EVE NEWSLETTER

THE EYES, VOICE AND EARS FOR THE PATIENT Deerness Park and Bunny Hill Medical CentresIssue 3 AUGUST 2013deernessppg@live.co.uk

This newsletter is for your benefit and for your use. IfYou have any questions or concerns abut your welfare

and/or the services you are receiving then please contacta member of your PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP. Why not come along to any of our meetingsWhich are also there for your benefit. Take part and careabout your future. If you have an opinion or concernthen voice it through your PPG. If you wish to remainanonymous then that is quite alright, but we need to knowwhat your questions are, so write them down, explainto them fully and hand them in a sealed envelope at yoursurgery as suggested below. Your PPG members willreceive them and will raise them at the next meeting andwill report back in the next newsletter. You will not onlybe helping yourself but other patients as well.If you would like to know more about your PPG GroupOr wish to raise a question by phone or join the groupPlease telephone 01915654604.Just let us have your suggestions for this newsletter or Questions by using the above website, or simply postingOr handing them into your surgery, marked “for the Attention of the Patient Participation Group”

The background colour of the newsletter has been Removed to assist the visually impaired readers. Evedoes listen to your comments and assists if possible.

IF YOU WANT TO ASK US ANY QUESTIONS/PLEASE DO SO. THE QUESTION AND AANSWER PAGE WILL BE A REGULAR FEATURE.

PATIENT’S QUESTIONS AND PRACTICE MANAGERS REPLY.

1.Can you please explain why we need electronicallycontrolled doors leading to Drs and Nurses rooms atDeerness Park and yet Bunny Hill do not have them.

The electronic doors at Deerness Park are there to protectPatients security and privacy whilst in with the Drs and Nurses. Bunny Hill do not have electronic doors, but theyDo have a CCT camera system instead to allow themawareness of any breach of security or need for patientassistance.

2. I am going on holiday what can I do about thehealth issues I have before I go and what can I do if I have lost my medication whilst on holiday?

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are not puttingyour health in danger when visiting abroad and you shouldensure you have sufficient medication to cover your timeaway. If you re travelling abroad, you may need to bevaccinated. The Practice Nurse will advise you of anyinoculations you may need. You may also get thisinformation from our website. Always ensure you havethe relevant medical papers you may require to entersome countries. This may mean a letter from your doctorstating you are medically fit to travel or a vaccination card.Although most vaccinations are free, some do incur a charge and could be expensive. Please leave sufficienttime for the vaccinations to take effect before travelling.When packing your suitcase, anyone who is on medication Usually knows to pack necessary medicines to cover the Entire holiday, but you should also take a little extra andAlways carry with you, along with your EU card and yourPassport, an up to date list of any medication you areCurrently taking along with the dosage and regularitynoted. Always take details of your surgery, Drs name, Surgery telephone/fax number and email address. In theEvent that your medication should become lost you can.

1. Go to the local overseas pharmacy, show them yourmedication list. Sometimes you an buy the equivalentover the counter, sometimes cheaper then in the UK, but insome countries you an pay up to 10 times more.

2. If you cannot obtain the medication this way, maybe your insurance provider would be able to assist you.

3. You may have to see a local Dr whilst on holiday, explain what you need and ask him to contact your surgery in England who will fax them the relevant authority to dispense a replacement or emergency medication until you return home. Whatever happens you will probably be required to pay as your EU card does not cover you for medication. We hope that awareness of how you can help yourself will avoid your holiday being ruined.

3. We do see Drs who do not seem to stay long at the surgery and wonder why this is and what the surgery is doing to compensate for this?

As with any place of employment we are employing Drs at the surgery and like other places of business although regrettable, they are completely free to leave whenever they wish provided they abide by contractual agreements. A lot of Drs who have looked after your medical needs during your lifetime have now reached the age where they wish to retire themselves. A lot of the younger Dr’s, after completing their training and receiving their qualificaitons and experience, may decide to move on and develop their career elsewhere. Drs’ Morris and Munawar simply left as they moved away from the area. Dr. Morris moved to Northumberland and Dr. Munawar to Cumbria, this is what young GPs do these days.

Your surgery however has completed a recent recruitment drive and we are in the process of interviewing with a view to employing new doctors. We are doing all we can to alleviate the problem.

4. Your PPG advised you in the last newsletter that the surgery were looking at the appointment system and any changes which were deemed necessary. We have asked the surgery for an update on how this is progressing.

The practice operate a comprehensive, urgent on the day appointment telephone system. We also ensure that any patients who are unable to get an appointment on the day will receive a telephone call from a GP and this is referred to as the Triage System. This, most times, relieves the necessity for a patient to even leave their home as the Dr will know whether he needs you to call at the surgery, or maybe another course of action can be taken that would be better for you. This is a lot quicker than an appointment and allows patients with emergency ailments to be seen.

4. Why is it that GPs’ tend to run late?

Drs try to allocate specific time slots equally forAppointments so that they know how many patients they can see in a day. However, some patients may have several ailments. GP’s run a 10 minute booked appointment system which is meant to deal with 1 problem, however, some patients may have several ailments, and ask the GP to look at and manage other problems during the same appointment, this is a common reason GP’s run late.When you notice a time lapse between patients going into the same Dr – ask the receptionist how far they are running behind as they have all the information on their computer screens. Dr’s also run late for various other reasons, for example :- they may have to deal with a sudden death notification and speak to the coroner. They may need to speak to a consultant at the hospital, or they may have to admit someone to a hospital which can be a lengthy process. Dr’s do their best to work as quickly as possible. It is not in our interest to keep sick people waiting in the surgery and hope they understand.

FLU INJECTIONS

We know the sun is shining but winter will soon be here. The Practice receives their flu injections mid September and need to inject about 3,500 patients. If you are entitled to a flu jab, please book early at the beginning of September. If you are not sure if you are entitled, please ask and make sure. _______________________________________

“THANK YOU”

Eve has been asked on behalf of a patient to give a big “THANK YOU” firstly to the surgery reception staff at Deerness Park as they always greet patients with a smile. Also her “THANK YOU” goes to the loal hemist next to the Deerness Park Surgery. The phone is always answered immediately and prescriptions checked efficiently. Through the winter storms, delivery ame to her door with a kind word and smile from the driver. To all of them a bit “THANK YOU”.

This months poem is created by a member of your PPG.

“APPOINTMENTS”

I’m sitting in the waiting room, feeling pretty ill.I need to see a Doctor. I need a magic pill.The lady sitting next to me her face is etched with pain.Her movements need all her energy, all her weight is on her cane.She tries to smile and converse with me and says she is “doing fine”. She doesn’t like to bother the doctors, as she feels she is wasting their time.I’m sitting in the waiting room, my headache is no better. I shouldn’t have stayed out late last night. That could be what’s the matter.The lady sitting next to me looking frailer by the second, said last month her heart gave out and she died for a few seconds.I’m sitting in the waiting room. WHAT AM I DOING HERE? I did enjoy that drink last night, but I think I had too much beer?I helped he lady to her feet and felt her body shake. She inched her way to the Dr’s room, not one complaint did she make. She turned and thanked me for my help, she hoped I would be better soon.

I cancelled my appointment and I left the waiting room.

The weather has been wonderful lately and maybe this is the first time that we have had a summer for years. Lets celebrate.

Try this recipe to make you feel refreshed, plus help keep you healthy. No waste as everything can be eaten.

FAT FLUSH WATER !!!!!

You should drink at least three 8oz glasses per day, they say the longer it sits, the better it tastes. You can eat them as well but they are intended as flavouring and still work, so that is a personal choice. The Vitamin C turns fat into fuel, the tangerine increases your sensitivity to insuling and the cucumber makes you fell full. Try it for 10 days and see that you think!

Ingredients per 8 oz serving

Water

1 Slice grapefruit

1 tangerine

½ cucumber, sliced

2 peppermint leaves

Ice – as much as you like.

Directions –

Wash grapefruit, tangerine, cucumber and peppermint leaves. Slice cucumber, grapefruit and tangerine (or peel). Combine all

ingredients ( fruit, vegetables, 8oz water and ice) into a large jug. Stir and enjoy.

Carpet Shampoo Solution

1 Cup Oxyclean

1 Cup Fabreeze

1 Cup Distilled white vingegar

Pour the contents into the shampoo tank and mix with hot water to fill the tank completely. This will not oxyclean your carpet but will deodorize it. It will smell slightly of vinegar until it is dry then will smell like Fabreeze. Be sure to test spot with the solution just to be safe, however, this should be safe for ALL carpets.To save even more pennies make your own Fabreeze for around 15p bottle.

Home made Fabreeze

You wil need

1/8th of a cup of fabric softener the more fragrant the better.2 tablespoons of baking soda

Hot tap water and a spray bottle ( why not use empty 27oz fabreeze bottles)

Using a funnel, pour the fabric softener and baking soda into your fabreeze bottle. Fill the bottle with hot tap water and don’t forget to twist the nozzle to the LOCK position if you are using a fabreeze bottle and shake well.

This Issue we have Dr MURRAY

“UNDER THE MICROSCOPE”

1. Name:- Dr. Robert MURRAY2. Status:- G.P PARTNER3. Qualifications:- M.B. CL.B: B.Sc. Med

Sci.

4. Would you say you are content or ambitious?

Content5. Are you proud of your surgery? Yes6. How do you relax? Listening to music,

watching football, socialising with the family and friends.

7. What are your pet hates? Bad manners – it costs nothing to be polite and good mannered!

8. What would you like to change about yourself? Try to be more punctual – I do try! A full head of hair again!!.

9. If you could change something significant tomorrow what would it be and why? Stop the politicians interfering with our work – something they know nothing about but act like they do!

10. Tell us a funny anecdote? A few years ago I was at the wedding of a professional footballer who was a friend of mine. After the wedding I had to sign a child’s autograph book along with the other players and the child’ mother would not believe that I was only a friend and not a footballer.

11.Do you have a personal message for your patients? I will continue to try and to my best for the patients.

EVE’S DIAGNOSIS :- Thank you

KEEP YOUR MEDICATION DOWN TO A MODEST DOSAGE TO MATCH YOUR PERSONALITY.

Remember laughter is the best medicine.KEEP SMILING and SHARE