Cove and Kincorth Medical Practice Newsletter Spring 2012

Cove and Kincorth Medical Practice Newsletter – Spring 2012

Staff news

Dr. Subha Kumar and Dr. Samantha Wheelan have now formally joined us as partners from 1st March 2012. Both doctors were already working here at the Practice before becoming Partners and may be familiar to you.

Dr Lee Barry (male) is now with us for 6 months as our ST1 (Specialist Training) Doctor. He is a fully qualified Doctor who is joining us for some additional general practice experience. After his initial 6 months with us, he will work in the hospital for a year and then come back to the practice as an ST3 for a further year.

Cove Surgery Handrail

Our Patient Experience Group had highlighted that some patients might feel more secure if there was a handrail from the disabled car park spaces to the front door of the Cove surgery. We are delighted that this has now been installed!

GP Appointments

A routine Doctor’s appointment at our Practice is for 10 minutes. If you have more than one item to discuss with the Doctor please advise the Receptionist when booking the appointment that you will require a longer time and that a double appointment will be needed. If you require a further supply of any repeat medications at your appointment please have a note of all the medications required to help the Doctor keep running to schedule. Please avoid asking for other people’s prescriptions during your appointment as requests for these can be given to reception instead.

We are a busy two centre practice who tries to ensure all our patients have appropriate access to Healthcare Professional when they need to. A lot of patients think they always need a Doctor’s appointment but this is not always the case.

Our nursing team are able to provide help and advice on a wide range of ailments including wound care, immunisations and screening programmes. They are happy to call patients back with advice – Just call 0845 337 1170 and ask to leave a message for them. In addition, the local pharmacies can offer advice and support on lots of health related issues – please see our posters in reception on this. We have a Duty Doctor Service available Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. The Duty Doctors are able to discuss matters with patients over the telephone which may not require an appointment – this might include medication queries, medical advice or follow up consultations. Again please call the above number and the Duty Doctor will call you back the same day. If the Duty Doctor speaks to you and feels you need to be seen, they will ask you to come to the surgery for an emergency appointment.

We release new Doctors appointments into our timetable each morning at 8am for that day, the next day and 72 hours later. Our timetable is usually available to book 6 weeks ahead – If you wish an appointment for further away, we can take a note of your details and call you back once that date is available to book.

Travel Clinics

Our Travel Clinics become busier over the Summer so please ensure you contact us at least 6 weeks ahead of travel. Once you have booked a travel appointment with our nurse you must complete a travel form and return it to the Practice in advance of your travel appointment. If you do require any vaccinations a further nurse appointment will be needed. Please note some vaccinations and the anti-malarials cannot be issued on NHS prescriptions and will incur a private charge.

Protected Learning Times/Local Holidays

The Surgeries will be closed from 1:30 pm on the following Wednesdays for Staff Training (PLTs):

Wednesday 16th May 2012. 10th October 2012. Wednesday 27th June 2012. 13th February 2013. Wednesday 12th September 2012. 13th March 2013.

Local Holidays (where the surgery will be closed) are:

Monday 9th April 2012 Monday 7th May 2012. Tuesday 5th June 2012. Monday 9th July 2012. Monday 24th September 2012. Tuesday 25th & Wednesday 26th December 2012. Tuesday 1st & Wednesday 2nd January 2013.

As previously, GMEDs will be on duty from 1:30pm on PLT days AND all day on Local Holidays for any advice /emergency consultations or visits that are needed. Patients should phone the usual surgery number (0845 337 1170) for assistance. Practice Website

We would like to remind our patients of our Practice Website. It can be viewed at www.covebayandkincorthmedical.co.uk

This is an interactive website which provides up to date information about the Practice. Please note that you can use it if you wish to:

 Change your address/contact details (although please note that if you move residence out with our boundaries you will need to re-register with a local G.P).  Update your height (feet/meters), weight (stones/kilograms), smoking status, alcohol consumption and ethnicity.  Order your regular medication.  Cancel appointments.  Feedback comments or suggestions to the Practice.

The website will be checked for new mail three times every working day.

Steroid Injections

Dr Fowler offers two injection clinics per week: at the Kincorth surgery on a Monday and Cove surgery on a Wednesday. The clinics compromise 15 minute appointments to allow for assessment of the pain and for giving the injection (where appropriate).

These injections (they used to be called “cortisone” injections) are used to reduce inflammation and thereby reduce pain in an inflamed joint or tendon attachment. We provide them for:

 Frozen shoulder and other shoulder problems  Tennis elbow  Golfer’s elbow  Finger and thumb joints  Trigger fingers  Hip and shoulder bursitis  “Policeman’s heel”  Knee arthritis  Pains in ball of the foot  Fibromyalgia trigger points  Certain categories of carpal tunnel syndrome.

You can be referred by your usual GP or alternatively ask for an appointment at the “Injection Clinic”.