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PROTECTED TIME

The surgery will be closed on the following afternoons from 1pm

for training:

Wednesday 10th April 2019

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Wednesday 12th June 2019

If you need to see a doctor urgently between 1.00pm—6.30pm

please ring 111 for non life threatening illness

or call 999 in an emergency.

Chest pains and/or shortness of breath

constitute as an emergency.

EASTER & MAY BANK HOLIDAYS

The surgery will be closed on the following

dates for the Easter and May Bank Holidays:

Friday 19th April 2019

Monday 22nd April 2019

Monday 6th May 2019

Monday 27th May 2019

1

SPRING NEWSLETTER

APRIL 2019

WELCOME

Welcome to the Spring edition of our quarterly Practice Newsletter, if you

have any suggestions on any other information you would like to see in

this newsletter please advise one of the Receptionists who will pass on

your comments to the Practice Manager.

STAFF CHANGES

Dr Rachel Keighley is now on maternity Leave and is hoping to return in

February 2020.

Dr Oliver Brewer has commenced at the practice as a part time Salaried GP and will be working 3 sessions per week. As well as working here, Dr Brewer will also be working for our local federation.

You can find out a bit more about Dr Brewer on Page 3 “Meet the staff”

Dr Sridhara Jahnavi who is currently helping us out as a locum will be

joining the practice for 4 sessions per week from 01st May 2019.

SHOULD YOU WISH TO HAVE A COPY OF THIS NEWSLETTER IN

A BIGGER FONT, PLEASE ASK AT RECEPTION.

2

PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

Do you have an hour or two to spare

on a quarterly basis?

Would you like to have a say about the

services we provide?

The PPG welcomes any new member, If you would be interested in

joining by either attending the face to face meetings or by virtual

means, please give your details to Reception or complete the

Patient Group sign up form online at:

www.cambridgeavenuemedicalcentre.nhs.uk

The Practice would like to thank members of the PPG for their

support and advice; and in particular for the superb display of

tubs and flowers which are donated and maintained by one of

the members for the pleasure of both patients, visitors and

staff at the main surgery.

NHS HEALTH CHECKS

The NHS Health Check programme aims to

help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes,

kidney disease and certain types of

dementia.

Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74, who

have not already been diagnosed with one of these conditions or

have certain risk factors, will be invited (once every five years) to

have a check to assess their risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney dis-

ease and diabetes and will be given support and advice to help them

reduce or manage that risk.

Letters or SMS messages will be sent by the practice to those

patients eligible for this check. 11

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

OUR AIM IS TO BE AS POLITE AND HELP-

FUL AS POSSIBLE TO ALL

OUR PATIENTS.

IF YOU CONSIDER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY OR

INAPPROPRIATELY, PLEASE ASK THE RECEPTION STAFF TO

CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHO WILL BE

HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.

HOWEVER, VERBAL ABUSE AT PRACTICE STAFF WILL NOT BE

TOLERATED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND PATIENTS WHO

ARE ABUSIVE MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE PATIENT LIST.

PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

NON– ATTENDANCE OF

APPOINTMENTS

In January, February & March 2019 326

appointments were wasted as a result of

patients not contacting the practice to

cancel.

If you are unable to attend for your appointment, please remember

to contact us.

You can cancel your appointment by telephone, text or by logging

onto SystmOnline. (Please see page 7 for details on how to

register)

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ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING

Did you know you can request that your

prescription goes from your GP Surgery to

your nominated Pharmacy electronically?

Advantages of ETP

Saves you time—no need to go to your GP surgery to request

your medication

Sent straight to the Pharmacy of your choice

May be able to dispense items in advance, so you just have to

pick your medication from the Pharmacy.

If you are on repeat medications and would like further information

on this service, please ask at your preferred pharmacy or go to the

following website: http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/patients .

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS

Please note when requesting your repeat medication, that you allow

two working days for your prescriptions to be issued and signed from

the practice.

Pharmacies usually require a further two days to dispense your

medication (Please check this with your regular pharmacy)

3

MEET THE STAFF

NAME: Dr Oliver Brewer

WHY DID YOU BECOME A GP?

I have always wanted to be a GP ever since my school years when it became clear that I was enthusiastic about a career in practising Medicine. Medicine stood out to me as an opportunity to meet people from all different backgrounds with the goal of applying what has been found out about the human mind and body to try and support people in the challenges that can be encountered with health. After gaining work experience and witnessing first hand the privilege and responsibility that a GP as a family doctor has in being alongside people in some of their most significant times of life it became apparent that this was what I wanted to pursue. This was confirmed through my formal training at Medical School and having been a GP for nearly 7 years I have realised just how fulfilling the role is as I continue to learn more and more not just from the ever-advancing knowledge we as doctors obtain and apply from science and research but from all the patients I have had the opportunity to work with along the way.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS:

My predominant area of interest outside of my time being a GP now is spending time with my family and being a dad and husband. Our little girl is just turning one and it has been a wonderful time watching her grow so quickly and taking in the World around her. We love taking our Jack Russel and "Doxie-Chon" (Bichon Frise crossed with a Dachshund) out for walks and days out. I love running, keeping fit and enjoying the countryside and I enjoy watching track and field athletics. Having studied German in the past and travelled a lot I love to try and keep in touch with friends made overseas.

4

DO YOU NEED TO SEE A GP?

To ensure our patients are seeing the right Health Care Professional to deal with their problem, the Reception Team will continue to promote and ask all patients who request an appointment the following:

‘Can you give a brief description of what you think the problem is?’

For a list of ‘who does what’ read on or see the ‘Do you need to see a GP?’ noticeboard in the Waiting Room.

The surgery offers routine & book on the day Doctors appointments which can be booked in person, by telephone or on the internet, routine Nurse Practitioner appointments and book on the day Nurse Practitioner appointments which will deal with minor illness and chronic diseases.

The Telephone Triage system will operate as normal dealing with the

prioritising of appointments and nurse advice.

Insurance Reports/Letters cannot be completed in a routine/same

day appointment, these have to be requested through Reception

NURSE PRACTITIONERS

Our Nurse Practitioners can deal with the following ailments:

Chronic Disease Hypertension Medication Reviews

Coughs Colds or Sore Throats Sinus Pain

Ear Pain Cellulitis Acne

Eye Infections Depression/Low Mood Thrush

Sprains/Strains Urinary Tract Infections

Hayfever Insect Bites

Memory Problems Gynae/Contraception

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When shopping, it’s a good idea to look at the

label on food and drink packaging to see how

many calories and how much fat, salt and sugar

the product contains. Understanding what’s in

food and how it fits in with the rest of your diet

will help you make healthier choices and eat fish

at least twice a week, including a portion of oily

fish. Fish such as pilchards, sardines and salmon

are a source of omega-3 fats, which may help

protect against heart disease.

Eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions,

and consuming the right amount of food and drink to

achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. This page

covers healthy eating advice for people who don’t have

specific dietary requirements as a result of having a

condition like diabetes.

If you’re considering trying self-help techniques

or seeking treatment for mental health problems,

these can help you weigh up your options:

• A simple breathing technique for stress

• Moodzone mental wellbeing audio guides

• Mental health helplines

• Talking therapies explained

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HEALTH PROMOTION

Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart

disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack

falls to about half that of a smoker. You’re more likely to

stop smoking for good if you use NHS stop smoking

services. Visit the Smokefree website or ask your GP for

help with quitting. https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree

Do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity

every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30

minutes of activity on 5 days a week. Fit it in where you

can, such as by cycling to work. Keeping fit is good in the

long term too.

Eating too many foods that are high in saturated

fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your

blood. This increases your risk of heart disease.

Choose leaner cuts of meat and lower fat dairy

products like 1% fat milk over full-fat (or whole)

milk. There are lots of tasty ways to get your 5 a

day, like adding chopped fruit to cereal or

including vegetables in your pasta sauces and

curries.

Try to keep to the recommended daily alcohol limits to

reduce the risk of serious problems with your health,

including risks to your heart health. Drinking over 14

units a week (which is equivalent to six pints of average-

strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine)

and not sticking to these guidelines can cause serious

health problems such as: cancers of the mouth,

throat and breast, stroke, heart disease, liver disease, brain damage

and damage to the nervous system 5

OUR PRACTICE NURSES CAN DEAL WITH:

Injections Travel Advice /Vaccinations

Wound Care Childhood Vaccinations

Ear Examinations Cervical Smears

Diet & Lifestyle Advice COPD Reviews (Only Debbie)

Asthma reviews (Not Sue) Over 75 Health Checks

Routine Contraception Reviews

OUR HEALTH CARE ASSISTANTS CAN DEAL WITH:

Blood Pressure Checks ECGs New Registration Checks

Blood tests Dressings Suture and Clip removal

NHS Health Checks Diabetic Foot Screening

Learning Disability Annual Health Checks

B12, Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccinations (Diane, Emma and Shirley)

PHARMACISTS MINOR AILMENT SCHEME DEALS WITH:

Athletes Foot Cold Sores Gingivostomatitis Conjunctivitis

Constipation Cough Cystitis Dandruff

Dermatitis Diarrhoea Dry Eyes Ear Wax

Haemorrhoids Hay fever Head lice Indigestion

Heartburn Insect Bites and Stings Mouth Ulcers

Nappy Rash Nasal Congestion

Oral Thrush Teething Temperature

Aches and Pains Threadworm Vaginal Thrush

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TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS

Can your query be dealt with over the telephone?

Our GPs offer telephone consultations for the

following:

Conversation regarding recent test results

Advise on medication queries/and or side effects

Continuation of existing Fit Notes

Queries related to referrals

TEST RESULTS

Please call between 13.30 and 18:30 to enquire about your test

results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your

request between these times.

The practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data

protection and we will only release test results to the person to

whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for

the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding

the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before

the results are returned to the practice.

It is your responsibility to check your results and

to make an appointment to discuss them with

your doctor if your are advised to do so.

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ONLINE SERVICES

Have you registered for our online service?

For an easy convenient way to request your repeat prescriptions, book/cancel appoint-ments, view your Summary Care Record or view Detailed Coded Information please see one of the Receptionists with 2 forms of identification (one preferably photographic) to register.

The Receptionist will then generate a username and password for

you, giving you the flexibility to log online at any time of day or night.

The online service is also available via I-phone or android mobile phones.

Patients now have the option to request Access to detailed coded information from their medical records, if they are registered to use the online service SystmOnline

You will be able to view coded information such as any Diagnoses, Vaccinations, BPs, Recalls and other information.

Please note all requests are subject to authorisation from a GP and can take up to 28 days to complete. New Registration requests may take longer.

Please note this service is only available to those patients

aged 16 year and over.

I CAN CHECK MY FUTURE

APPOINTMENTS

IDEAL OPPURTUNITY TO PICK

YOUR GP & TIME ONLINE...

MOST CONVENIENT TO ORDER

MY REPEAT PRESCRIPTION

VERY USEFUL FOR THOSE

WHO WORK DURING

PRACTICE HOURS