Oak Tree Surgery Appointment System

When you ring the surgery for a consultation with a doctor you will be offered a Telephone Call Back (TCB) slot. This can be on the same day, or in advance depending on your needs. TCB’s can also be booked online through www.thewaiting-room.net

New Leg Ulcer Service

From Friday 8th September a new leg ulcer service will be commencing which will be known as ‘The Centipede Club’.

The service will operate from St Martins Church Hall in Liskeard, and will be open between 10am and 1pm every Friday morning. The Centipede Club will offer patients weekly treatment and will be run as a social leg club where you will be able to turn up without an appointment and be seen by nurses in a social setting. The Liskeard District Nursing Team and Practice Nurses from Oak Tree Surgery, Rosedean Surgery and Pensilva Surgery will all be involved in delivering nursing care for people with leg ulcers. The club aims to be a centre of excellence, supporting patients with wound healing and preventative leg care. Leg washing facilities will also be on offer.

Refreshments will be available while you wait and “Active Plus”, a group of injured military veterans will be offering opportunities to find out about Active Plus communities where you can learn new things, get more active and become more involved in your community. It is hoped to create a club that is yours so that even when your legs have healed, you can attend as often as you wish for a well leg check. Whilst treatments will be carried out in the communal area, should you wish to have your treatment in private there are facilities available for this.

The team of nurses who currently deliver your care will continue to provide this valuable service alongside other members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team.

We are confident that this will result in a better treatment of your problem and strongly recommend that you attend and support this new venture. The Waiting Room 2 (WR2)

The Waiting Room 2 is an online system that our patients can use to book appointments and order prescriptions quickly and easily. It also means you can do this at any time that suits you, without the need for calling the surgery.

The service is fully approved and endorsed by NHS England. It is all part of the NHS’s drive to give patients better online access to GP services.

If you have not yet registered for this service, you can do so by popping into the surgery and speaking to the Receptionist. You will need to bring along two forms of ID with you and provide us with your current email address. Once we have created your account you will receive an email containing the three pieces of information that you will need to complete the registration process.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate in contacting the Surgery on 01579 335320.

FLU SEASON

The Flu season is almost upon us again!

What is 'flu?

Influenza or 'flu is a viral infection that usually strikes between December and March. It can affect people of all ages.

The first signs are a headache, sore throat and a runny nose, aching muscles, fever and shivering. 'Flu makes you feel completely exhausted and this extreme fatigue may last for two to three weeks.

You can catch 'flu by inhaling the virus or by handling items touched by an infected person. The symptoms start to develop one to four days later. Why should I be concerned about flu?

Most people who get the flu recover after a week or two, but some develop life-threatening complications such as pneumonia, nerve or brain damage. You are more likely to be at risk from the complications of flu if you are in one of the 'at risk' groups and your body is already weakened.

How do I avoid getting flu?

The best way to avoid getting flu is to have a flu jab during the Autumn - usually between October and November - each year. The Flu vaccination is free of charge for people in the 'at risk' groups.

You need to have a jab each year to maintain your immunity, as the 'flu virus is always changing. The jab will not stop you getting coughs and colds, but can protect you against the latest strains of 'flu.

You may have a temporary slight soreness at the injection site. A few people get a slight fever, but this is short-lived.

As the vaccine is made in chickens’ eggs, you should not have a 'flu jab if you are allergic to eggs, chicken protein or if you have had a previous allergic reaction to a 'flu jab. A 'flu vaccination does not cause 'flu.

'Flu vaccination is especially important if:-

You are aged 65 or older - death from influenza is most common in the over 65s - you are more likely to have severe 'flu and be admitted to hospital than younger patients

You have had a stroke or TIA (mini stroke) - there is evidence that receiving the annual 'flu vaccine reduces the risk of a stroke in patients with a history of stroke or TIA

You have reduced immunity - if you are receiving chemotherapy or steroid treatment; have no spleen; or if you have HIV/AIDS, your immune system is already considerably weakened. 'Flu will further reduce your capacity to fight infection

You are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person - you should receive the flu vaccine if their welfare is at risk if you fall ill. You have diabetes - the death rate among people with diabetes can increase by between 5% and 15% when there is a lot of 'flu about

You have chronic heart disease – people with flu may experience changes or abnormalities in the rhythm of their heartbeat, which indicates there is a problem with the heart muscles. Studies have indicated that people with heart disease are less likely to have a heart attack if they have their 'flu jab

You have chronic kidney disease – 'flu can cause dehydration which can worsen your kidney problems

You have chronic liver disease – you may be more susceptible to catching 'flu and more likely to develop complications or worsening of your liver disease

You have chronic lung disease – 'flu can bring on asthma attacks and will make chronic bronchitis much worse. If you get 'flu, a secondary infection like pneumonia can set in. If you go on to develop pneumonia, the risk of developing further complications would be higher.

You are pregnant – pregnant women should receive the seasonal 'flu vaccine. This is because pregnant women are at increased risk during the influenza season.

If you fall into any of these ‘at risk’ categories, contact the surgery on 01579 335320 to make an appointment for a 'Flu Jab.

We will be holding clinics on Saturday 30th September and Saturday 14th October along with each Wednesday evening throughout October. If you are unable to attend these clinics, pop into the surgery when convenient where the receptionist will be able to arrange for someone to administer your flu jab while you wait.

Pharmacy

NHS England have approved our application for a Pharmacy in the Surgery to run alongside our Dispensary. We currently only dispense medication for patients who live outside 1.6 km from the Surgery. With this approval we will be able to dispense medication for all of our patients.

We will also have a full-time Pharmacist available on site to offer advice to patients. We aim to have this in place by the 1st of November. Oak Tree Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG) Charity Coffee Morning 10am - 12 noon Friday 15th September 2017

Surgery staff “Bake Off” cakes, jars of tasty chutney, sweets in a jar, weight of a cake etc. Meet our PPG and tell us what you think about setting up “Little Acorns – Friends of Oak Tree”, a fundraiser for specific equipment for the Practice, maybe to include:  Mobile ECG heart monitor to track heart health anywhere and save patients a trip to Derriford or Treliske Hospitals.  Bariatric Dressings Chair  Sleep monitor to save patients having to attend hospital. Also  Microtest will show how easy it is to use online booking  Centipede Club – get in at the start of this new club  Early bird 'Flu Clinic – does what it says!  Triangle Centre Oncologist Nurse for cancer support and advice.

See you on 15th September at Oak Tree surgery! Oak Tree Patient Participation Group – PPG

We are a small group of patient volunteers who meet every other month to help improve and develop communication about issues such as opening hours, telephone systems, requests for home visits and the range of services provided within the Practice. We also undertake surveys to find out what matters to patients and discuss the findings with the Practice so that services can be developed in the best way. Patient participation is not a vehicle for individuals to voice personal interests, resolve personal issues nor to get additional medical service. Rather, we aim to bring about positive change to the benefit of all patients and Practice staff. Fancy finding out more? Check our PPG noticeboard in the Waiting Room or pass your contact details to one of the staff. We would love to welcome you to the group. Penny Prisk, Chair of Oak Tree PPG

RESEARCH NEWS

Oak Tree Surgery is continuing to play an important role in primary care research. Involvement with research can have advantages not just for improving the future care of patients, but for participants and staff taking part on a day to day basis.

An important achievement since the last newsletter has been to be the first UK site to recruit a patient to the new vaccine study

As our research activity is increasing we welcomed a new Research Nurse to our team – Loretta Visick who helps 2 days a week

Exciting studies just started:

 A vaccine for vulnerable people to help prevent potentially serious diarrhoea (C.diff).

Volunteers needed. Please let us know if you are interested. We are looking particularly for people who are due to be an inpatient in hospital in the next year, for example for planned surgery  Type 2 diabetes and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Volunteers needed

Research also running at the surgery:

 Type 2 diabetes – a trial looking at whether a currently available medication helps protect against kidney failure and heart disease

 Cardiovascular disease – a trial of a new cholesterol lowering therapy

 Impetigo – study for a new antimicrobial treatment. This is aimed at helping to reduce antibiotic resistance. RECRUITING NOW. If you have impetigo please let us know if you would like to join this study

 Children’s Ear Pain – a new treatment for ear pain. This is also aimed at helping to reduce antibiotic resistance. This study is not recruiting now but will re-start in 2018 If you need to bring your child to the surgery with ear pain please let the doctor/nurse know if you are interested in this study

 Rheumatoid arthritis – assisting Leeds University in evaluating a specific blood test. RECRUITING NOW. You are eligible with any new muscle or bone pain. Please let your doctor or nurse know if you are interested

 CANDID – study to help with identifying cancer at an early stage. Recruitment will stop in September

 Please also see the notice board for our association with the EPIC e-health project

If you have any questions please contact:

Kathryn Beck – Research Nurse/Coordinator

Dr Symonds – Principle Investigator We would like to take this opportunity to THANK all the patients who are or have been involved with research this year – it can’t happen without you!