Spring & Summer 2015 Newsletter
Rosehall Medical Practice
Practice Closures
Hay fever
Travel Vaccines
Sun care Advice
Prescriptions
Appointments / DNA’s
_____________________________________
Bank Holidays
Practice Based Learning sessions (PBL)
(Closed all day)
(Closed from 12.30pm)
Monday 25th May
Wednesday 3rd June 2015
Monday 13th July
Wednesday 16th September 2015
Monday 31st August
Wednesday 14th October 2015
Wednesday 18th November 2015
Wednesday 20th January 2016
Wednesday 2nd March 2016
What is a PBL?
The practice closes for 6 afternoon sessions each year. We invite clinical speakers
such as Consultants and Nurse Specialists from Hospital and Community settings
to update the Practice Team on new treatments and topical issues. The clerical team
has an opportunity to enhance skills through training. Out of Hours Dalriada
service is available during the PBL sessions for emergencies only.
Appointments Top Tips
o Book an appointment that best suits your needs e.g. can I wait to see my GP
for an on-going condition or do I need to be seen urgently? Our Nurse
Practitioner has Same Day available appointments mon-thurs and can
prescribe majority of medications.
o It may be upsetting if your GP is running late but it means they are spending
extra time with someone who needs it and this may be you one day. The
amount of time you have available with the GP won’t be affected by the
delay.
o Try to avoid a ‘list’ of ailments where possible. Appointment slots last 10
minutes and your GP won’t be able to give the much needed time to cover
everything. Consider making another appointment to come back and discuss
the less urgent ailments.
o Wear suitable clothing. Many consultations will require examination and
don’t be afraid to ask for a chaperone if needed.
o Make sure you discuss any important issues at the start of the consultation
that way you and the GP will have amble time to investigate best options of
treatment and or advice.
o If you don’t understand the treatment plan your GP has discussed with you
don’t be afraid to ask for further explanation.
‘Did Not Attend’ – DNA’s
The number of missed appointments has been rising again. It is disappointing when
patients fail to cancel appointments they can’t attend as the demand for
appointments is continually growing. Below is the numbers of appointments wasted
so far in 2015.
January 15 = 156
February 15 = 139
March 15 = 141
April 15 = 161
Please cancel appointments giving as much notice as possible so we can offer to another
patient. Appointments can be cancelled by phone, at reception or online (see site home page)
Prescriptions
 You can order prescriptions online, in person and at reception.
 Please allow a full 24 hours before calling to reception to collect your
prescription.
 If requesting a chemist collection please allows 48 hours. It is a time
exhaustive process to look for individual prescriptions before the allowed
time has lapsed and it means taking a receptionist away from answering calls
and the reception desk
 Please be mindful of bank holidays & personal holidays to allow extra time as
these are the busiest periods and turnaround time is strictly 24hrs for pick up
and 48hrs for pharmacy to ensure you get all medications you need.
 Occasionally we may have to advise you the GP has not left all the medication
you requested. This may mean that the GP needs to see you for a review
appointment to discuss medication e.g. dose, length of treatment,
appropriateness and a possible more suitable alternative. It is not intended to
cause any stress, the GP has an obligation as a prescriber to carry out regular
medication reviews.
 The surgery receives the highest number of telephone calls between 9am –
11am. If suitable it may be easier to contact us via telephone to order
medication after 11am. The phone lines don’t close over the lunch period.
Lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.30pm.
 Phoning prescriptions to Pharmacy – This is only carried out by GP request
e.g. housebound patients and those needing to start medications immediately.
There is a high risk of administrative errors transferring the information by
phone and is not safe practice.
Prescription Facts (May 2015 data)
On average we process over 700 prescription items each day – ranging from 687 to
914 & almost 300 are requests for Pharmacy collection
Hayfever
Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, affects one
in four people in the UK and is mainly caused by grass pollen
Tips to relieve hay fever
Avoiding exposure to pollen is the best way to reduce the allergic symptoms of hay fever:

Keep windows shut at night and first thing in the morning.

Stay indoors when the pollen count is high (between 50 and 150).

Wear wraparound sunglasses.

Put some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or another nasal blocker just inside your
nostrils to trap some of the pollen.

Don't mow the grass or sit in fields or large areas of grass.

Wash your hands and face regularly.

Avoid exposure to other allergens, such as pet fur, or environmental irritants,
such as insect sprays or tobacco smoke.
Treating hay fever

As with most allergies, the best way to control hay fever is to avoid
the triggers. But it's difficult to avoid pollen, particularly during the summer.

Even straightforward hay fever can be debilitating, causing runny eyes,
sleepless nights, a bunged-up nose and headaches.

A range of over-the-counter products can treat the symptoms of hay
fever, including tablets, nasal sprays and eye drops.

Antihistamines are the usual treatment for the main symptoms, such as itchy,
watery eyes and a runny nose, while steroid nasal sprays are the main
treatment for a stuffy nose. If you have particularly severe hay fever
symptoms, you may need a prescription from your GP.
Sun Care Advice
Sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. It usually causes the
skin to become red, sore, warm, tender and occasionally itchy for about a week
It’s easy to underestimate your exposure to the sun when outside, as the redness doesn’t
usually develop for several hours, and breezes and getting wet (such as going in and out of
the sea) may cool your skin, so you don’t realise you’re getting burnt.
You should always be aware of the risk of sunburn if you’re outside in strong sun, and look
out for your skin getting hot.
What to do if you're sunburnt
If you or your child has sunburn, you should get out of the sun as soon as possible – head
indoors or into a shady area.
You can usually treat mild sunburn at home; although there are some circumstances where
you should seek medical advice (see below).
The following advice may help to relieve your symptoms until your skin heals:

Cool the skin by sponging it with cold water or by having a cold bath or shower –
applying a cold compress such as a cold flannel to the affected area may also help.

Drink plenty of fluids to cool you down and prevent dehydration.

Apply a water-based emollient or petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to keep your skin
cool and moist.

Take painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve any pain – aspirin should
not be given to children under 16.
Try to avoid all sunlight, including through windows, by covering up the affected areas of
skin until your skin has fully healed.
You can reduce your risk of sunburn by following the advice below:

Avoid exposure to sunlight when the sun is strongest – stay in the shade as much as
possible, cover up with loose clothing and a hat, and use sunscreen.

Apply a generous amount of sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going out in the sun and
reapply at least every two hours – even water-resistant sunscreens should be reapplied
after you come out of the water.

When buying sunscreen, choose one that has a high sun protection factor (SPF) –
sunscreen with an SPF of 50 offers the best level of protection.
For further information on causes, treatments and damage caused by sunburn go to
www.nhs.co.uk