practices, with good care and friendly service. “This is a nationwide preference. Why the government want polyclinics and not small practices I just don’t know. In all areas of the country there is government pressure to go into big poly practices. Obviously it’s political.” He said many of their patients were worried about the prospect of the polyclinic and were very relieved to hear that he and Dr Lewis would not be going into it.
 “I think patients should have the choice and be reassured to know that they’ll still be able to go to small practices if they want to. There’s some fear amongst patients that they won’t have any choice. We want patients to have that choice and we intend to see that they do, by remaining a small practice.”