Little Watham & Great Notley Surgeries

LITTLE WATHAM & GREAT NOTLEY SURGERIES NEWSLETTER November 2007 actually give me more returned from her STAFF NEWS time off. Alasdair is keen maternity leave. Aside A message from Dr that we develop some from practice nursing, Lints: common interests for our Jenny also helps run our I’m sure most of you eventual retirement – Diabetic Clinic. already know that I am unfortunately that involves Sharon Amos has leaving the Practice at the golf, which I’m not too joined the Practice as a end of November after 22 keen on but am Practice Nurse. She very happy years. I would persevering with the previously worked in the like to thank you for giving lessons. Community as a District me the privilege of looking Nurse after you and your I shall leave with many families. happy memories. CHRISTMAS

We originally came to OPENING Essex from Edinburgh, Dr de Meza: We are HOURS when my husband, Dr very pleased to have Dr The Surgery will be Alasdair Short, was de Meza back with us on closed on Christmas Day, appointed as a consultant a part time basis after a Boxing Day and New in the newly created long illness. At present we Year’s Day. Normal Intensive Care Unit in are unable to offer hours will apply on all Broomfield. We arrived advance booking for Dr other days with just with two young children – de Meza’s appointments. emergency appointments their photos, taken by a is currently on being available on patient, used to hang Dr Grice Christmas Eve and New above my desk. Now they maternity leave after the Year’s Eve. have returned to birth of her daughter in Edinburgh where Abigail the summer. She will REPEAT is studying medicine and return to the Practice in Cameron, architecture. March next year. PRESCRIPTIO Dr Adiukwu is covering My new post as Head of Dr Grice’s maternity NS the London School of leave. During the busy General Practice is very Dr Pal is our new Christmas period we challenging and exciting. I registrar who will be with would appreciate manage the training of us for a year. almost 1000 trainees Dr Vidya. Many patients three working days notice aspiring to become have come to know Dr for repeat requests. We General Practitioners. The Vidya well during her time will revert to two working organisation is part of the here as Registrar and days notice in the New University of London locum for Dr de Meza. Year. You can order your (UCL) and based within She proved to be a repeat prescriptions on- Senate House in Russell popular GP and has now line at Square. joined the Practice as a www.littlewalthamsurgery.co .uk or salaried GP for a year. Having juggled two part- www.greatnotleysuregery.co Jenny Wellings, time jobs for several years .uk Practice Nurse, has now, this career move will Our raffles are always Little Waltham surgery is MEDICAL very well supported both open Saturday morning by staff who donate most for emergency EMERGENCIE of the prizes, and by appointments between S patients who have always 9.00am – 10.30am and been very generous in the pre-bookable nurse From time to time there purchase of tickets. appointments are also are emergencies which available. The availability demand the attention of FLU of pre-bookable numerous clinicians and appointments has to be support staff which VACCINES carefully balanced against inevitably disrupts the With the flu season the increased numbers of smooth running of the almost upon is we are failed attendances that we Practice and causes relieved to have encounter each time we extended waiting time. On completed our vaccination increase availability. This these occasions we would programme for this year. is constantly under review ask you for patience and We held two walk-in and we hope to be able to understanding; one day clinics, which ran very improve the system soon you might be the patient smoothly and involved the with on-line booking. in need of such vaccination of almost emergency assistance. 2,000 patients. We hope CHOOSE & On this subject we would to continue the clinics on ask that if you attend the the same basis in BOOK surgery with a serious forthcoming years. The Practice now offers health problem, such as most hospital chest pain, please notify APPOINTMEN appointments via Choose the receptionist of your & Book. This means that symptoms as you may TS you can choose an need urgent attention. Most appointments to see appointment from one of a doctor are available for four hospitals and choose PATIENT booking on the same day the date and time for your as the appointment. appointment enabling you GROUP However, to to fit your treatment in We like to involve patients accommodate patients with other commitments, in practice matters and we who find this inconvenient at home and at work. You therefore hold at least one we do make a third of will also be able to check meeting each year with doctor’s appointments the status of your referral patient representatives. If available for pre-booking. and to change or cancel you would like to be Appointments for nurses your appointment easily considered as a member and health care assistants over the phone or on the of our patient group can be booked up to two internet. please contact the weeks in an advance. The The Business Practice Manager, telephone lines open at Margaret Boddy. 8am for appointment of General booking. Calls are held in CHRISTMAS a queue and answered in Practice strict rotation as quickly During October we made RAFFLE as possible. 6412 appointments This year we have chosen Appointments do become available which averages the Pseudomyxoma booked very quickly and 267 each day. Of these, Research Fund which is a patients are advised to 216 were booked but not charity researching telephone early to attended by patients pseudomyxoma peritonei, guarantee an representing a loss of a rare form of cancer. appointment. almost one full surgery day. PRIMARY Running a surgery involves much more than CARE TRUST just seeing patients. (PCT) During October we The Primary Care Trust is handled approximately: responsible for the  500 referrals funding of all NHS  2800 communications services in the region: from hospitals Swift House  95 medical reports, Hedgerows Business claim forms etc Park  650 Blood Tests Colchester Road  130 New Patients Springfield registered. CM2 5PF Tel: 01245 398770 CHAPERONES There are occasions when a doctor needs to LITTLE WALTHAM SURGERY perform an intimate 30 Brook Hill, Little examination which may Waltham cause some patients to Chelmsford, CM3 3LL feel a little uneasy. For Tel: 01245 360253 your peace of mind Fax: 01245 361343 trained chaperones are available; please feel free GREAT NOTLEY SURGERY to ask for one to be Notley Green, Great Notley present during your Braintree, CM77 8GS examination. Tel: 01376 341411 Fax: 01376 341511 WEBSITE Our surgery website holds lots of useful information and the option to request repeat prescriptions on- line. www.littlewalthamsurgery.co .uk www.greatnotleysurgery.co. uk OUT OF HOURS For general advice call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 To see a doctor in an emergency contact Primecare on: 0844 7360 276 MID ESSEX