Abbotswood Medical Centre: Patient Newsletter
SUMMER 2015, Issue 1
Our newsletter for patients and their families
Welcome to the first of our quarterly
newsletters!
We are hoping to improve communication
between doctors, staff and patients so we can
all share our ideas and visions to create the
best practice for us all.
If there are topics you would like us to cover
within the newsletter, please let us know.
Dr Sara Khan
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Many thanks to our patients, who are part of
our virtual group. The latest report is on our
practice website.
We would love to hear from any members of
the practice, whether you consider yourself
young, old, working, retired, fit and healthy or
managing a chronic illness. PPGs aim to
provide a forum to enable patients to give
their views on local health-care services, and
enhance the work of our practice. PPGs are
often felt to be “critical friends” for a practice.
Local PPGs have been involved in a wide
range of activities from patient group surveys,
to education events and walking and fitness
groups!
If you are interested, please speak to a
receptionist, or any member of the healthcare
team. There is also a sign-up form on our
website! Once we have a list of contact details
for those interested we will start circulating
more details. If you would like to have a say
but feel unable to make a regular
commitment, we would love you to join our
virtual patient reference group. We will email
interested patients from time to time to ask
questions and gather patient views on our
services.
We look forward to welcoming new members.
Patient online access
Online appointment and medication ordering
is now in place at the surgery, and you are
also able to access your medical record to
view medications and allergies/sensitivities, in
line with NHS England guidance.
Access to your medical records will be
expanded in due course over the next few
years. Anyone wishing to use any of these
services will need to register with Reception
(forms from Reception or on the website).
Patient feedback
Friends and Family test
The Friends and Family
Test feedback survey is
up and running, and is
one of the main
methods of providing
feedback to the practice. Our results are also
monitored by NHS England. The survey
consists of a short question, with an area for
further comment. This can be completed in
person at the practice via the cards and
collection box in the waiting room, or can be
done online on our practice website at
www.abbotswoodmedicalcentre.co.uk
We would be very grateful for your time in
providing us with invaluable information
about how we are doing. Thank you!
The NHS Choices website is another way of
providing feedback about your experience at
the practice. If you would like to do so, then
please go to our Abbotswood Medical Centre
page on the NHS Choices website and leave a
review.
Hay fever
The hay fever
season is already
well underway.
Antihistamines are
available over the counter without a
prescription. Steroid nasal sprays and antiallergy eye drops are also effective methods
of reducing common symptoms of runny nose
and itchy eyes, and are also available without
prescription. Speak to a pharmacist, practice
nurse or GP for further information. There are
a number of ways of trying to reduce or
prevent the symptoms of hay fever that you
can do yourself; such as wearing wraparound
sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your
eyes, and changing clothes and showering
after being outdoors to remove the pollen on
your body. More useful information can be
found on the NHS Choices website
www.nhs.uk.
Carers
Are you a Carer?
Do you help a
family member,
friend or neighbour
that is frail, has a
disability, has a
chronic mental
illness or has a
substance misuse problem with drugs or
alcohol? Is this regular and ongoing, involving
help with personal care, daily chores, health
care or medication?
Abbotswood Medical Centre, a member of
Herts Valleys CCG, is trying to improve the
recognition and support available to carers.
GPs and practice nurses can provide a Carer’s
Health Check annually, and carers are entitled
to a flu vaccine.
We have a carer’s noticeboard in our
reception area for information
The practice Carers Champions are: Dr Sara
Khan and Jenny Nash.
Please speak to our receptionists for more
information
News from Reception
Please make sure that we have your mobile
number and up-to-date contact details- there
is a form at reception that you can fill in.
If you would like to receive text message
reminders you can give consent for this via the
form.
Housebound patients
We are currently compiling a Register of
HOUSEBOUND patients. If you consider
yourself to be housebound, please let
Reception know.
Screening for bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common
cancer in the UK. If it's detected at an early
stage, before symptoms appear, it's easier to
treat and there's a better chance of surviving
it.
To detect cases of bowel cancer sooner, the
NHS offers bowel cancer screening to adults
registered with a GP in England:
All men and women aged 60-74 are invited
to carry out an FOB (faecal occult blood)
test at home. They're sent the home test kit
every two years through the post, until they
reach the age of 74. The FOB test checks for
the presence of blood in a stool sample, which
could be an early sign of bowel cancer. If you
are 75 or over, you can ask for this test by
calling the freephone helpline on 0800 707 60
60.
Our practice’s take up for this is lower than
average. Patients who have not done the kit
and are between 60-74 years old, will
automatically get another kit sent to them
every two years.
If you do decide to participate within the two
years, please call this Freephone number to
request the kit: 0800 707 60 60.
NHS Health Checks
whenever possible, and if you wish a
chaperone to be present during your
examination please do not hesitate to ask the
receptionists on booking your consultation
with the doctor/nurse or during your
consultation.
DON’T FORGET IF YOU REQUIRE A
CHAPERONE DURING YOUR CONSULTATION
SPEAK TO ONE OF THE RECEPTIONISTS
Dementia
Abbotswood Medical Centre offers NHS
Health Checks for patients aged 40-74 years
old. This is your chance to get your free MOT.
It has been created to spot early signs and
help prevent Diabetes, Heart Disease, Kidney
Disease, Stroke and Dementia which means
you'll be more likely to enjoy a healthy life.
Every year, the NHS Health Check is expected
to help: save 650 lives prevent 1,600 heart
attacks and strokes prevent 4,000 people
from developing diabetes detect at least
20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease
earlier It checks that some of your body's
most important systems are all running
smoothly. Tests like your blood pressure,
cholesterol, and BMI will be checked and you
will given a breakdown of your results.
Adults aged 40-74 without a pre-existing
condition are eligible for this check. If you
have not yet had your NHS Health Check and
would like one please contact our
receptionists. You will have to initially have a
blood test, and once we have received the
results of this you can be booked in for the
health check itself.
Chaperones
There are occasions when patients need to be
assessed by a doctor which might involve
intimate examinations. This practice is
committed to putting patients at ease
Dementia diagnosis rates are shockingly low.
Of the 800,000 people living with dementia,
less than half have a diagnosis. Without this,
they are denied access to support,
information and potential treatments that can
help them to live well with their condition.
Should I be concerned about my memory? It’s
happened to all of us at some time or another.
You can’t put a name to a face. You forget
where you put your keys. You can’t remember
where you parked the car. Most of the time
such slips are a nuisance, rather than a sign of
something more serious. But if you are
worried that your memory is getting
noticeably worse, or if memory loss is
beginning to affect your everyday life, it is
worth seeking advice.
You might also be concerned about someone
close to you. It’s important to seek advice
because, in some cases, memory problems are
an early sign of a medical condition such as
dementia. Dementia affects everyone in
different ways. As well as problems with
memory, other signs can include feeling
confused even when in a familiar
environment, problems thinking things
through, and finding it hard to follow
conversations.
You should seek advice without delay if your
memory is having an impact on your daily life:
• Make an appointment to visit your GP –
they will listen to your concerns and possibly
arrange for further investigation. • Visit
www.alzheimers.org.uk/memoryworry to find
out more about dementia.
If you are concerned about the memory of
someone close to you, encourage them to
visit their GP. You might start the
conversation by gently asking the person if
they’ve been feeling any different from usual
or are struggling with anything.
Opening Times
Monday to Friday 8:00am - 6:30pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Extended Hours
Tuesday and Thursday 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Contact Details
Phone: 01923 673060
Fax: 01923 681643
www.abbotswoodmedicalcentre.co.uk
If you have any suggestions for our patient
newsletter please let us know, via Reception
or via the Friends & Family survey
END of SUMMER NEWSLETTER