Patient Involvement Group
Church Street Practice, The Health Centre,
Mably Way, Grove, OX12 9BN

In thinking about where and what PIG should be doing in the future, it seems worthwhile to look back at what PIG has achieved over the years. The list doesn’t mention some of the things "behind the scenes" things or those we have tried and failed to get off the ground!!

PIG October 1995 –March 2010

Committee meets 6-8weeks or as required.
Members attend monthly Practice meetings
Quarterly Newsletters started 1996 1000 copies covers a wide variety of topics, both Practice and wider NHS

Events
Health Watch Day 1997
Health Odyssey 2001 – open to total community 30+ stands attended by more than 400 people
Activities day 2005 with Newbury Street Link
Healthy Eating stand 2007 outside WHSmith - 200+ people engaged:
Award from Royal College of GPs 2001
Public Meetings eg, move to Mably way, Out of Hours, Linking NHS and Social services
Patient Meetings, eg Q and A, Appointment system, Practice based commissioning
Publicity boards covering both Practice matters and NHS Initiatives
Feed back to patients
Arthritis Self Help group (ceased 2004)
Informal Healthy Walks
Guides/helpers for flu clinics, health questionnaires etc
Website 2008
Letters, eg supporting provision of pharmacy at HC, speed limits on Mably Way
Diabetes group link 2008
"A Day in the Life of Church Street Practice" 2009
Information Fair - Age Concern 2010

WHERE NOW?

May Paul

Church Street Practice hosts the Case Management Team for the Vale Consortium which covers practices in Abingdon, Didcot, Faringdon, Grove and Wantage. The team consists of Wendy Middleton, a senior Social Care Manager, Margaret Stamp, a senior Nurse and Liz McCouaig, the administrator.

Case Management provides an integrated health and social care assessment to help patients who have had several emergency hospital admissions and are at risk of further admissions, to avoid further unnecessary admissions. Case Managers are highly experienced nurses and social workers who will act as key workers, working closely with the patient, carers, family and other health and social care professionals, to give the patient a single point of contact for care, support and advice.

The Case Managers will make sure care is properly coordinated, ensure the patient has the best possible care packages in place, advise on how medicines help your condition and offer care and support in managing conditions at home. They will make sure the patients views and those of family and carers are listened to and that care is designed around the individual’s needs. They will provide information for patients and carers on how to identify early warning signs and what to do when your symptoms start to get worse so you can stay in control and do not have to end up in hospital again.

Patients do need to be referred by their Doctor to this service as they can only accept patients who have a >50% risk of readmission to hospital but if you have a long term condition and have had frequent emergency admissions, you could ask your GP about a referral, next time you see him and he can check if you qualify.

Vale Case Management Team

At present any unused medication returned to a pharmacist has to be destroyed. We would like to recycle as much of this as possible via a charity called Intercare, (www.intercare.org.uk). They collect medication and supply it to clinics in Africa.

They CAN use:

tablets or capsules in blister packs where the packs are still intact,
un-used inhalers,
un-used creams/ointments/ eye and ear drops

ALL ITEMS MUST HAVE AT LEAST 15 MONTHS TO EXPIRY DATE LEFT

They CANNOT use: liquids nor tablets in bottles

liquids nor tablets in bottles,
medication where the use by date is less than 15 months away,
"controlled drugs", eg morphine
hormones including levothyroxine
medicines that need to be stored in the fridge
diazepam or temazepam
warfarin

If you have unused medication which falls into the CAN use category please hand it in to reception, we will send it off to Intercare.

With thanks, Dr. Joy Arthur

Since receiving the above the editor has learnt that the first batch has already been packed up and sent off by two volunteers, Joyce and Barbara. They will be doing the same with the next batch very shortly. Well done.
(Blister packs usually have the date on the end of the pack)

The next meeting is on Tuesday June 1st - your last opportunity to question Dr. Drury!
The August meeting is on the 3rd
The October meeting when we are expecting Dr. Jonathan Levy talking about research into Diabetes is on the 5th Unless stated otherwise all meetings are at 2.00pm in the Health Education Room.
If you or any member of your family has diabetes do come and join us, you would be very welcome.

For more details phone Jean 868396

Oxfordshire Local Involvement Network: What is this?

Your voice on Social Care and Health Services.

LINKs provide the opportunity to influence local health and social care services.

There is a LINK in every Local Authority area that has social services responsibility, all have the same powers and responsibilities but each is set up in the way that best suits local people.

Oxfordshire LINK is made up of individuals and groups who work together to make improvements in our health and social care services. It has been set up to give communities a stronger voice in how these services are delivered.

Involvement: Opinion: Monitoring: Holding to Account

Link is independent of the NHS and Local Authorities

LINK’s goals:

To provide Your Voice. To find out Likes, Dislikes, Needs.

The above is of necessity a brief summary taken from LINK’s leaflet; to find out more use one of the contacts below:

www.makesachange.org.uk 01993 862855   oxfordshirelink@makesachange.org.uk

You can arrange for Link staff to meet your group.

Jean Sutherland P.I.G.

We will be holding this year’s Flu clinics on the two Saturdays, 2 and 16 October between 9.00 and 12.30 – an appointment is not necessary. We have decided to do two shorter clinics to give people a choice of dates. We will advertise these date over the summer but we will not be sending individual invitation letters. If you are unable to attend either of these clinics please contact the practice after the 16 October. This invitation is open to everyone over the age of 65, those with a chronic disease (if you have Asthma, you need to be using inhalers regularly) and primary carers.

Sheila Dearman

Q. “Why, when I ring for an appointment, does the receptionist ask if I can tell them something about the problem?”

A.
No, they are not being nosey! They simply want to help, both you, as the patient, and the practice team. If they understand something about the problem they may well be able to suggest different ways of dealing with it.

For example:

• A telephone appointment with a doctor or a nurse may well answer your query or allay your concern.
• The nurse practitioner could deal with minor illnesses and prescribe appropriately.
• If you require advice about vaccinations when you are going abroad, then a discussion or an appointment with a practice nurse is the way forward.
• Practice nurses do not all treat the same problems, eg dressings, ear syringing etc so an appointment needs to be made with the appropriate nurse.
• Secretaries can help with queries about hospital appointments and administrative matters.
• When there is concern about the outbreak of a potentially serious infectious disease e.g. swine flu, the receptionist has to ask specific questions in order to make sure that infected patients do not sit in the waiting room infecting other patients.

While everything that you say to the reception staff is treated in total confidence, they will fully understand if you prefer to discuss your problem only with a GP. They will respect your wishes. That is rightfully your choice.

Next time you ring, please remember, our reception staff are not little dragons trying to protect the doctors, but are helping in the smooth running of the practice for the benefit of us the patients and staff.

PIG

As you may have noticed, since Lesley Boler left we have not been offering any minor illness clinics. This is about to change. Mary Elliott is doing the prescribing course at Oxford Brookes University and passed the first module of the course with flying colours, top of her group. She will be starting to do some minor illness clinics in May. For a short while, patients will be seen by Mary and then have a joint consultation with either Dr Mackenzie or Dr Arthur and then Mary will work independently. If a patient does need to be seen by a doctor, Mary will be able to arrange it as she will have the full support of the Duty Doctor.

We thank you for your co-operation with the reception triage as this will help ensure that the right patients are being guided to the minor illness clinics.

Sheila Dearman

There are several ways to get a repeat prescription.

1. When you collect your medication there is a list of the ones you normally take. To re-order simply tick the drugs that you need, make sure your name and address are correct, and write the name of the pharmacy you wish to use.

   • Put the list in the box at the surgery.

   OR

   • Hand it to your usual pharmacist.

   Don’t worry if you lose the slip. Write a list of what you need, with your name and address and the name of the pharmacy where you wish to collect it, and deal with it as above.

2. Patients happy to use the computer will find it easy to order repeats on line.

   • Email the dispensary@gp-k4033.nhs

   List your requirements, giving your name and address and the pharmacy that you wish to use.

   • On line booking. To use this you have to be registered - please speak to the receptionist who will give you a user-number. The first time you use the system you are able to choose your own password. Click "repeat prescription" and a complete list of your medications will come up. Tick the ones you need. Make sure that you give the pharmacy name.
   • fax requests on 01235 770727
3. Telephone. Patients are asked to use the phone only if it is urgent or there is a query. Messages on the answer phone are checked regularly. However the practice prefers not to have telephone requests –there is more potential for error and deciphering the messages can take a very long time which can also block in-coming calls.
   The Practice tries to have your prescription ready in 48 hours.

If your medication is stable, you can arrange to have a 6 month repeat prescription service with your pharmacy. They will ensure that your drugs are ready once a month.

Please note there is a brief summary of the repeat prescribing system on the same leaflet as the doctors’ availability or in full on the practice website www.wantagechurchstreet.co.uk.

P.I.G.

We now have a small area in the waiting room partitioned off for self-testing of blood pressure. We would like to encourage any patients who have not had their blood pressure tested in the last 2 years to drop in and test it for themselves. Please put your name and date of birth on the printout and hand it in at reception. The machine is not suitable for children as the cuff is too big to give an accurate reading.

Sheila Dearman

Foot care is now available at Wantage Health Centre on the first floor, (you can take the lift or stairs).

Sole mates offer a toenail trim and a gentle relaxing massage for older people who have difficulty cutting their own toenails. If you are interested in receiving this service or would like more information please call Sole Mates on 01865 717615.

"My feet feel happier and so do I!" Sole Mates client.

Information taken from the AGE CONCERN (Oxfordshire City and County) leaflet