No.08 May 2018 Welcome to “PPG News”. A monthly newsletter to update you on work at the CCG and to provide the opportunity for PPG’s to share their news and successes in our PPG “members blog” section. Introducing Zoe…. Members Blog Zoe Knight (pictured) is our new Social Sue West, Chair, The Birches PPG, Prescribing and Partnerships Manager. Zoe has Kesgrave joined the CCG having spent 14 years working in The PPG at the Birches Medical the educational sector in a pastoral role for a local Centre, Kesgrave organised a Health secondary school and further education college. Fair, which was held on 10 April at the Previously, Zoe was employed in community local Kesgrave Community Centre. participation roles for a district council and a Twenty-eight local organisations and social housing provider and developed training services were invited to attend with opportunities for volunteers and organisations in their appropriate stands displaying the voluntary sector. information and One Life Suffolk was Having completed many volunteer roles herself, on hand offering personal health from Community Service Volunteering to being a checks. There were representatives of member of the Mayor’s Charity Committee, Zoe is passionate about various organisations providing volunteering and is looking forward to meeting and working with PPGs and services for the elderly, transport, data hearing views and ideas for service engagement, delivery and management, mental health and improvement. sports facilities. The event was open In her spare time, Zoe is a keen racket sports player and enjoys playing to any resident of Kesgrave and tennis, squash and racket ball for local teams and spending time on her surrounding area, not just patients of allotment. The Birches Medical Practice. Contact: [email protected] or 01473 770106 This event was sponsored by Spark (Sport, Amenities and Recreation in PPG Network Meeting: Putting Social Prescribing Kesgrave) and Tesco gave the event People Firmly at the Centre of on The One Show a very generous supply of fresh fruit. Decision-Making BBC’s The One Show With the assistance and support of the The PPG Network meeting scheduled for 15 have been featuring some CCG, Practice Managers, Local Radio May has been postponed until Tuesday 29 social prescribing projects and PPG members this event was May where we will have some of our CCG from across the country in very well advertised. clinical executive GPs in attendance. recent weeks. Allowing for all the above, this event The meeting will be 10.00am–12.00pm, with Hilltop Surgery in Oldham was not very well attended, only 50 - refreshments being served from 9.30am at: was featured on 12 April . 60 people actually coming through the You can watch the piece Conference Centre doors, which is not many considering (from 12 minutes in) on Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre the population of Kesgrave and BBC iPlayer by clicking Twelve Acre Approach surrounding areas. However all the here (only available until Kesgrave stall holders indicated that it had been 7.30pm on 12 May). Ipswich, IP5 1JF a good networking day for them, and On 25 April, a project in There is plenty of free on-site parking. those people who did come were Frome to tackle loneliness interested in their health. Stall holders The agenda will take the form of a workshop that has resulted in fewer stated that often when there are too looking at how we ensure that we put people hospital admissions was many people at an event, many will firmly at the centre of our decision-making featured, from 11 mins 30 just give a quick glance and walk and how NHS organisations, local secs click here (available authorities and voluntary sector are working until 25 May). away. together more. Upcoming Meetings and Events Coast & Country Group meeting, Tuesday 29 May 2018, 4.00pm - 6.00pm, The Meeting Place, Limerick Whole PPG Network meeting - Tuesday 29 May Close, Ipswich. 2018, 10.00am - 12.00pm, Kesgrave Conference Centre HOLD THE DATE: Annual Patient Conference, Tuesday 26 June 2018, venue tbc 1 Get hay fever help and advice from the pharmacist Health and Wellbeing Event As the hay fever season begins, the CCG is Two Rivers Medical Centre PPG is encouraging people who suffer from the allergy hosting an Eat Well, Move More, Feel to visit their local pharmacy - rather than their Healthier event on 24 May at the GP - for help and advice. practice where local speakers, The NHS in east and west Suffolk spends including one of the practice GPs, will around £450,000 annually on hay fever and be giving talks about the importance of allergy prescriptions and more than £3 million a good diet and exercise. Read more... each year on prescription medicine that could be more cheaply purchased at the pharmacy. People can help protect themselves from hay fever symptoms by wearing wraparound sunglasses to protect the eyes. Staying indoors when the pollen count is high and smearing a small amount of Vaseline inside your nose helps to prevent pollen settling on the inside of your nose. You can read our latest press release HERE. If your PPG would like to promote this message to your patients, please get in touch for promotional leaflets and self-care guides, or download from the CCG’s website HERE. PPG £ Grants Programme Applications are welcomed to this grants programme created by the CCG to help support the growth and development of PPGs, to help you promote self-care and prevention and support your practice local population. Suffolk Community Foundation have written some useful guidance for PPGs HERE. Applications can be submitted in the current wave before 31 May 2018. Volunteering for Dementia Together Sue Ryder are looking for volunteers for their Dementia Together service NHS@70 and are holding a Volunteer Information Event on Wednesday 23 May at On 5 July the NHS turns 70. Have you The Chantry, Chantry Park, Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, IP2 0BP, 10.00am- ever wondered how many patients the 12.00pm and then again 2.00pm-4.00pm. NHS sees every 24 hours, or what its day-to-day running costs are? The event will provide an opportunity to find out more about the service Watch this animation to find out and the roles volunteers play. It will also include a Dementia Awareness www.youtube.com/watch session. For more information about this event and to book a free place on the morning or afternoon session, see: www.dementia-together.com/ event/38 If you have a passion to support people living with Dementia and their family carers, or know someone who would be interested in volunteering, the roles that are available are detailed HERE. Meet Up Mondays Meet up Monday (MUM) initiative has recently launched in Ipswich on 23 April at the Greyhound on Henley Road (meet ups from 10.00am- Find out more about the NHS at 12.00pm). There is another MUM due to launch on Monday 14 May 70 HERE 2.00pm-4.00pm at the Smock, 69 Maidenhall Approach, Ipswich IP2 8PG. View flyer Lost & Found The idea behind MUM is that people feel the most lonely on Sundays so The red umbrella found at Martlesham getting together on a Monday will allow them to have something to look Community Hall after the presentation forward to. The meet-ups often happen at community cafes and/or pubs about the hospital mergers on 28 where people are offered a cuppa and toast all for free. March has still yet to be claimed. Below are some links explaining the initiative in more detail: If it belongs to you or perhaps another meetupmondays.wordpress.com/list-of-meet-ups/ one of your PPG members, please get in touch so we can return it. www.eadt.co.uk/news/community-action-suffolk-and-rural-coffee-caravan -support-meet-up-mondays-at-weavers-peasenhall-1-5458450 [email protected] or call 01473 770021. 2 2 .