Have you recently missed an appointment at the surgery but couldn t or didn t let us know?

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1 Creech Medical Centre Hyde Lane, Creech St Michael Taunton TA3 5FA Tel: PATIENT NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2017 In this Issue: Have you recently missed an appointment at the surgery New Address New Telephone System Report from the Practice Manager Report from the PPG Chair New Evening & Weekend GP Services NEW OneYou Programme Protect Yourself From Flu Do you need Care and Support to help you to continue to live at Home? NEW Somerset Carers Service Getting to a Hospital or Medical Appointment Patient Transport Friends and Family Test Patient On-line Group Opening Times: We are open from 8.30am 6.30pm Monday to Friday. The surgery can be contacted from 8.00am in the morning by phone on but only for emergency calls that will not wait until 8.30am. We are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Have you recently missed an appointment at the surgery but couldn t or didn t let us know? The number of missed appointments in the period June- August this year has disappointingly gone up compared with the same period last year, from 3.9% to 5.3%. This is an extra 78 appointments. So, although we are now offering 12.2% more appointments, patients are missing a higher proportion of them. This is diminishing the benefits of the extra appointments we have added to the system, as, of the extra 431 appointments made available 18% of these were missed. We need you to help us reduce this figure by... Letting us know if you can t make your appointment so that it can be offered to someone who needs it. If you register for on-line access you can book and cancel appointments 24/7 and you don t have to worry about calling the surgery. It s easy to register take a look on the surgery website. ( If you need help or assistance with this just ask the receptionist. **NEW ADDRESS** The practice has a new address for general enquiries:somccg.enquiries-creechmc@nhs.net **Note: Although this is checked daily this should not be used for medical queries. New Telephone System Coming Soon... We are in discussions regarding upgrading our telephone system and the way we manage calls. We hope to have a new system installed in the New Year which will improve the efficiency of our call handling. We hope this will be a seamless transition for patients Doctors: Dr. Willemijn Balder Dr. Eamon Barthakur Dr Gerard Garvey Nurse Practitioner: Teresa Davison Practice Nurses: Alison Nearn (Lead Nurse) Healthcare Assistants: Jodie Warren Alison Deakin Practice Manager: Dominique Pearson-Smith Medical Receptionists: Jacqui Fawcett (Reception Supervisor) Robert Evans Trudy Chilcott, Leanne Giles Liz Pike, Amy Wood Administration Apprentice: Sophie Palmer Patients Participation Group: Tony Murray - Chairman

2 Report from the Practice Manager We have a new Healthcare Assistant (HCA), Alison Deakin who is working 4 mornings per week. Alison is a very experienced healthcare professional who has taken over some sessions from our existing HCA, Jodie Warren. Jodie has reduced her hours to 1 morning per week. This means we now have HCA cover for 5 mornings per week, creating more blood test appointment availability which should help to reduce waiting times. Following the departure of former Receptionist, Gemma Hodges, we have recruited two new Receptionists, Jenny Dalgren and Amy Wood, who start in October. Please be patient whilst they go through their training. Bereavement Support: If someone you know is dying or has recently died, it can be hard to find the support you need. Sue Ryder can provide information, advice and helpful support online. When facing the death of a loved one, you might be feeling overwhelmed and wondering what to expect; you can find out what you need to know online as well as an online community which helps you to connect with others who have experienced a similar loss and understanding. Talking to others who know what you are going through can be invaluable and it allows you to help each other through your difficult times. For more information as well as access to the online bereavement community, simply visit: ** NEW ** Report from the PPG Chair: I would like to thank the eight members of our Patient Participation Group. We give our time voluntarily and support both patients and staff at the Medical Centre when we are needed. Being in the PPG is not onerous and is quite enjoyable. We are always looking for new people, and the list of our PPG is on the notice board in the Centre Waiting Area, so please contact us if you would like more information. Have you ever thought what you would do if suddenly you came across someone with medical difficulty, having a choking fit, or possible heart attack or maybe a stroke? On the very rare time that this happens, what flashes through your mind is, "I expect someone will help". Usually, someone steps forward, but, at times, there is no one to help. What would you do in that situation? Let us know if you would like us to repeat our short evening meeting about, "What should I do to help someone having a medical problem?" For some time now I have ordered my repeat prescription through the Medical Centre website. It's easy and can be done in a very short time. When doing it you can view some aspects of your medical record including past and current problems, test results, immunisations et cetera. It's so useful and if you have access, or a family member has access to the Internet I encourage you to use it. We can help if you need advice, so do ask at Reception and/or go online to: ONE YOU How Are You? Our lifestyles can be more unhealthy than we think. Disagree? Then take the OneYou quiz and see how you score. Log on to the website: The editor and her husband have just done the quiz. It s simple to do. it s made us think about what we eat and really highlights our lack of exercise. If you sign up to the website they will keep you informed with tips about a healthier diet and will let you know about access to facilities that can help with exercise in your local area.

3 Some of the main symptoms of flu include: PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLU THIS YEAR IF YOU HAVEN T HAD YOUR FLU VACCINATION YET AND YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE VACCINATION Please telephone the surgery to book an appointment with the Practice Nurse. IF YOU ARE: HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM ELIGIBLE? -Age65 or over - Pregnant - Suffer from a chronic serious medical condition such as:. diabetes. heart disease -respiratory disease (eg asthma or COPD) - kidney or liver disease, - have a weakened immune system - have a BMI over 40 - are a registered carer YOU ARE ENTITLED TO A FREE FLU VACCINATION. *Children aged 2-3 are also eligible for a nasal flu vaccination from their surgery Please call Creech Medical Centre Mon-Fri after 10am to book an appointment. What is Flu and How Do I Treat It? Flu is a common infectious viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes. It can be very unpleasant, but you'll usually begin to feel better within about a week. You can catch flu short for influenza all year round, but it's especially common in winter, which is why it's also known as "seasonal flu". It's not the same as the common cold. Flu is caused by a different group of viruses and the symptoms tend to start more suddenly, be more severe and last longer. a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above tiredness and weakness a headache general aches and pains a dry, chesty cough Cold-like symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat can also be caused by flu, but they tend to be less severe than the other symptoms you have. Flu can make you feel so exhausted and unwell that you have to stay in bed and rest until you feel better. Read more about the symptoms of flu. What to do If you're otherwise fit and healthy, there's usually no need to see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms. The best remedy is to rest at home, keep warm and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower a high temperature and relieve aches if necessary. Stay off work or school until you're feeling better. For most people, this will take about a week. Will I need to see my GP? Consider visiting your GP if: you're 65 years of age or over you're pregnant you have a long-term medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease or a neurological disease you have a weakened immune system for example, because you're having chemotherapy or have HIV you develop chest pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or start coughing up blood your symptoms are getting worse over time or haven't improved after a week (cont. Over) In these situations, you may need medication to treat or prevent complications of flu. Your doctor may recommend taking antiviral medicine to reduce your symptoms and help you recover more quickly. Read more about antiviral medication for flu. How long does flu last and is it serious? If you have flu, you generally start to feel ill within a few days of being infected.

4 You should begin to feel much better within a week or so, although you may feel tired for much longer. You will usually be most infectious from the day your symptoms start and for a further three to seven days. Children and people with weaker immune systems may remain infectious for longer. Most people will make a full recovery and won't experience any further problems, but elderly people and people with certain long-term medical conditions are more likely to have a bad case of flu or develop a serious complication, such as a chest infection. Read more about the complications of flu. How you catch flu The flu virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when someone who is infected coughs or sneezes. These droplets typically spread about one metre. They hang suspended in the air for a while before landing on surfaces, where the virus can survive for up to 24 hours. Anyone who breathes in the droplets can catch flu. You can also catch the virus by touching the surfaces that the droplets have landed on if you pick up the virus on your hands and then touch your nose or mouth. Everyday items at home and in public places can easily become contaminated with the flu virus, including food, door handles, remote controls, handrails, telephone handsets and computer keyboards. Therefore, it's important to wash your hands frequently. You can catch flu many times, because flu viruses change regularly and your body won't have natural resistance to the new versions. You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding unnecessary contact with other people while you're infectious. You should stay off work or school until you're feeling better. In some people at risk of more serious flu, an annual flu vaccine (see below) or antiviral medication may be recommended to help reduce the risk of becoming infected. Read more about how to stop the spread of flu. The flu vaccine A flu vaccine is available for free on the NHS for: anyone over the age of 65 pregnant women children and adults with an underlying health condition (particularly long-term heart or lung disease) children and adults with weakened immune systems An annual flu vaccine nasal spray is also offered to healthy children aged two and three, and to children in reception class and school years one, two, three and four. The best time to have the vaccine is in the autumn, from the beginning of October to early November. If you think you might need it, contact the surgery. You should have the flu vaccination every year so you stay protected, as the viruses that cause flu change every year. For more information on who should have the flu vaccine and how to get it, read the sections on the flu jab for adults, the flu jab for pregnant women and the children's flu vaccine. Preventing the spread of flu You can help stop yourself catching flu or spreading it to others with good hygiene measures. Always wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, as well as: regularly cleaning surfaces such as your computer keyboard, telephone and door handles to get rid of germs using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze putting used tissues in a bin as soon as possible All of the Information found under the heading of Protect Yourself from Flu, pages 3 & 4 of this Newsletter can be found on the NHS Choices website: (Go to Health A-Z and select F, then Flu).

5 Do you need Care and Support to help you to continue to live at home? Do you, or does someone you know, need help and support to be able to live their life as independently as possible in their own home? Did you know there is A GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CARE AND SUPPORT NEEDS, THEIR CARERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE PLANNING FOR FUTURE CARE NEEDS? The NHS Choices website have produced a guide for people who have care and support needs, their carers and people who are planning for their future care needs. The website is easy to use and helps you find facilities and community services that can support you. *** FRIENDS AND FAMILY TEST *** GETTING TO A HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT If you re going to hospital for an appointment, tests or treatment, you ll normally be expected to make your own way there. If you need help with transport try to get a friend or relative to take you to the hospital and collect you after you ve been discharged. If you visit a district hospital you will have to pay for parking. Just a reminder about the Friends and Family Test. To give us your opinions on the practice. NHS funded patient transport PLEASE COLLECT A SURVEY FORM FROM THE RECEPTION DESK OR SEE THE PRACTICE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS: You may be eligible for free non-emergency patient transport services. These services provide transport to and from hospital for people who have a medical need for it. Find out if you are entitled to NHS free hospital transport by phoning the NHS Patient Transport Advice Centre on between 8.30am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Please note, transport services have to be booked in advance, at least two days before your appointment. In Somerset, patient transport services are provided by: E-zec Medical Transport Service, Somerset County Council, and British Red Cross.

6 Please help the Medical Centre by joining our Online Patients Group Our patient group gives feedback to the practice on current services and helps with new developments. We know that most people do not have the time to commit to joining the actual patient participation group. However, we would still like to contact you or hear your views. We want to involve patients from a broad range of ages and locations. Therefore, we are aiming to increase numbers signed up to our on-line patient group, both the healthy and the not so healthy. By signing up you will receive information about the medical centre and our services but more importantly, you will be able to give us vital feedback and help develop local health services. The ethnic background with which you most closely identify is: British Irish White & Black Caribbean White & Asian White & Black African Indian Bangladeshi Pakistani Black or Black British Caribbean African Chinese Any Other The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act The Act gives you the right to know what information is held about you, and sets Please complete the form below and hand it in to reception Your name:... Your address:... The information you supply to us will help to make sure that we receive feedback from a representative sample of the patients registered at this practice. This information will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act The Act gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out the key principles to ensure personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully. Your Gender: Male Female Your Age: Under Over 84