March 2010
NO SMOKING DAY - WEDNESDAY 10TH MARCH 2010
For more information or help :
Pick up a leaflet in the surgery or make an appointment for smoking cessation advice.
or
Tel : 0845 602 3608
NEW TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE
We have just launched a new SMS ( text messaging service ) ! This will be used to send text messages to patients via their mobile phones to keep them up to date on health information - eg; Stop Smoking, Weight Management and much more.
If patients want to receive such information, but have not given us their mobile phone number - please telephone the surgery and make sure that we update your records.
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP ( PPG )
The PPG works to improve communication between the Practice and its patients, to ensure the services on offer truly meet the needs of all patients. The group has some great ideas to take forward and is looking for your help. We would welcome enthusiastic individuals to join the group, share their ideas on how services could be changed, and get involved in making those changes - for the good of the patients and the Practice.
We are also looking for volunteers for a small number of Focus Groups who would feed back patient opinion to the main group.
The PPG meets every two months or so at The Old Cottage Hospital. If you feel that you would like to get involved you can collect the complete PPG Recruitment Information leaflet from the surgery Reception desks or:
email : vicki.parnell@nhs.net
or:
Click on the link below for the on line version with details of how to contact us.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Important Information from Surrey Primary Care Trust regarding - Male Caller seeking information
‘Please note, we have had a report of a male caller stating they are working on behalf of the NHS collecting data regarding children under 5. This male is trying to undertake an electronic survey, seeking access to the home.
Description
White Male, 5,7
Brown short spiky hair
Aged around 45
Diamond Stud in his ear
Black Trousers
Green Jacket
ID which looked like NHS.
Police are investigating, not known to local force based on description, but they are seeking national Intel to see if the description fits any known offender.
The department of health have confirmed that they have no surveys of this type locally - in addition they would not send cold callers.
'YOUR SURGERY, YOUR SAY'
The General Practitioners Committee has developed posters and leaflets to try to make patients aware of the importance of completing the Government's patient survey.
They explain what their practice is doing to offer patients the best possible access, and also how they can give their views about the surgery directly to their practice via the Reception team.
The poster also reminds patients that part of their practice's funding depends on their responses to the survey.
Click on the link below to find out more :
CHANGE FOR LIFE CAMPAIGN
The Government's three year campaign which aims to help us all eat well, move more and live longer has made a good start. There has been a great response from young families, and over 360,000 families have already signed up in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Click on the link below to find out more, or telephone : 0300 123 4567
SAMARITANS
The Samaritans are available every Thursday evening at The Old Cottage Hospital Surgery. Appointments from 4.30 - 7.30. Drop - in session from 5.30 - 7.30.
If you are going through a hard time, Samaritans will listen, in total confidence, to your feelings and help you talk things through. Any person wishing to talk with a Samaritan can book an appointment through Reception or just drop in on a Thursday session between 5.30 and 7.30pm.
A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE USES OF 084 TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN THE NHS
The Department of Health is holding a public consultation on whether it should prohibit the use of 084 numbers to access services provided by the NHS.
A consultation booklet is available online at :
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultation/Liveconsultations/index.htm
As a practice, we decided to upgrade our telephone system in the autumn of 2007.
We did this as a direct result of the feedback we received from patients via our annual survey, the results of which, while generally positive, did highlight difficulty with getting through to the practice at busy times.
By using a non - geographic 084 number we have been able to centralise the phone system for the practice and thus take advantage of the modern features, such as a queuing system and other options to minimise the number of abandoned calls.
We are also able to monitor the call volumes and have therefore been able to allocate additional resources at busy times to provide the best service possible.
We regularly handle over 500 calls per day with an abandonment rate of around 3% and this would not be possible to achieve without the use of a non - geographic number.
Although some service providers charge more than a local tariff, BT have always charged the local rate for this call and have now also made it possible to include these numbers in call packages, thus reducing the cost further.
NATIONAL BOWEL CANCER SCREENING PROGRAMME
Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage ( in people with no symptoms ), when treatment is more likely to be effective. It can also detect polyps. These are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They can easily be removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing.
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths.
The National Bowel Cancer Screening programme offers screening every two years to all men and women aged 60 -69.
For any queries or for more information about screening for bowel cancer :
FREEPHONE : 0800 707 60 60
NATIONAL HPV IMMUNISATION PROGRAMME
The new HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, will save hundreds of women's lives every year.
This vaccine - along with the cervical screening programme, will help protect women for life.
For more information about the HPV vaccine visit : www.nhs.uk/HPV or call the helpline on 0845 602 3303
FREE CHOICE - FULLY INTRODUCED FROM APRIL 2008
Choice at referral means that the majority of patients being referred to hospital will be able to choose where they wish to be treated.
All participating providers will be on the Choose and Book system & GPs will be able to refer to any clinically appropriate provider. There are a few exceptions for limiting the range of choices ie : Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic, 2 Week rule etc. Maternity & Mental Health Services are also exempt.
Your GP will provide more information but in addition :
Call the Appointment Line on 0845 608 8888
Visit NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk
Visit the Choose & Book website at www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk
REARCH DATA COLLECTION
For more information on Research Data Collection click here
HEALTHCARE TRAVEL COSTS SCHEME
The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme ( HTCS ) was set up in 1988, as part of the NHS Low Income Scheme, to provide financial assistance to those patients who do not have a medical need for ambulance transport, but who require assistance with their travel costs.
Under the scheme, patients on low incomes or receiving specific qualifying benefits or allowances are reimbursed in part or in full for costs incurred in travelling to receive certain NHS services, where their journey meets certain criteria.
1. The patient must be: a) in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits or allowances specified in the 2003 Regulations( or in certain cases be a member of the same family as a person receiving a qualifying benefit or allowance ) or
b) be named on an NHS Low Income Scheme certificate HC2 or HC3 ( or in certain cases be a member of the same family as a person named on an NHS Low Income Scheme certificate )
2. The journey undertaken must be made to receive services under the National Health Service Act 2006, which are not primary medical or primary dental care services, for which the patient has been referred by a doctor or dentist
3. Where a doctor or dentist has provided the primary medical or primary dental services which lead to the referral for non - primary care services, those services must not be provided on the same visit and in the same premises as the primary medical or primary dental services which lead to that referral.
HTCS does not apply to people visiting others in hospital, or visiting a GP or Dentist for routine primary medical or dental care - for example, for regular check - ups, vaccinations or screening appointments. Urgent primary care appointments during the out of hours period are also excluded.
To access more information about HTCS or for help in making a claim the helpline number is: 0845 850 1166
CURRENT GP REGISTRARS
Dr. Lisa Siddique BSc Neurosciences MB BS ( Imperial College London ),MRCS ( Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh ) Based at Fitznells Manor Surgery.
Dr. Reena Doshi BSc ( Hons )- 1st Class - Basic Medical Sciences DGM ( Diploma of Geriatric Medicine ). St. Georges, University of London. Based at The Old Cottage Hospital Surgery.
Dr. Darelle Gengasamy MBBS BSc ( Hons ). Based at The Old Cottage Hospital Surgery.
Dr. Mark Hambly MB BS DCH DRCOG. St. George's Medical School. Based at Fitznells Manor Surgery.
