PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG)
AUTUMN NEWSLETTER
Invitation
Want to learn more about Dementia or you are affected by it?
JOIN US AT A FREE PPG EVENT
6pm on Tuesday 3rd November at the Surgery
Numbers are limited so please book in advance with the Practice Manager, Norma Barwick
normabarwick@nhs.net or telephone 01702 582670
Did you know you can now book your next blood test
online? Just go to www.southend.nhs.uk/for-patientsvisitors/blood-tests/. Booked appointments are available
at all Southend community locations.
GP APPOINTMENTS
In the last month there were a total of ? appointments available at our surgery. It is
shocking that ?? patients failed to attend their prebooked appointments- unbelievably
some didn’t even turn up to emergency appointments made on the same day. This means
that ? hours of missed appointments could have been allocated to other patients. The PPG
is working with the practice to reduce the number of ’Do Not Attends’ (DNAs). The surgery
already texts patients with reminders. If you would like to sign up for this service, please
provide your mobile phone number. Please remember to cancel if you no longer need your
appointment. These simple measures will benefit all patients. Don’t forget that
appointments can be made online via the surgery’s website www.thorpebaysurgery.co.uk.
Just speak to reception to sign up.
FLU JABS
Immunisation helps prevent this unpleasant illness and is
available to all at-risk groups including:
 Everyone aged 65 or over
 Pregnant women
 Children and adults with underlying health conditions
Appointments can be made with the surgery now.
ASK YOUR PHARMACY WEEK
This runs from 9th – 15th November. In our area we have a large number of pharmacies
staffed by highly qualified professionals who are able to give free, expert advice on a wide
range of issues without an appointment. Many now have a separate room for
consultations.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
We’ll be hearing a lot more about this issue over the coming weeks as 18 th November is
European Antibiotics Awareness Day. Antibiotics transformed the treatment of many
diseases and infections that would otherwise have proved fatal. They have saved millions of
lives. Unfortunately they are now losing their effectiveness because of overprescribing, the
failure of patients to complete their courses of treatment and the bacteria themselves
becoming resistant. Urgent action needs to be taken now to prevent a return to the days
when some infections were completely untreatable and people died from the after effects
of minor injuries. The majority of infections such as earache, sore throats and colds are
caused by viruses and antibiotics have no effect on them. There is no such thing as a ‘pill for
every ill’. We all need to recognise that many infections resolve over time and do not
require antibiotics.
SELF-CARE WEEK
Running from 16th – 22nd November this aims to empower patients to take control of their
own health issues. It will provide the information necessary to enable people to deal safely
with their own minor ailments as well as longstanding conditions and illnesses. Recognising
and self treating – perhaps with the help of a pharmacist and over the counter medicines –
should help to relieve some of the pressures on GPs and A&E departments during the
coming winter. Most studies show that about 20% of all visits to hospital A & E departments
are not necessary and GP numbers are likely to be very similar. Two good websites for
reputable health information are: www.patient.co.uk and www.healthtalkonline.org
THE ‘111’ SERVICE
If you require medical help or assistance outside of normal
surgery hours, what should you do? Everyone knows about
the 999 service for life threatening and emergency situations.
Unfortunately there is still confusion about the 111 service
and this has been made worse by a recent spate of bad
publicity. Although it is a national service, it is actually run by
different providers in various parts of the country. In our
area 111 is considered to provide a good service. They are
there 24 hours a day to give advice and help patients access
the NHS services they require. If necessary they can call an
ambulance or arrange an appointment with a GP or other
‘out of hours’ services. Calls are free from landlines and
mobiles. Not certain what to do about a medical issue? Call
111.
If you are not already a member, please consider joining our friendly PPG. We meet bi-monthly (usually on the
third Thursday) at 1pm for about an hour in the surgery waiting room. The next meeting is 19th November.
The PPG provides a forum to discuss issues of interest within the practice and contribute to the debate about
the provision of health services within our local area. As well as being open to all patients over the age of 16,
the practice manager attends along with some of the doctors. If you can’t attend daytime meetings, please
consider providing your email address to become part of our ‘virtual’ group. Comments and suggestions can
be made to the committee members below (c/o the surgery) or be left in the box on the reception desk.
Sally Carr (Chair), Roger Bassett (Deputy Chair), Loretta Andrews (Secretary/Newsletter)