Welcome to Lliswerry Medical centre. Helpful patient information

Transcription

1 Welcome to Lliswerry Medical centre Helpful patient information

2 Ebola The risk of Ebola to the general public in the UK remains very low. Ebola can only be transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person or animal. The current outbreak of the Ebola virus mainly affects three countries in West Africa: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Over 10,000 cases and more than 4,922 deaths have been reported across these countries by the World Health Organisation. This is the largest known outbreak of Ebola. Register to book your appointments online

3 Ebola continued A person infected with Ebola virus will typically develop a fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, a sore throat, and intense muscle weakness. These symptoms start suddenly. If you feel unwell with the above symptoms within 21 days of coming back from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, you should stay at home and immediately telephone 111 or 999 and explain that you have recently visited West Africa. These services will provide advice and arrange for you to be seen in a hospital if necessary so the cause of your illness can be determined. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

4 The Friends & Family Test We love having feedback from our patients, be it about things we re doing well, or things we could improve upon. Please take a few seconds to complete feedback at: or pick up an Friends & Family Test form at reception All feedback is anonymous Register to book your appointments online

5 Blood Tests We provide blood test daily by appointments You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

6 Register to book your appointments online Pneumonia vaccine The pneumonia vaccine protects against pneumococcal infections. A pneumonia infection can affect anyone. However, some people need the pneumococcal vaccination because they are at higher risk of complications. These include: all children under the age of two adults aged 65 or over children and adults with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition If any of the above criteria applies to you, speak to your nurse about the one-off Pneumonia vaccine.

7 Are you pregnant or may have a urine infection? If so then please take time to prepare a fresh urine specimen BEFORE you see your doctor. Ask at reception for a urine sample bottle. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

8 Shingles vaccine Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus) in people who have previously had chickenpox. It begins with a burning sensation in the skin, followed by a rash of very painful fluid-filled blisters that can then burst and turn into sores before healing. Often an area on just one side of the body is affected, usually the chest but sometimes the head, face and eye. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

9 Shingles vaccine continued Between September 2014 and September 2015, the shingles vaccine is offered routinely as part of the NHS vaccination programme for people aged 70, 78 or 79. You become eligible for the vaccine on the first day of September 2014 after you've turned 70, 78 or 79 and remains so until the last day of August the following year. You can have the shingles vaccination at any time of year, though many people will find it convenient to have the vaccine at the same time as their annual flu vaccination. Speak to your nurse. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

10 Do you know how to use the internet? If you do, we d really appreciate it if you could book your appointments online. Whilst we love to hear from you, our phone lines are becoming increasingly busy. To help us help you, if you can book your appointment online, please do so. That way the phone lines are available for those who are unable to use the internet (e.g. the elderly and vulnerable). Appointments available online are the same as those available over the phone. Register to book your appointments online

11 Electronic Prescription Service The Electronic Prescription Service is an NHS service. It gives you the chance to change how we send your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from. If you normally collect your repeat prescriptions from us, you will need to visit the practice to pick up your paper prescriptions. With the Electronic Prescription Service we will send it electronically to the place you choose saving you time. Register to book your appointments online

12 Electronic Prescription Service cont d You need to choose a pharmacy for us to electronically send your prescription to. Ask reception to add your chosen pharmacy for you. Once added, all prescriptions will go to your chosen pharmacy. You do not need a computer to do this. N.B. some medication is exempt (e.g. strong painkillers and sleeping tablets)

13 Contacts & Consent Mobile phone number and address: If you have them, please make sure we have them! If you change your mobile or home phone number please let us know. If you do not want us to send you text message reminders for your appointment then please tell us. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

14 DNA DNA stands for Did Not Attend and is a common phrase used in healthcare to denote where a patient without prior notification Did Not Attend their appointment. It costs the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds each year and increases patient waiting times. If you have an appointment you can t attend, be it here or elsewhere, please call and cancel/reschedule it. This means the appointment can be given to someone else and isn t wasted. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

15 DNA continued Non-attendance is a major issue for the NHS, increasing waits and costs. Studies have also shown that the missed appointments (called DNAs after Did Not Attend) can increase inappropriate and unnecessary A&E attendance. While there can be many reasons for patients failing to attend appointments the most common reason is that they simply forget. Patients who fail to attend NHS appointments cost the NHS about 700m a year, with up to 6 million appointment slots wasted annually. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

16 DNA continued Help us to help you! Please ensure that if you have booked an appointment with us and can no longer attend, call us to cancel. If you ve booked online, you can also cancel online. By doing this simple task we can keep waiting times down and offer you more appointments when you need them. You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

17 Flu Vaccine Certain people are more likely to catch flu, such as: - anyone over the age of 65 pregnant women children and adults with an underlying health condition (particularly long-term heart or respiratory disease) children and adults with weakened immune systems Register to book your appointments online

18 Flu Vaccine continued In the autumn we give the flu vaccine FREE to: adults over the age of 18 at risk of flu (including everyone over 65) children aged six months to two years at risk of flu If you qualify, speak to your nurse to get immunised! Register to book your appointments online

19 Flu Vaccine continued The flu vaccine for children is given as a single dose of nasal spray squirted up each nostril. It is given to all children who were 2, 3 or 4 on the 1 st September. It s quick and painless and will mean your child is less likely to become ill if they come into contact with the flu virus. The nasal spray flu vaccine is also for children aged 2 to 17 who are "at risk" from flu, such as children with long-term health conditions. Register to book your appointments online

20 Out of hours If you need to speak to a healthcare professional outside of our opening hours please call NHS 111. You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it s not a 999 emergency. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are FREE from landlines and mobile phones. Register to book your appointments online

21 Out of hours continued When to use NHS 111 You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a lifethreatening situation. Call 111 if: - you need medical help fast but it's not a 999 emergency you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service you don't know who to call you need health information or reassurance about what to do next Register to book your appointments online

22 Blood Transfusion Service Donated blood is a lifeline for many people needing long-term treatments, not just in emergencies. Your blood's main components (red cells, plasma and platelets) are vital for many different uses. Red cells are used predominantly in treatments for cancer and blood diseases, as well as for treating anaemia and in surgeries for transplants and burns. Plasma provides proteins, nutrients and a clotting agent that is vital to stop bleeding - it is the most versatile component of your blood. Platelets are tiny cells used to help patients at a high risk of bleeding. They also contribute to the repair of damaged body tissue. Register to book your appointments online

23 Blood Transfusion Service...cont d Maintaining a regular supply of blood to all the people who need it is not easy. Blood components have a short shelf life and predicting demand can de difficult. By giving blood, every donor is contributing to a nation-wide challenge to provide life-saving products whenever and wherever they are needed. Red cells - up to 35 days shelf life Plasma - up to 1 year shelf life Platelets - up to 7 days shelf life

24 Blood Transfusion Service...cont d In addition you can also give blood at the following locations: - [list locations locally where donations can be made, e.g. mosque, synagogue, community hall, etc.] To find out if you can give blood, as well as where and when, please call or go to

25 Organ and tissue donation Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine. But they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving or life-enhancing gift to others. One donor can save the life of several people restore the sight of two others and improve the quality of life of many more. The more people who pledge to donate their organs and tissue after their death, the more people stand to benefit.

26 Organ and tissue donation cont d Each donor is precious as only around 5,000 people each year in the UK die in circumstances where they can become a donor. If you want to make a real difference to someone after your death join the NHS Organ Donor Register and talk about your donation decision with family and friends. Letting them know what you've decided now makes it much easier for them to support your decision to be a donor. For more details call or go to

27 Extended Hours The Practice offers extended hours every Thursday Evening between and There are six appointments allocated to a GP and Practice Sister You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

28 Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to your body. It runs from your heart down through your chest and abdomen. In some people, as they get older, the wall of the aorta in the abdomen can become weak. It can then start to expand and form what is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The condition is most common in men aged 65 and above. Register to book your appointments online

29 Abdominal aortic aneurysm continued Men are six times more likely to have this type of aneurysm than women. The chance of having an aneurysm increases with age. Your chance of having an abdominal aortic aneurysm can also increase if: You smoke You have high blood pressure Your brother, sister or parent has, or has had, an abdominal aortic aneurysm If you are a man over 65 and have never been invited for AAA screening, you can contact the screening programme on You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form

30 Patient Participation Group Patient participation groups are working together with GPs across the country to improve services and to promote health and improved quality of care. The patient participation group welcomes members of all ages and from all backgrounds. The more diverse the group, the more effective it can be! To find out more please ask to speak to thepractice Manager. Register to book your appointments online

31 Fire evacuation In the unlikely event of a fire you will be asked by staff to vacate the building as safely and as quickly as possible. We keep a register of all patients in the building which we use during a fire evacuation. If you check in and then leave without attending your appointment, please let reception know. If the fire alarm sounds, your co-operation with staff instructions is essential to a swift and safe evacuation of the premises.

32 Fire evacuation continued Patients in the waiting room will be asked assemble in the car park Patients in ground floor clinic rooms will be escorted to the car park You can order repeat prescriptions online ask the receptionist for an application form