/ BACON LANE SURGERY NEWSLETTER
Produced in co-operation with PPG Group
December 2016/ January 2017 / Volume 1, Number 6
In This Issue
  • Important News
  • Missed Appointments
  • CQC Inspection
  • Flu Season 2016
  • Keep warm, keep well (NHS choices)
  • Practice Clinical Pharmacist and information about the role
  • Electronic Prescribing News
  • Medication and Annual Reviews
  • Patient Access –Repeat prescription requests available
  • PPG Group looking for new members
  • NAPP conference 2016 update
  • Parking facilities outside the Surgery
  • Vaccinations update
  • New Patient Registration
  • Has your telephone number or address changed recently?
  • Doctor Telephone Consultation Appointments and Telephone Triage Callbacks
  • Travel Vaccinations
  • Cervical Screening
  • Test Results?
  • Prescriptions
  • Patients on Warfarin Medication
  • Family and Friends Test
  • Waiting to be seen for your appointment
  • Health help now app is coming soon…
  • Non NHS requests
  • Useful numbers
  • Health Checksfor Carer’s and Over 75’s
Complete & Return
  • Are You a Carer?
  • Family & Friends Test
Contact Us
Tel: 020 8952 5073
Fax: 020 8905 6658



























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Monday 19th – Thursday 23rdDecember 2016 normal hours
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Weekend) 24th and 25th December - Closed
Boxing Day Monday 26th of December 2016 – Closed
Christmas Day Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th of December 2016 - Closed
Wednesday 28thDecember 2016 8:00 – 18:30
Thursday 29thDecember 2016 8:00 – 18:30
Friday 30thDecember 2016 8:00 – 18:30
Weekend 31st of December 2016 and 1st of January2017- Closed
Monday 2nd January 2017–Closed
Tuesday 3rd January 2017 – 8am to 18.30pm (normal hours resume)
When the surgery is closed If you require URGENT medical advice, please contact the NHS service on 111. (You can dial this direct from your mobile.)
Alternatively, please call 020 3402 1111 Or attend the Walk-in Centre at Edgware Community Hospital Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, HA8 0AD Tel: 020 8732 6459 - Open 8am – 8pm Daily
Or the Walk-in Centre, at Belmont Health Centre, 516 Kenton Road, Harrow HA3 7LTTel: 020 8866 5766, Open 8am – 8pm Daily
In event of a life threatening emergency Call 999 or go immediately to the nearest A&E Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, HA1 3UJ Tel: 020 8864 3232 - Open 24 hours a day

We bid you farewell, goodbye & good luck!
Sadly, we have to say bye to our Receptionist Cristina Tanase, who will be leaving at the end of December we wish her best in their future career.

Nurse Practitioner Prescriber Anna Furova

We are delighted to announce that our Nurse Anna Furova has recently qualified as Nurse Practitioner Prescriber. Anna will continue to provide general and preventative care conduct chronic diseases check-ups and treat minor illnesses in the minor illness clinic. She can now independently prescribe medications for children and adults. Anna`s clinic will run every day and her appointments will be booked by the Triage Doctors.

Missed Appointments

October 2016 / November 2016
Doctor / 28 / 36
Nurse/Nurse Practitioner / 20 / 22
HCA / 10 / 15
Other–Clinical Pharmacist/Dietitian/CMN / 2 / 1
Total / 60 / 74
This is a gentle reminder, if you cannot keep an appointment, please call to tell us, so it can be offered to another patient who does need to be seen. If you are running very late, it will be at the doctor’s discretion to see you at the end of their surgery session or to request that your appointment is rebooked. Thank you for your understanding.

CQC Inspection

The Surgery had a CQC inspection on 29th September 2016 and we would like to thank members of PPG group and all patients for their contributions on that day.Please see CQC Final Report displayed in surgery waiting room or on the surgery website

PPG Group looking for new members ….

Why don’t you join our patient participation group? You can share your views and suggestions with the group. If you are interested Please call Chair David Bateman for details 0208 951 1784

NAPP conference 2016 update

Each year the Association holds a National Conference that includes the Annual General Meeting ofthe Association.
Our PPG representative Roy Poulter and Jeffrey Austin attended annual conference on the 11th of June 2016. Please visit link: for full conference programme and Video of all the plenary sessions.

Flu Season 2016

THE NATIONAL POLICY IS THAT INFLUENZA VACCINE SHOULD BE OFFERED TO THE FOLLOWING GROUPS:

 All those aged 65 years and over on/before 31st March 2017 All those aged 6 months or over in a clinical risk group (listed below)

Clinical risk groups Examples (decision based on clinical judgment):

Chronic respiratory disease

Chronic heart disease

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic liver disease

Chronic neurological disease

Diabetes

Immunosuppression

Pregnancy

Carers

Call the surgery on 0208 952 5073 today and arrange a suitable appointment!
On the day of your Flu Vaccine appointment please wear loose, light clothing and remove your coat on arrival at the surgery. This will save valuable clinical time.

Keep warm, keep well(Article from NHS choices website)


Cold homes have a significant impact on people's health. One of the best ways of keeping yourself wellduring winter isto stay warm.
Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds,fluor more serious health conditions such asheart attacks,strokes,pneumoniaanddepression.
The chances of these problemsare higherif you're vulnerable to cold-related illnessesbecause ofone or more of the following:
  • you're over 65
  • you're on a low income (so can't afford heating)
  • you havea long-term health condition, such as heart, lung or kidney disease
  • you are disabled
How to fight flu
Flu is a highly infectious illness that can spread rapidly.You may be eligible for a free flu jab if you're at risk of complications from flu.Find out if you can get theflu jabfor free on the NHS.
Fuel poverty facts
On average, there are around 25,000 excess winter deaths each year in England. There is strong evidence that some of these winter deaths are indeed 'extra' and are related to cold temperatures as well as infectious diseases such as flu.
In 2013 there were 2.35 million households in England in fuel poverty. This is when a household is living below the poverty line and has higher than average energy bills.
Keep your homewarm
  • If you have reduced mobility, are 65 or over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease, you should heat your home to at least 18C. It's a good idea to keep your bedroom at this temperatureall night if you can. During the day you may prefer your living room to be slightly warmer. Make sure you wear enough clothes to stay warm.
  • If you're under 65 and healthy and active, you can safely have your house cooler than 18C, if you're comfortable.
  • You can also use a hot water bottle or electric blanket (but not both at the same time) to keep warm while you're in bed.
Eat well in winter
Food is a vital source of energy, which helps keep your body warm. Try to make sure that you have hot meals and drinks regularly throughout the day and keep active in the home if you can.
Stay active
We all know that exercise is good for your overall health - and it can keep you warm in winter. If you can stay active, even moderate exercise can bring health benefits. If possible, try not to sit still for more than an hour or so. Remember to speak to your GP before starting any exercise plan.
Wear warm clothes
Wrap up warm, inside and out. Wear lots of thin layers - clothes made from cotton, wool or fleecy fibres are particularly good and help tomaintain body heat. Wear shoes witha good grip to prevent slips and falls when walking outside. If possible, stay inside during a cold period if you have heart or respiratory problems.
Help your neighbours in winter
Check on older neighbours or relatives to make sure they're safe and well. Make sure they're warm enough, especially at night, and have stocks of food and medicines so they don't need to go out during very cold weather.
If you're worried about a relative or an elderly neighbour,contact your local councilor ring the Age UK helpline on 0800 00 99 66.

Practice Clinical Pharmacistand information about the role

Femeeda our respiratory pharmacist has joined the team as a Clinical Pharmacist.
What is a Clinical Pharmacist?Clinical pharmacists are highly qualified health professionals who train for many years to become specialists in medicines and how they work. They can work directly with you, as part of the general practice team, to make sure your medicines help you get better and stay well. Having a clinical pharmacist in the practice team means you can be treated by the best professional for your needs.
All pharmacists are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
When will I see a clinical Pharmacist?
Clinical Pharmacists can provide expert advice on your medicines. They can help by making sure the medicines you are taking are right for you, reviewing yourmedicines andhelping you with lifestyle changes to help manage your condition. A clinical pharmacist can help with…
Managing long – term conditions
Reducing side effects from medications
Reviewing medicines you’re taking for a long-term conditions
Understanding changes to medicines
Managing common illnesses such as colds, hay fever and diarrhoea
To speak to the clinical pharmacist, please speak to reception.
For more information and case studies, please visit NHS England at or speak to a member of the practice team.

Electronic Prescribing News

  • Are you interested in a convenient service for prescription ordering? Do you want to save yourself time in collecting your prescription or medication?
Bacon Lane Surgery usesElectronic Prescribing,and wants to offer you the chance to be part of this.
TheElectronic Prescribing system will allow your prescription to go electronically to yourchosenpharmacy(provided your review is up-to-date)
YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A COMPUTER TO TAKE PART!
If you are interested in using the Electronic Prescription Service please speak to your preferred chemist or ask at reception for further details.

Medication and Annual Reviews

Some patients who have complex medical problems or who are on a lot of different medications are often required to attend the surgery annually to be reviewed by the doctor.
This may involve you having some bloods tests done prior to being seen at the practice. You may receive a telephone call, a letter to your home or a reminder message on your prescription form or your Pharmacist might remind you to call the surgery to collect blood test forms or book the appointment. Failure to book a review appointment on time can often result in delays to issuing your medication when you request it after your review date has passed.
The right side of you prescription form will often tell you when your medication review is due by.

Patient Access - Repeat Prescription Requests available

We offer simple online repeat prescription requestsat any time of the day, wherever patients are.

Patients choose from a list of eligible repeat items and view progress of repeat request. Please see our Practice website form more details

Parking facilities outside the Surgery

We would like to request that all patients allow sufficient amount of time prior to the appointments in order to use “Pay & Display” parking. The surgery cannot be held responsible for not working machine or for any patients who receive a Penalty Notice as this is administered by the council. At times, there is a shortage of parking and we would ask those patients who can walk to their appointment to do so.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Vaccinations update

Men ACWY Vaccine -At what ageshould teenagers andyoung peoplehave the vaccine?
The Men ACWY vaccinationprogrammeis being delivered to teenagersand first-time studentsin a carefully planned programme over the next three years. The priority is to vaccinateall teenagersfrom school year 9 onwardsbefore they complete school year 13. There is also a catch-up vaccination programme for first-time students up to the age of 25.

Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy

Pregnant womencan help protect their babies by getting vaccinated – ideally at 20 weeks, after the foetal scan, up to 32 weeks pregnant.

New Patient Registration

The Practice is currently accepting new patients within our catchment area. Please speak to a member of the Reception team regarding the registration process and a suitable time to register.
All new patients registering with the practice are required to complete a new patient formgiving details of past medical history, medication etc.We also require all patients to give one proof of identity and one address when they register.
You will need to provide following information and documents:
• NHS Number
• Passport
• 2 Proof of address (utility or council tax bill)
• Name & address of previous GP
• Previous home address
• Place of birth (town & country)
• RED book - Immumisation detailsfor children under16
If you are new to the UK and registering with a GP for the first time, you will be required to provide us with proof of settlement (this is additional to the documents as listed above).
If you do not have your NHS number, an additional form will be given to you for completion prior to registration.
Please note we do not register children under 16 years old without mother/guardian.

Has your telephone number or address changed recently?

Do we have your correct contact details?
There may be occasions where we need to contact you urgently to discuss your test results or a referral or send an appointment confirmation and reminder text to your mobile. So it is very important that you please inform us of any changes as soon as possible, by completing a change of details form (available from reception).

Doctor Telephone Consultation Appointments and Telephone Triage Callbacks

Most Telephone Consultations are scheduled for the end of the doctor’s clinic, which is normally between 1-2pm and 6-7pm. However, there may be occasions when the Doctors have free time because another patient has not attended their appointment, so may they may call you in between patients or perhaps before they start their session.
The same applies to Triage Callbacks, our doctors do try to call you back around the time you have requested or have been advised you will be called, but sometimes this may not be possible due to emergencies in the practice or other calls taking longer than expected and they may call you earlier or later than scheduled.
We understand you may have stepped out of work to receive a call that didn’t not come when expected and on the rare occasions when this happens, we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused and the doctor will try to call you back again and leave a message (if possible) if they still did not get to speak to you. If that happens,
Please contact our reception team on 020 8952 5073 - option 1, who will handle your call accordingly.

Travel Advice and Vaccinations

Before you fly away on your exotic summer holiday break… be sure to check with our practice nurse that you are adequately immunised for your trip e.g. yellow fever or typhoid etc. Book an appointment today.
Travel consultations are 20 minutes long (a double appointment) and any additional family members travelling with you will require their own 10 minute consultation at the same time. This is why we ask that you book in advance as soon as you know you will be travelling, so that we can accommodate the whole family/ travel party at the same time. As we approach summer time, please understand that appointments will be quickly booked up.
In the unfortunate and rare circumstances when we are fully booked and cannot see you, you may be asked to attend your local Travel Clinic instead, which can be found at some larger Boots and other Supermarket Pharmacies offering a travel advisory service.
You may also search the internet for convenient Travel Clinic locations to you or check with your local chemist for travel advice.

Cervical screening

A cervical screening test (previously known as a smear test) is a method of detecting abnormal cells on the cervix. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina.
All women who are registered with a GP are invited for cervical screening:
•aged 25 to 49 – every three years
•aged 50 to 64 – every five years
•over 65 – only women who haven't been screened since age 50 or those who have recently had abnormal tests.
If you are due for cervical screening test please speak to the receptionist and book the appointment with the practice nurse

Test Results

These are available after 12 noon until the surgery closes. Please note if your test is requested by a hospital/clinic, the results will go directly to the Doctor/Consultant that has requested them not the GP Surgery.

Prescriptions

Please note that prescription requests CANNOT be taken over the telephone. However, they can be requested via Online Patient Access, by fax, email, posted (please mark your envelope “Prescription Request”), hand-deliver it to reception or you can ask your local pharmacist to request it on your behalf if you have registered with them for EPS – the electronic prescription service. Fax: 020 8905 6658 Email:

Patients on Warfarin Medication