NEW PARTNER

The Partners would like to welcome Dr Kiran Mandyhan M.B.B.S,D.F.S.R.H,MRCGP who will be joining the practice as a full time partner as from August 1st.Several of you will have met Dr Mandyhan as he has been a locum on several occasions in the practice since December 2008. If you would like to join Dr Mandyhan’s list please inform reception and they will arrange the transfer.

NURSE PRESCRIBER

The Partners would like to welcome Fiona Hick who will be joining the clinical team on July 1st.Fiona is a highly trained nurse practitioner who can treat acute minor illness. She is an independent prescriber and therefore will be able to meet all patient needs on an acute basis. She is trained in diabetic, coronary heart and respiratory disease and also family planning. Fiona also has a BA (Hons) in community health and has over 20 years experience in general practice.

Fiona will be working with a duty doctor on a daily basis as from August 1st 2009.This is a new service to our patients to improve SAME DAY ACCESS for acute problems that need to be dealt with on that day.

She will be holding clinics before this date to see acute problems as an introduction into the practice.

SAME DAY CLINIC

At Uppingham Surgery we are always looking to improve patient access to a health professional. Having reviewed our service provision, and in response to the outcome of our patient survey we will be introducing a new patient clinic called THE SAME DAY CLINIC AS FROM AUGUST 1ST.

We would like patients who have minor illness to access this clinic to reduce the inappropriate use of routine appointments.

Our reception staff will ask patients when requesting an appointment to give a brief description of their problem. This is to ensure that we signpost patients to the appropriate clinic to provide the most efficient way of helping the patient.

All patients will still be registered with their named GP. The appointments in routine surgeries will be managed by your own GP who will direct you as to whether it is appropriate for you to return to see them and within what time period. This will allow more time to be provided for those patients who have genuine on going problems to ensure we can continue to provide continuity of quality care for those with greatest need.

We are asking our patients to understand and use the new service to allow us to provide a more accessible service and a different pathway for various health needs.

Question

How many times have you not been able to get an appointment with your named GP for an ongoing major problem that requires monitoring and investigation?

Answer

Maybe not as soon as you would like, because there are no appointments. Why?

Having audited the problems that present to surgeries and the outcome of the consultations:

35% of problems are acute ie minor illness: coughs /colds/sore throats and sore ears. These can be dealt with in the SAME DAY CLINIC as they are minor and you do not need to see your named GP they will be dealt with swiftly and treated appropriately.

12% of patient presentations that occur in surgery are:

• patients coming to tell the doctor they have been to an arranged appointment with a consultant(this is not necessary as the doctor has done the referral and will be informed of the outcome)

• Can the doctor sign a claim form

• Can the doctor sign a passport

• Can the doctor write a letter to the council for----

• Can they arrange a medical for their mortgage provider---

• I have run out of my repeat medication(please see repeat prescriptions)

• Sign a holiday cancellation form

47 % of our current appointments could be utilised more effectively to look after those patients who have serious illness.

We would be most grateful if all of our patients would take advantage of the new clinic as we feel that we can provide a much improved, easier to access service which will improve access to care that is required.

PLEASE INFORM THE RECEPTION STAFF OF THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE TO ENSURE VALUABLE APPOINTMENT TIMES ARE NOT WASTED.

If you require administrative assistance inform reception, they will be able to direct you to a member of the administration team that will assist you further. They can organise medicals/sign off forms required for other agencies.

We would welcome feedback on the new service so please complete a short survey after accessing the SAME DAY CLINIC so we can continue to improve and provide the services that best suit the needs of our patients. We thank you for your continued support.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS

Are you aware that we can provide you with a service for repeat dispensing where you no longer need to telephone or request the following months prescription?

When next collecting your prescription or dispensed medication please ask one of our dispensing team who will be happy to assist you further.

REQUESTING PRESCRIPIONS

If you have an arrangement currently with your local pharmacist for them to collect your prescription and you are stable on your current medication then you could make life easier by providing them with consent to order your repeat prescriptions for you. Your medicines would then automatically be ready for you to collect each month before you run out and would reduce the need for you to remember to contact the surgery each month to place an order. If the pharmacist currently collecting your prescription cannot provide this service for you please speak to one of our dispensing staff who will be happy to help you further.

MEDICATION REVIEWS

It is important that we monitor those patients who are on some types of medications to ensure you maintain good health and remain stable.

Most medication reviews can be done by our pharmacist who can review blood results and latest BP readings as well as our practice nurses. There are some conditions that require to be monitored more closely by your GP or specialist nurse. When requesting or collecting prescriptions or medication you may be due a blood test for an annual review of medication. This reminder will be attached to your prescription.

There are patients who ignore these reminders to attend for an annual review. It is important for patient safety and your continued health and well being that you do attend.

The practice will therefore be introducing the following procedure as from September 1st:

If a patient is overdue a medication review then they will be issued with a reminder with a further 1 months supply of their repeat medication.

If they have not attended for a blood test or a review then weekly only supplies will be dispensed. This will not only cause aggravation for the patient by having to collect their prescription or medication on a weekly basis BUT ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. It is a requirement under the provision of dispensing NHS prescriptions that monitoring of patients occur for the benefits of patient safety.

We would very much appreciate our patients’ co-operation in this matter.

-There is a walk in blood clinic for ease of access, Monday- Friday morning where no appointment is required.

-If office hours are a problem we are open for prebookable appointments on a Monday evening or a Saturday morning.

COMPUTER UPGRADE

We would like to take the opportunity in thanking our patients for their co-operation during the 17th an 18th June when we had a reduced service due to the installation of a new computer server.

SEASONAL FLU CLINICS

Following the success of last years flu clinics held on a Saturday morning, this will be done again this year. This year’s clinics will be on Saturday 3rd October & Saturday 17th October 8.30am till 12 Noon.