The Willows Medical Centre Newsletter

HAPPY EASTER

THE SURGERY WILL BE CLOSED ON Friday 14th & Monday 17th April EASTER BANK HOLIDAY Our telephone system will direct you to the Out of Hours service If you need medical help fast, but it’s not a 999 emergency, please ring NHS 111 number.

SELF ASSESSMENT ROOM – ON RIGHT OF THE RECEPTION DESK

Blood pressure is simply the force of blood against the walls of our arteries, similar to the way water exerts pressure inside a plastic pipe. We need to keep a certain level of pressure in our arteries to maintain normal body function, though this varies from person to person. To keep a track on your Blood Pressure we have a Self-Assessment room on the right hand side of the reception area, where you can print off your blood pressure reading then hand the slip into reception with your name and address on so we can record it in your medical records.

IS YOUR COLD, SORE THROAT, EARACHE OR COUGH GETTING YOU DOWN?

 A runny or blocked nose, sore throat, sinus pain, cough and earache are all symptoms of an upper respiratory tract (upper airway) infection. This is most likely to be caused by coming into contact with a virus.  Your immune system can respond to infection  Antibiotics are not recommended for most upper respiratory tract infections  Most symptoms are due to your body’s response to fighting infection. To help you start feeling better, you can treat your symptoms.  Ask your pharmacist for advice on symptom relief to help you get on with your life.

MISSED APPOINTMENTS KEEPS EVERYONE WAITING

If you can’t use your appointment make sure someone else can KEEP IT OR CANCEL IT! BUT DON’T FORGET IT!

April 2017 DIARROHEA & VOMITTING

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOURSELF

 Stop all dairy products  Ensure that frequent drinks of water, very dilute fruit juices or apple juice. Start with sips.  For the very young or very elderly, it is important to replace lost salts by taking Oral re-hydration  As the diarrhoea reduces, gradually try more solid food, grated apple or carrots and lean meat are fine. Dry bread or crackers are also fine. Avoid green vegetables.

MOST IMPORTANTLY  Avoid spreading Infection  Wash your hands after going to the toilet  Wash hands after changing your baby’s nappy  Clean the toilet often with disinfectant  Always clean under the toilet seat

DO YOU SUFFER FROM CHEST INFECTIONS

Chest infections are very common, especially during autumn and winter, or after a cold or flu. Most short term coughs are due to a viral infection and will usually disappear within 3 weeks. Although most are mild and get better on their own, some cases can be very serious, even life-threatening. Antibiotics do not work for viral infections. The main symptoms of a chest infection are:  A chesty cough  Breathing difficulties  Chest pain It's also common to get headaches and have a high temperature. If you have a chest infection, you should:  Get plenty of rest  Drink lots of fluid to prevent dehydration and to thin the mucus in your lungs, making it easier to cough up  Treat headaches, fever and aches and pains with paracetamol or ibuprofen  Stop smoking straight away Antibiotics Your GP WILL NOT routinely prescribe antibiotics for acute bronchitis for a number of important reasons:

 Most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viral infections, which mean that antibiotics will have no effect.  You are almost as likely to experience a side effect from taking antibiotics, like vomiting and diarrhoea, as you are to receive any benefit from the treatment.  The more antibiotics are used to treat mild conditions, the greater the likelihood that the bacteria will develop resistance to antibiotics and go on to cause more serious infections.

April 2017 KNOWING THE SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER

If you have any of these concerns or if things just don’t feel right, go and see your GP.

CHANGES TO HOW YOU ORDER PRESCRIPTIONS

With effect from 1st November 2016 Bradford District Clinical Commissioning Group have asked that GP’s change the way they accept prescription requests and are no longer able to receive requests from the pharmacies. Patients will need to order prescriptions directly from their own GP. There are a number of ways this can be done:-  In person at the GP practice using either the repeat script from the right hand side of your prescription, your own hand written request or completion of the repeat prescription slip on the reception desk (this can also be done by your representative).  Using On-line services by registering with the practice to get direct access to Systmone (the system that the practice uses) this can also be used to book and cancel appointments with the surgery.  Ordering prescriptions via e-mail at [email protected]  By post. We WILL NOT be able to accept medication requests from pharmacies after 31st January 2017. This WILL NOT affect the collection and delivery service you use at your nominated pharmacy.

If you have any queries or complaints these should be raised with Bradford CCGs’ patient support line telephone number 01274 237562 or e-mail [email protected]

RAPID ACCESS & TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS – 01274 888350 Option 1

A doctor is available each morning from 8.00 to 9.15am for telephone consultations and advice. If necessary, patients will be fitted into the rapid access clinic which runs from 9.30am onwards.

April 2017 WHY ACT F.A.S.T ABOUT A STROKE

When a stroke strikes act F.A.S.T. Face has fallen to one side Arms can you raise tour arms Speech is blurred Time if you notice any of these signs, make the call dial 999

Reducing your risk Some people are more at risk of having a stroke if they also have certain medical conditions, including:  High blood pressure  High cholesterol  Atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat)  Diabetes It is important that these conditions are carefully monitored and treated to reduce your chance of having a stroke. The risk of having a stroke is higher among people in certain ethnic groups, including South Asian, African and Caribbean. This is partly because high blood pressure and diabetes are more common in these groups. There are also lifestyle factors that may significantly increase the risk of having a stroke. They include:  Smoking  Being overweight  Lack of exercise  Poor diet  Excessive alcohol consumption Leading a healthy, active lifestyle is vital to help reduce your risk of having a stroke.

ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY ATTENDANCE

Patients are reminded that Accident and Emergency departments are intended for serious injuries and life threatening conditions. Recently there has been an increasing number of patients going to their local A&E departments with minor problems that could be treated elsewhere will delay treatment for more seriously ill patients. Going to A&E with conditions that should be treated elsewhere will delay treatment for more seriously ill patients. A&E doctors and nurses frequently report their frustrations at having to deal with trivial ailments which prevent them dealing with more serious cases more efficiently. Many patients will have experienced the long waiting times at A&E departments largely due to the increasing numbers of people attending the departments who should not have been there. Accident and Emergency is an extremely important and valued part of the NHS and is vital to those members of the public who have suffered a recent injury or accident or who have developed a sudden serious illness. Minor ailments can be dealt with by your GP by appointment or by the telephone rapid access clinic. Minor ailments can also often be dealt with by seeking advice from your local pharmacist. NHS 111 is available for advice 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We obviously DO NO WANT to discourage anyone from using A&E in the event of a serious accident or emergency. However, we are just asking you to think first about your options and what would be the most appropriate one for you.

April 2017 PATIENTS WHO DID NOT ATTEND THEIR APPOINTMENTS 2016 TO 2017

January 2016 – 37 hours 40 mins January 2017 – 28 hours 5 mins February 2016 – 48 hours 30 mins February 2017 – 26 hours March 2016 - 46 hours 35 mins March 2017 – 33 hours

NON-ATTENDANCE OF APPOINTMENTS PROTOCOL

In order to provide high quality and responsive services to the registered population of The Willows Medical Centre the Partners take a Zero Tolerance approach to patients repeatedly missing their appointment. This policy will be applied in a fair and equitable manner and applicable to all patients. The process is shown below. FIRST MISSED APPOINTMENT  Defined as a non-attendance or DNA (Did Not Attend) to a booked appointment or cancellation within 30 minutes of the appointment.  In this instance the patient will be sent a letter, copy attached, within 24 hours of the non-attendance.  It will be documented in the patient notes that the letter has been sent; any resulting correspondence or apology/explanation will also be noted.  This is the patient’s first warning, done in writing and clearly stating they risk being taken off the medical list. SECOND MISSED APPOINTMENT  Defined as a non-attendance or DNA to a booked appointment (or cancellation within 30 minutes of the appointment) within 12 months of the first missed appointment.  The patient will be sent a letter, copy attached, within 24 hours of the non-attendance.  In this instance an alert will be placed onto the patient records on the clinical system to remind staff and clinicians to inform the patient on their next contact that they are on a warning and they have missed 2 appointments.  This is the patient’s second and final warning. This will be documented in the patient notes. THIRD MISSED APPOINTMENT  Defined as a non-attendance or DNA to a booked appointment (or cancellation within 30 minutes of the appointment) within 12 months of the first missed appointment. In this instance the matter will be discussed by the Partners meeting. A standard letter, attached to this policy, will be issued to PCSA and the patient confirming that due to their attendance record we have asked for removal from the list. EXCEPTIONS In cases where the patient’s current clinical situation can go some way to explain their behaviour this will be taken into account. This situation must be documented in the patient notes following DNA and include the reasons why the patient is exempt.

NHS FRIENDS AND FAMILY TESTS

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR SURGERY – YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT The NHS wants to ensure that you have the best possible experience of care. The NHS Friends and Family Test is a way of gathering your feedback about your experience so we can make improvement to our services. Your feedback will help us learn more about what you think about our service – what you like and what you think we could improve. Ultimately you’re helping us to make changes that will improve our services. You can complete a form in the reception area OR on the online on The Willows website.

April 2017 British Heart Foundation - 6 top tips on losing weight

1. Forget the food fads - Faddy diets might shed pounds in the short term but are unlikely to keep the weight off in the long term.

2. Get off to a good start - Eating breakfast will make you less likely to snack on fatty and sugary snacks later on, and studies have shown that people who have a regular breakfast tend to be slimmer than those who don’t. So while it might sound unlikely, eating more in the morning might mean you actually eat less throughout the day.

3. Make a list - Planning what you’ll buy before you go to the supermarket will help you to resist temptation when you’re there, as well as ensure you have all the ingredients you need for healthy meals throughout the week.

4. Take caution with your portions - Even healthy food contains calories, so if your portions are too big, you will struggle to lose weight. Try using a smaller plate or bowl to help you cut down without feeling deprived.

5. Everyday eating - Make changes that you can stick to every day – little things like drinking skimmed milk instead of semi skimmed, or using low-fat spreads instead of standard ones. They might seem insignificant, but they can make a big difference over time.

6. One slip does not make a fall - It’s normal to find you have days when it feels more difficult to keep to your plans. Don’t think that this means you have to write off that day completely and give up. Learn from it and get straight back on track.

Hand the slip into reception with your name and address on so we can record it in your medical records.

STAFF TRAINING DAYS 2017 – We will be closed from 12noon until 6pm

Thursday April 20th Thursday August 17th Thursday May 18th Thursday September 21st Thursday June 15th Thursday October 19th Thursday July 20th Thursday November 16th Thursday December 21st

BANK HOLIDAYS 2017 – We are Closed ALL DAY

Good Friday 14th April Summer Bank Monday 28th August Easter Monday 17th April Christmas Day Monday 25th December May Day Monday 1st May Boxing Day Tuesday 26th December Spring Bank Monday 29th May When the surgery is closed, our system will direct you to the Out of Hours Service. If you need medical help fast, but it's NOT 999 EMERGENCY, please ring NHS 111.

April 2017 WEEK END & NIGHT COVER

When the surgery is closed, patients who need urgent medical attention may ring the surgery and they will be transferred to the out-of- hours service.

Or please ring the NHS telephone number 111. You can find out more at www.nhs.uk/111.

Please do not ask to see a doctor out of hours unless you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.

Call 999 in an emergency. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.

Also your Local Pharmacy are experts in many aspects in Healthcare

WE DO NOT ISSUE PRESCRIPTIONS OVER THE TELEPHONE

The only time we will issue a Script over the telephone is if a patient is Housebound or a GP has agreed. We require the script in writing for audit purposes- THANK YOU To order a prescription you can: Register for On-Line – ask for a registration form at reception – Check out the website By email – [email protected] - we DO NOT reply to requests. Back of the prescription – Please complete the counterfoil on the back of your prescription On reception desk – Please complete the white requisition on reception desk

Ask your pharmacist for advice on symptom relief to help you get on with your life.

FRESH SUPER SOUP DAYS Mondays and Fridays are Fresh Super Soup Days

Enjoy a Healthy Hearty Homemade Soup with a roll or toast and a cuppa all for £2.50 @ 11.30am – 1pm. Drop in at The Bank 36 High Street, Queensbury Or call 01274 816748 If you have any of these concerns or if things just don’t feel right, go and see your GP.

SMS TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE

With your consent the surgery can send you text messages. Listed below are some examples of when we might use text messaging. We need your signed consent beforehand as there is risk your family and friends could see the messages and you may not want them to:

 Please complete the slip on reception if you want us to send SMS text messages to you.  Remind you about your booked appointments  Give you general information about the practice, for example, new services, or changes to opening hours, or the arrival of a new doctor  Remind you to book an appointment, for example, your annual diabetes review  Give you the results of bloods test and other investigations but only as far as saying it was ‘normal’ or ‘please ring the doctor’

April 2017 What is a Patient Participation Group?

We are planning a Patient Participation Group meeting on Monday 24th April 2017 at 6pm, to be held in the meeting room at The Willows Medical Centre.

Every PPG is unique, evolving to meet local needs. Most commonly, they work with their practices to offer the patient perspective on the services that are provided. PPGs also help to improve communication, to encourage patients to take more responsibility for their health and to provide practical support.

NAPP, formed in 1978, is the umbrella organisation for patient-led groups within general practices. It helps new groups to get started and existing groups to network with each other. It also supports PCTs that are actively promoting PPGs.

Patient participation is: Patients working with a practice to: contribute to the continuous improvement of services; foster improved communication between the practice and its patients; help patients to take more responsibility for their health; and provide practical support and help to implement change.

Varied to suit local needs • Each group determines its own activities according to the needs of the community and the practice itself.

Based on co-operation • PPGs work by building a relationship between the practice and its patients that breaks down barriers and shares information. • PPGs can develop to influence the wider NHS, most notably the decisions that are made on behalf of patients about the services that are to be available to them.

Please let the reception staff or ask to speak to Cathy Gribble if you are interested OR complete and hand in the slip on the reception desk.

April 2017