Swadlincote Surgery News

Swadlincote Surgery www.swadlincote.gpsurgery.net

Newsletter – Spring 2013 Inside this issue:

Headlines: Access to Medical Records Access to Medical Records 111 Number Hay Fever Swadlincote Surgery takes patient confidentiality very seriously. We strive to Travel Health ensure your information is kept confidential and secure at all times. However we appreciate that on occasions it is useful for patients to Swadlincote Surgery News nominate a representative who has access to your data. Patient Participation Group We have 2 levels of access at the surgery, basic and enhanced: Level 1 – Basic Access This allows your representative to do the following on your behalf: . Book / check / alter appointments . Check if a prescription is ready and what has been prescribed . Check if a test result is back (BUT NOT WHAT THE RESULT IS) This access does not allow the surgery to share information regarding medical conditions. This level of access may be suitable for a spouse/ partner or other relative. Level 2 – Enhanced Access This access is ideal for patients who have carers who support their day to day lives. It gives access to all areas of your medical information. We would expect your representative to be able to speak on your behalf and for the surgery to liaise with them directly where necessary.

If you wish to allow a representative to have either level 1 or level 2 access please complete an access to medical records form – these are available from reception or can be printed out from our website. If you need to change or stop your representative having access please complete our ‘Access Removal Forms’. Please remember that changing or stopping access is your responsibility. The surgery will not remind you to review who you have given access to. Please inform us if your representative is also your carer so we can ask you to fill in the appropriate form

111 – When it’s less urgent than 999

The new 111 telephone number has now been introduced in South Derbyshire. The 111 service replaces NHS Direct as well as being the new phone number for contacting the out-of-hours medical services. The number is free to call from either a landline or a mobile phone. The 111 service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to offer general medical advice (as was previously offered by NHS Direct). Outside of our surgery opening times patients should now either attend the walk-in centre at Swadlincote Clinic on Civic Way or call 111 for advice and assistance. 1 Walk-in Centre Opening hours: . 6.30 pm – 10.00 pm weekdays . 9.00 am – 10.30 pm weekends and bank holidays Hay Fever

As the hay fever season approaches please remember that tree pollen can become a problem as early as April – it is best to start treatment before the pollen counts increase. Effective treatments are available, without prescription, from pharmacies at much LESS than the price of a prescription. Please talk to your pharmacist for advice. If you do require medication on prescription please book a telephone appointment with a GP or nurse practitioner. Simple measures to reduce pollen exposure, when the pollen count is high, are also effective and are worth a try:  Stay indoors as much as possible, and keep windows and doors shut  Avoid cutting grass, large grassy places, and camping  Shower and wash your hair after being outdoors, especially after going to the countryside  Wear wrap-around sunglasses when your are outside  Keep car windows closed, and consider buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car. These should be changed at every service  Avoid drying your clothes and bedding outside on a washing line  Smear Vaseline around the inside of your nostrils to trap pollen and reduce the amount being inhaled

Travel Vaccinations & Malaria Prevention Medication

See the NHS Fit for Travel If you are planning a holiday abroad and think that you may require travel Website for further travel vaccinations or malaria prevention medications please complete a travel health health advice questionnaire – these are available from reception. It is important that you do this as far in advance of the date of travel as possible to allow time for vaccinations to take place. The questionnaire asks for your planned dates of travel and destination details as well as questions about particular high-risk activities. You should hand the completed questionnaire in to a receptionist and it will be passed on to a member of the nursing team. You will then be advised to phone back in 1 week to find out which vaccines and/or malaria prevention you require and arrange the appropriate appointments. Please note that provision of travel health vaccines and malaria prevention medication is not part of NHS services and therefore fees are payable for these services. www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk

Swadlincote Surgery News

Training Practice We are a GP training practice as part of the Derby Vocational Training Scheme. Dr Patton and Dr Hendriksen are both accredited GP trainers and we usually have up to two GP Registrars working with us at the surgery. You may therefore be offered an appointment with a GP registrar. GP registrars are fully qualified doctors who are in the process of undertaking specialist training in general practice. Our current registrars are Dr Joblu Khan and Dr Ninoshi Palihawadana who both in the final stage of GP training and will be with us until August 2013.

Staff Changes Sister Lesley Tooth retired in February after working at the surgery for many years. She will be missed by everyone at the surgery and we wish her a long and happy retirement. Following Lesley’s retirement we have successfully recruited 2 new treatment room nurses, Keris Rhodes and Lisa Worth. Jill Wellens who has worked at the surgery as both a receptionist and a health care assistant has also decided it is time for a change and left to go and work with the community nursing team. We are sad to see her go and wish her every success with her future career.

2 Wednesday Afternoon Closures The surgery closes on Wednesday afternoons approximately once a month at 1.30pm to allow us to carry out staff training and educational events. These afternoon closures are vital to ensure the smooth running of the surgery and to allow our doctors and nurses to keep up to date with essential training. The training afternoons occur on the same days as for other local surgeries. This provides an opportunity to work together with primary care staff from throughout the local area to plan and review local health services. Patients who require medical assistance when the surgery is closed should call 111.

Patient Survey Results Thank you to all the patients that completed our 2013 survey. The results are available to view on our website and are also displayed on the PPG notice board at the surgery.

Have you registered for online appointment booking and repeat prescription requests?

All you need to do is complete a registration form and you will then be sent a username and password

Registration forms are available at the front reception desk or can be printed from the library section of our website (under the ‘other information’ tab)

Patient Participation Group

The Patient Participation Group provides an important link between patients, doctors and staff at the Swadlincote Surgery. The purpose of the Patient Participation Group is to:  Give Patients a Voice.  Help, listen and care about Patient's concerns.  Improve services for everyone's benefit.  Promote Heath and well being.  Assist patients in getting the best from the service.

Please help improve services at the surgery for everyone's benefit by giving us your suggestions or comments. You can contact us by...  Posting a completed comment card in the box in reception.  Emailing us at [email protected]  Leaving a message at Swadlincote Surgery reception with your contact details so we can get in touch  Finding us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SwadSurgeryPPG (please click “Like” to link to our page)

3 Please check our notice board for the latest summary of the feedback we have received and what we have done with it.