News release:
CERVICAL SCREENING
We have noticed a decline in patients aged 25 to 49 attending/booking their cervical smear test. If you have had a letter to advise you to book and not yet got round to making your appointment, PLEASE book in with Practice Nurse Kristie. We have specific clinics at various times of the day from 7.30 am up to 6.00 pm
This is so important, please don’t leave it, get booked in today.
Half Day Closure
The Practice will close for staff training and updates on the 2nd Thursday of each month. The next closure is
Thursday 10th August 2023
The practice will close at 1.00 pm and re-open at 8.00 am on Friday 11th August 2023.
During this time BARDOC will cover for medical emergencies. Please make sure you have sufficient medication to last whilst we are closed.
For medical advice during this time please ring 111.
2023 GP Patient Survey
Have your say on the way your local GP services are working
Around 2.4 million people, aged 16 and over, who are registered with a GP practice in England will receive an invitation to take part in Europe’s biggest patient experience survey in early January. The answers we get help the NHS to improve local health services for people like you and your family. It is important that we hear about your experiences even if you haven’t visited your GP practice recently, or if you have filled in a questionnaire before.
The invitations go out mostly by letter to a random selection of people who have been registered with their GP practice for at least 6 months. The survey team at NHS England will follow this up with a text message reminder (where a mobile number is available) alongside further paper questionnaires to encourage as high a response rate as possible.
If you receive a survey, please do take the time to take part. It provides vital information to the NHS to identify what’s working well and what can be improved. It helps to identify inequalities in experience too, as the results can be analysed across different protected characteristics.
24 hour automated GP appointment booking
We have launched a 24 hour automated booking line, for certain appointments. This has a separate number 01706 335 434. You will be asked for your date of birth and phone number (please make sure we have up to date number). This is new for us and there may be some teething problems, it has been trialed by our PPG. If it is not working right then please let the practice know so we can contact the company to make any amendments.
SPRING COVID BOOSTERS
Spring Covid Boosters will begin from 3rd April (to end of June) this is not available to all people and will be given in stages.
1. Patients in Care/Residential homes
2. All patients aged 75 years and over
3. Severely Immunocompromised patients
We will be sending text messages to those patients that are eligible. There are commencement dates for each category. Care homes will be between 3rd and 19th April. Over 75 patients will be contacted to make an appointment after 24th April (at the new Premises) this will be by text message, phone call or letter. If you have not received an invite by 30th April then please contact us. Remaining patients will be contacted shortly after that.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
Rochdale GPs offer blood test (CRP) to tell if patients really need antibiotics This winter a simple blood test is being introduced to GP practices in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale to help decide if patients really need antibiotics to treat their symptoms.
It enables healthcare professionals to perform a fingerprick blood test on patients who visit the practice with a respiratory infection such as a chesty cough. Test results are available within minutes and these can help GPs determine whether a patient's infection is caused by bacteria and needs to be treated with antibiotics, or if the infection is caused by a virus which will not respond to antibiotics. The blood test assesses levels of C-reactive Protein (CRP) - a biological indicator of bacterial infection.
Prescribing antibiotics when they aren't necessary can lead to antibiotic resistance - a situation when the bugs that cause infections are able to resist the antibiotics used to treat them.
NHS FREE WIFI IN OUR SURGERY
Patient Participation Group seeking volunteers
Stonefield Surgerys Patient Participation Group (PPG) are looking for more patients to join the group. If you are over the age of 16 and would like to shape the future of the practice's services, contact June at the surgery for more information or email june.ghilene@nhs.net
Your named GP
As part of the GMS GP Contract this year, all GP Practices have to notify, each of its registered patients who their Name General Practitioner is. This does not mean that you have to only see the named Doctor- as a group practice; you can see any GP of your choice. For more information please speak to the receptionist.
New mobile friendly website
We now have a completely refreshed and updated mobile friendly website meaning you can now book / cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions and much more from your mobile device.
Military Veterans Newsletter
VIC's website and Facebook page is regularly updated and there is more information on VIC services and activities.
www.vic.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/VeteransInCommunities . The website is updated regularly with latest news and activities and is well worth a visit.
Veterans Newsletter July 2023