Your partner for a healthier future Friends of Loxwood Medical Practice Newsletter December 2018

WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR 2018 DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF UPDATES OR CHANGES TO PRACTICE WORKING

WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR PATIENTS A MERRY Inside this issue 1 CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY,

FESTIVE COFFEE HEALTHY NEW YEAR. MORNING You are warmly invited to join us and celebrate DIARY DATES the festive season on Friday 21st December between RURAL NORTH 10.00am and 12.00pm. Dr Emma Woodcock’s daughter, Millie will be hosting PRACTICE a festive, coffee morning at the surgery with all PARTICIPATION GROUP proceeds going to VSO, Voluntary Services Overseas. ‘The Patient Singers’, who are a group of patients that sing in various local choirs have kindly donated their time to come to DIARY DATES the surgery and sing some Christmas Carols. As we approach the end of the year we do have The Surgery team will be dressed in Christmas festive attire to some surgery closures support the morning’s activities. planned that we need to notify you about. Your donations of cakes and mince pies will be gratefully received. Friday 21st December between 12.30 and 2.30 only. If you need to speak to a doctor or nurse during this time please listen to our telephone message which will direct you to the correct ’out of hours’ team.

Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th December and RURAL NORTH CHICHESTER PRACTICE Tuesday 1st January PARTICIPATION GROUP MENTAL HEALTH closed all day. During these days please IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY (MIND) call NHS 111 for GP or Rural North Chichester Practice Participa- problem gets support and respect’. A nurse assistance. In a tion Group is a patient representation representative from Coastal West medical emergency only group for 4 rural GP Surgeries; Loxwood, MIND taught us all to understand what call 999. , and Pulborough. mental health is in it’s many different Alternatively you On 13th November we held our first forms including loneliness, anxiety and could visit our patient group education and information bereavement, that can affect us all. The website or NHS evening. MIND Coastal gave talk helped us understand the choices Choices, us a mental health awareness talk which about treatment, our rights and what www.nhs.uk which prompted many questions and answers support is there for everyone to access. have guidance and between those attending. Our next event will be held during Carers useful tips on MIND is a mental health charity with a Support week in June and there will be a self care. statement of ‘we won’t give up until presentation by Carers Support West everyone experiencing a mental health Sussex. Age UK will also be present.

Visit our website www.loxwoodmedicalpractice.co.uk for all our latest news and helpful information Your partner for a healthier future Friends of Loxwood Medical Practice Newsletter December 2018

PLEASE HAVE YOUR REPEAT PRESCRIPTION REQUESTS TO THE SURGERY BEFORE 17TH DECEMBER TO ENSURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MEDICATION OVER CHRISTMAS.

CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION AWARENESS We are kicking off 2019 with Cervical Cancer Inside this issue 2 Prevention Week. From 21 to 27 January 2019, we'll be raising awareness of all the ways cervical cancer can be prevented CARERS RIGHTS DAY and supporting you to make positive decisions about your health. Our Doctors and Nurses can provide you with lots of information and advice OLD TONERS and they are happy to answer any questions you may have via email or have a chat on the telephone, you do not always need FOOD BANK to come into the surgery. Please don’t ignore your cervical screening reminder letter. Jo’s Cervical Cancer ANTIBIOTICS Trust have a website dedicated to helping you understand all you need to know about cervical cancer CERVICAL CANCER too or you can call them on 0808 802 8000.

KEEP ANTIBIOTICS WORKING CARERS RIGHTS DAY Antibiotics are a vital tool th used to manage infections. Carers Rights Day was on 30 November A Public Health and this year we were fortunate to have report highlights how more Carers Support West Sussex here at the than 3 million common surgery with a display of many leaflets and procedures such as caesarean sections and FOOD BANK information to raise awareness for you, our hip replacements could become life- patients. threatening without them. Once again we are sup- We have been building closer working Antibiotics are essential to treat serious porting the local food relationships with Carers Support West bacterial infections, but we are frequently bank this Christmas. Sussex who also participated in our Health being asked to prescribe them to treat Our nurses have been and Wellbeing Fayre in September and illnesses such as coughs, earache and sore very creative this year were present at the evening talk in throats that can get better by themselves. and there will be the last month. Taking antibiotics encourages harmful ‘Polar Express’ train in We hope that you will find all their infor- bacteria that live inside you to become the waiting room. Your mation both helpful and supportive and we resistant. That means that antibiotics may donations into the car- want to thank all of you who provide an not work when you really need them. riages would be most amazing job caring for family, friends and There is a TV advertising campaign at welcome by those in neighbours. If you need more information the moment alerting us to the risks of need locally. call 0300 028 8888 or they will be at the antibiotic resistance, urging patients to surgery on Friday 21st December during always take the doctor, nurse or our coffee healthcare professional’s advice on antibi- morning. otics. For information on self care and medicines at home you can visit our website or www.selfcareforum.org or your pharmacist. OLD PRINTER TONERS The staff at Loxwood Medical Practice are delighted to have donated old unused printer toners to St Wilfred Hospice, Grosvenor Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8FP.

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