PATIENT NEWSLETTER
December 2010
PPG
(Patients Participation Group)
Our group was formed a year ago - we are
all patients of the surgery and have input
into how the practice is run and how to
improve services offered to patients.
Our current Terms of Reference are: Seek to assist the practice to
enhance patient information and
facilities.
 Contribute to practice decision
making through consultation by the
practice on specific issues eg
service development, provision and
delivery.
 Provide constructive feedback on
patients' general concerns, needs
and interests.
(PPG members do NOT have access to
patient records.)
In our first year, we have encouraged the
use of online appointment booking and
repeat prescriptions; after personal
registration at St. James or Norton, it's
possible to use these online facilities =
convenient for patients + freeing up
surgery admin, staff for other duties.
We assisted at this year's flu jab clinics
too and have various plans for 2011 but,
first, we need to make more patients
aware of our group.
So, we are about to survey patients'
priorities. Survey forms will be available in
the St. James and Norton waiting rooms please spare time to complete one and
pop it into the survey box. WE NEED
YOUR VIEWS.
Our group is small in number and we are
keen to expand. We particularly need
input from patients in the 20-50 age group,
including those with young families.
We meet monthly Jan-Nov. at the St.
James surgery (3rd Tuesday, 6.30 pm).
The wider the age groups covered, the
more valuable our input and decision
making.
Can you spare a few hours a month?
If you can't, can you help on an ad hoc
basis, for example can we seek your
views on specific matters or can you help
us at future events? Are you able to help
with IT advice?
The more diverse our membership, the
better we can serve our fellow patients
and the practice.
If you're interested in joining us, would like
to know more or have ideas you'd like to
submit, please contact:
Jeff Chiswell (PPG Chairman)
jeffreychiswell@btopenworld.com
or
Guy Patey - Practice Manager
Tel: 01823 285400
Guy.patey@stjamesmc.nhs.uk
CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES
Monday 20th December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Tuesday 21st December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Wednesday 22nd December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Thursday 23rd December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Friday 24th December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Saturday 25th December 2010
CLOSED
Monday 27th December 2010
CLOSED
Tuesday 28th December 2010
CLOSED
Wednesday 29th December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Thursday 30th December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Friday 31st December 2010
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
Saturday 1st January 2011
CLOSED
Monday 3rd January 2011
CLOSED
Tuesday 4th January 2011
NORMAL SURGERY OPENING
DID YOU KNOW?
Somerset has a budget of £73
million per year for medicines.
It is estimated at least 3% of
that
is wasted, which means over
£2,000,000 is spent on medicines that are
dispensed but never or rarely taken.
Once collected from the pharmacy,
medicines cannot be recycled.
Many medicines are given to prevent
problems in the future e.g. medicines to
lower cholesterol and medicines to control
blood pressure help reduce the risk of
heart attacks and strokes. By not taking
these, patients are more likely to suffer in
the long term.
Doctors don’t mind if you decide, for
whatever reason, you don’t want to take a
medicine; they would far rather know and
not issue unwanted medication, than end
up with it wasted.
Medicines should be returned to a
pharmacy for safe destruction if no longer
needed.
This destruction involves incineration and
the NHS also has to pay for this so adding
to the bill for waste. Annual cost £60,000
on incineration.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
take a medicine any longer.
or order more medicine
than you need.
else.
may be your local community pharmacist
who can provide a “medicines usage
review” or a pharmacist from the local
Somerset Primary Care Trust who works
in your surgery. By spending a few
minutes with your pharmacist they may be
able to answer questions about your
medicines and help you understand how
to get the best from them.
the pharmacy for disposal.
Hopefully by working together, we can
Help Somerset Reduce Waste and help
make sure that more of the NHS’s money
is spent to improve healthcare in
Somerset.
BREAST CANCER SCREENING
Who is screened for breast
cancer?
The breast screening
programme uses a
mammogram to screen all
women between 50 and 70
who
are registered with a GP in the UK.
Everyone in this age group is sent an
invitation to come for the test every 3
years.
You can ask to have a mammogram every
3 years if you are over 70. The older you
are, the more at risk you are of getting
breast cancer. So it makes sense to keep
having mammograms. If you are under 50,
your risk of breast cancer is very low. And
mammograms are more difficult to read in
younger women. The government is
currently planning to expand the breast
screening programme to cover women
between 47 and 73 by 2012. There is little
evidence that mammograms for most
women under 47 can prevent death from
breast cancer.
If you are at higher risk because you have
breast cancer in your family, you can talk
to your GP about starting screening
younger. The National Institute for Health
and Clinical Excellence (NICE) now
recommend that women with a moderate
or high risk because of their family history
should start having mammograms in their
40's.
Breast awareness
You should still make sure you know how
your breasts normally look and feel, even
if you are having mammograms every 3
years. Most breast cancers are still found
by women themselves. If you notice any
symptoms that could be due to breast
cancer, don’t wait until your next
mammogram. See your GP straight away.
STAFF TRAINING
The surgery will be closed for staff training
between 1.00pm and 4.30pm on
the following dates
Wed 15th December 10
Thurs 20th January 11
Mon 14th February 11
Tuesday 15th March 11