Opening Hours
Monday 8.00am—6.30pm
Tuesday 8.00am—6.30pm
Wednesday 8.00am—6.30pm
Thursday 8.00am—6.30pm
Unwell whilst the surgery is closed?
If you find yourself unwell whilst we are closed, you can
either:

Contact the Pharmacy for Minor ailments
24hr Pharmacy open at Boots, Weston Super Mare

Call 111 – If you feel you need urgent medical
attention. Visit Clevedon Minor Injuries
unit - 01275 546852
Opening hours are 8am- 9pm everyday

A&E – Emergencies only (BRI, Southmead or
Weston)
Friday 8.00am—6.30pm
Saturday & Sunday—Closed
Extension hours are available. Please enquire at
reception for more details.
Friends and Family Test
Please remember when you visit the surgery , have
a home visit or a telephone consultation you are
able to complete one of our Family and Friends
Test questionnaire’s to provide feedback about
your consultation.
These questionnaires can be found on the
reception desk and once completed can be put in
the labelled blue box on reception.
If you would prefer to complete the questionnaire
online please ask a receptionist who can provide
you with the relevant details.
Kept Waiting
A poem by Kirsty Smith:
If I keep you waiting, remember I'm just
doing my best for those ahead of you.
I may be helping an older lady dress,
or a new mum put her baby into a car seat. More often
than not, I am waiting for someone to stop crying before
they go, or I may be breaking bad news as sensitively as I
can.
You will never know, and when it's your turn, I will do
the same for you.
Thank you for your understanding.
Prescription requests – what you need to know
There are three ways to order your repeat prescriptions:

Online (you can ask at reception about registering for online services)

Using the repeat prescription slips which is printed alongside your
prescription

Completing a prescription request form at the surgery
Unfortunately we cannot accept prescription requests over the
phone.
GPs often spend time away from seeing patients, to issue an urgent prescription for patients who have not
ordered their medication in good time. Please can you ensure that you give at least 3 working days notice for
repeat prescriptions.
Harbourside is now using EPS (Electronic prescribing service), This now means that your prescriptions will be
sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. All we need you to do is let one of our receptionists know
which pharmacy you nominate to then pick your medication up from.
Caring and I felt a valued family member
Would you please pass my thanks on to the doctor and
nurse for the way they looked after me last Tuesday (26th
April). I was not in a good place with my illness but they
were great and I cannot thank them enough.
I would just like to say that everyone at Harbourside are
kind and helpful.
NHS Choices May 2016
Practice News
Dr Ward welcomed a happy and
healthy baby boy in April, both mum
and baby are doing really well.
We are sad to say that Dr Witham will be leaving the
practice at the end of June, we wish her all the best in her
new role, which will provide her with the flexibility to
spend more time with her family.
Nurse Sarah Thomas has left the Practice after 13 years
with us, for a new challenge at Heywood Family Practice in
Pill. We wish her all the best in her new role.
Did not attend rates
Please make sure you cancel an unwanted
appointment, by speaking to our receptionists,
using our online booking system, 24 hour
automated phone system or replying CANCEL to
your text reminder. Please be aware that
extended hours appointments must be cancelled
24 hours prior to the appointment, to allow the
appointment to be rebooked after this time they
will be non-cancellable. This chart shows the
number of patients that did not attend their
appointments in the past 4 months.
We have a new Practice Nurse, Jennifer Watts starting on
the 31st May.
A date for your diary—We are running a patient
information evening about Dementia on Thursday 23rd
June at 7.30pm at the Practice.
Patient Participation Group
Are you aware that Harbourside has a group of
patients that contribute their time to the
development of the practice and the services it provides?
Would you be interested in joining?
The group meets four times per year however
arrangements can be made for members who are not able
to attend in person but feel that they would like to
contribute. If you would like to join the group, and
become involved in the development and
improvement of the practice and its services, then please
ask at reception for a Patient Participation Group
application form.
In this issue………
Page 1: Practice News and DNA Rates
Page 2: Research Practice and
Projects
Page 3: Planning a summer
If you have any feedback about the content or ideas
for future issues please speak to Reception. If you
would like to receive a copy by e-mail please
complete the request form on Reception.
Please visit our website: www.harboursidefmp.nhs.uk
holiday….
Page 4: Practice information
Please visit our website: www.harboursidefmp.nhs.uk
Planning a Holiday
this summer ..
Do you have pain in your muscles, joints or spine, which you have not suffered
with before?
Has this occurred within the last 6 weeks?
Not seen a Medical professional yet?
If all of the above apply to you, you could be eligible...
As a practice we are currently taking part in a Physiotherapy pilot service which offers same day access to a
specialist physiotherapist (if before 4pm). The physiotherapist will call you that day (or the following day, if after
4pm) to carry out a consultation over the phone, so it is more convenient for you. They will offer advice and a face to
face appointment, if required. So far we have received really positive feedback about this service as usually the wait
for Physiotherapy can be very lengthy.
There are a few short questions that we need to ask and that’s it!
Please enquire at reception for more details
Please note that if you have already seen a medical professional re your pain,
you are unable to be referred for this pilot scheme.
Current studies at the Practice
HEAT study (This study was a multi-centred trial looking at
Clinical Research
Network Primary Care
This General practice is research active
Conducting high-quality clinical research helps us
to keep improving NHS care by finding out which
treatments work best.
In this practice, you might be asked to take part in
a clinical research study. Alternatively, ask our
staff about clinical studies suitable for you.
Taking part in a clinical research study is voluntary
and can be a rewarding experience.
Delivering research to make patients, and the NHS,
better.
trying to reduce the rate of GI bleeds for patients who are on
aspirin therapy): Thank you to those patients who recently
took part in this trial. We received very positive feedback
from the study nurses about the commitment of our patients
to this study.
We are currently taking part in two study trials. You
may be contacted in the future and asked if you
would like to take part.
For more information about the trials please ask Reception.
BEEP study : Led by the University of Nottingham and
supported by the University of Bristol, this
randomised, controlled trial will determine if the application
of emollient for the first year or life can prevent eczema in
children with a high risk.
PANDA study: Organised by University College London in
collaboration with the University of Bristol, this
randomised, controlled trial will compare
Sertraline to a placebo in people with depression.
Sun Advice...
Sunscreen should not be used as an alternative to covering
up whilst in the sun. There are a few important things to
remember when buying sunscreen, make sure that it blocks
both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. The
label should have at least 4 stars, remember the higher the
number of stars the greater the protection. Sunscreen only
Children and the sun…
has a shelf life of 2-3 years, so always check it is in date.
Extra care should be taken with babies and children
In the UK the sun is at its strongest from March to October,
as their skin is much more sensitive than adults and
especially from 11am to 3pm. Try to ensure that you sit in the repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin
shade between these times. You can still burn even in cloudy damage.
conditions.
Children aged under six months should be kept out
of direct strong sunlight.
What to do if I get sunburn…
If you get sunburn, painkillers such as paracetamol and
ibuprofen can ease the pain by reducing the inflammation.
Sponge sore skin with cool water and apply after sun or
calamine lotion. Please Note: If you feel unwell or the skin
blisters or swells, seek medical advice. Stay out of the sun
until all signs of redness have gone.
The most important thing you need to pack ……
Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
A valid EHIC
gives you the
right to access
state-provided
healthcare
during a
temporary stay
in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or
Switzerland.
The EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until
your planned return home, it also covers the treatment of
pre-existing medical conditions and routine maternity care,
provided the reason for your visit is not specifically to give
birth or seek treatment.
Please note: The EHIC is not an alternative to travel
insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or
costs, such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, being flown
back to the UK, or lost or stolen property. It is also not valid
on cruises.
Hayfever
At this time of
year many
people will start
experiencing the
symptoms of
hayfever.
Common
symptoms of
hayfever are:





A runny nose or a blocked
nose.
An itchy nose.
Sneezing.
Itchy and watery red eyes.
An itchy throat.
One or two or all of these symptoms may occur. If
you suffer from hayfever there are some over the
counter medications you can buy from your local
pharmacy. The commonly used hayfever
treatment options are:




Antihistamine nasal sprays
Antihistamine tablets
Steroid nasal sprays
Eye drops.
If your hayfever symptoms are not controlled by
this medication after 2-4 weeks, you should discuss
this with your GP.