News
Practice Updates
One Health and Care
‘One Health and Care’ is a new integrated care record for individuals registered at Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent GP practices that brings data together from the different organisations involved in health and social care.
Completely confidential and secure, it’s designed to help doctors, nurses and other registered health and social care professionals directly involved in your care to make better, safer decisions.
The information that they will be able to see includes:
- Your name, date of birth, sex, address, telephone number, NHS number
- The name of your GP Practice and GP
- Medications, allergies, ongoing and historic conditions, immunisations and diagnoses
- Test results, hospital referrals, admissions, discharges and clinics attended
- Social and mental health information and care plans
For more information on how the system works watch the video or head to the website here.
Are you Using the Right Service?
To ensure everyone has access to the NHS services they need it is important to know what options are available for you to suit your condition.
When you’re feeling ill with a minor illness like a cold or sore throat, or have picked up a minor injury, do you know how to treat the symptoms at home?
Self Care aims to empower us to know how to recognise symptoms, know how to treat them as soon they appear using over-the-counter medicines, and when to get more advice from a pharmacist or NHS 111.
There are also many benefits from visiting your local pharmacist. With no need to book an apointment and no waiting times you can see a clinician with expertise in minor ailments and treatments. This allows for quick and easy access to appropriate treatment and guidance on how to use it!
If you are unsure of your symptoms or the help you need NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. You can also use the NHS Symptom Checker online to find out when and where you can get help.
To find out more information about the health services available to you in North Staffordshire head to the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group website.
The law around organ donation is changing
From the 20th of May 2020 all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to donate their organs and tissues when they die. Individuals still have the option to ‘opt out’ if they do not wish to be a registered organ donor. The change in law will apply to adults over 18 who are not in an excluded group.
Your family will still be involved and your faith, beliefs and culture will continue to be respected in making a final decision. It’s important to tell your family about your choice so they can support your decision. You should also tell them if you change your decision in the future to ensure your decision is
honoured.
You can opt in, opt out, change your recorded decision and find out more information on the NHS Organ Donor website.
Carers’ Information and Support Programme
Alzheimer’s Society are running their Carers’ Information and Support Programme (CrISP) which provides support and up-to-date, relevant information in a group environment, where carers can share experiences and find out about local and national services that can offer support.
The Programme has been designed specifically for carers, family members and friends of people with a recent diagnosis of dementia.
Our programme consists of 4 essential sessions, each session lasting 1 hour, and will cover the following topics:
- Understanding dementia
- Providing support and care
- Legal and money matters
- Coping day-to-day and next steps
Our next CrISP programme begins on Wednesday 7 October 2020 at 2.30pm and will run for 4 consecutive weeks at the same time. Our programme is currently being delivered virtually: once you have booked onto the course, Zoom details will be shared with you via email.
For more information or to book onto the programme please e-mail: stephanie.morley@alzheimers.org.uk or call Stephanie Morley on Mobile: 07522 597760 (Working Days Mon, Tues & Wed)
Living Life to the Full
Would you like to learn how to better manage your mental health and develop coping strategies?
Living Life to The Full is an excellent, and free, course available from the North Staffordshire Social Inclusion & Recovery Service.
You will be able to learn all about mindfulness and good mental health practice in an easy to understand format.
Its free to take part and you can join in from the comfort of your own home via a smartphone, tablet or video enabled PC.
for more information or to book on the next course call 01538 387111 or send an email to northstaffs.communitysupport@rethink.org.
Community Phlebotomy Blood Tests
All Pathology run community phlebotomy clinics have been converted to bookable only appointments to support social distancing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
University Hospitals North Midlands have developed a web based community phlebotomy booking system which will allow patients to book blood tests online at their chosen location.
The system will provide a text confirmation of date, time and venue once the appointment has been successfully booked.
Click here for quick and easy access to the booking system.
The existing appointment line number 01782 674242 will be retained for those patients who do not have internet or mobile phone access; phone line operators will be able to book appointments on the electronic system on behalf of these patients.
General Practice Data for Planning and Research
You may have heard in the media about a data collection programme being undertaken by NHS Digital. The General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) is a more efficient and secure system of data collection which aims to support health and care planning and research.
Our practice will continue to share data with NHS Digital. If you would like more information on how and what data is shared head to the NHS Digital website. There is also information on this page for those wishing to opt out.
Due to increasing concern from patients and GP practices, data sharing with NHS Digital under the new directions has been paused, providing more time for patients to review the changes ahead of any future data collections.
COVID-19: Stay alert to scams
Trading Standards have announced that cases of doorstep crimes are on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fake and dangerous; hand sanitisers, face masks and swabbing kits being sold online and door to door.
- Charity collections supposedly helping the vulnerable.
- Fake text messages claiming to be from the Government issuing the individual with a fake payout or fine for leaving their home. Neither are genuine – ignore and delete them.
Remember:
- DO NOT click on links within emails or text messages.
- Apply the ‘hover test’ to emails to check their actual origin.
- Look carefully at spelling and grammar – poor spelling and bad grammar is unlikely from a genuine company.
- Apply the usual processes when making changes or payments COVID-19 testing kits are only offered by the NHS.
- There is currently (as at May 2020) no vaccine or cure for COVID-19.
- Be aware of overpriced or fake goods such as, hand sanitiser or PPE.
Cervical Screening Appointments
You are now able to attend a cervical screening in the evenings or at weekends.
Appointments are available at:
- Bradwell Hospital
- Haywood and Longton Cottage Hospital Hubs.
For more information call 01782987585, find a time and place convenient for you and call your receptionist to book an appointment.
Alzheimer's Society
Living with dementia at any time brings challenges and Coronavirus is making daily life much harder. If you need support and advice, Alzheimer's Society is continuing to help those in need.
The Dementia Connect Support Line can be used to contact trained advisors, for guidance and wellbeing calls on 03331503456.
You can also find a range of guidance on different issues over on their website.
Dementia Talking Point is an online community where anyone affected by dementia can find support from others in similar situations.
Help people in isolation stay in touch and support those affected by dementia.
Want to quit smoking?
Whether you’re choosing to give up smoking for health reasons, financial motivations or to protect the health of close family around you, Everyone Health can offer a helping hand.
There are two FREE programmes available:
- The 12 week stop smoking programme for over 50s is for 50+ tobacco smokers living within Staffordshire.
- A 12 week service for pregnant ladies and their partners, led by a specialist, stop smoking in pregnancy, midwife, who is able to provide advice and guidance throughout the pregnancy.
Both services include FREE weekly telephone support, as well as a tailored programme of FREE nicotine replacement products and medication, where suitable. 24 hour support and motivation is also available via a smoking cessation app.
To find out more about the service and options available, call 03330 050095 or email eh.staff@nhs.net.
You can also find more information on their website.
Bereavment Support from the Beth Johnson Foundation
Are you age 50+ living in Stoke-on-Trent / North Staffs?
Has Covid 19 affected your experience of…
•Being present with your loved one at the end of their life?
•Grieving for your loss?
•Making arrangements for (or attending) a funeral?
•Coping after a death?
You don’t need to be alone with your grief.
Through online Help Point zoom meetings trained volunteers will welcome you and support you to safely from your own home.
For more information and meeting dates please contact:
bhpoint@bjf.org.uk Tel: 07507 408372 / 07770 016978
Manage your Health from your Phone
Keele University have developed a new app to help you manage your health conditions from your smart phone.
Using interactive quizzes and information resources, the app downloads updates to help patients with asthma, COPD, diabetes and back pain.
You can download the app for Android devices here, or for IOS devices here.
Samples
Please can all samples be returned to the surgery before 10.00am.
Bowel Screening Information
If you have given your consent and we have a note of your mobile number, you will receive a text with the result of your blood test. We would like to point out that if your blood sample is for a number of tests, you will receive a text for each result. You may receive more than one text saying your test is normal and one to say a test is abnormal. Please contact the practice if you receive a text indicating an abnormal result.
If you are phoning the surgery for test results, please do so after 11am.
Kindly Note that from 1st of April we will no longer be accepting Cheques
Kindly note that as from the 1st of April 2015 the Surgery will no longer be accepting cheques. We do have the option of payment being made by debit card.
Book an Appointment Online with the Practice Nurse
You can book an appointment to see the Practice Nurse on line. Kindly note, however, that these appointments are 10 minute slots and should only be booked if you require to see the Nurse for any of the following:
- Routine Blood Pressure Checks
- Contraceptive Pill Check
- Blood tests, including INR’s
- Weight Watcher referral
- Gym referral.
NHS England – Sharing Information – Click here for more information
How Information about you helps us to provide better care
Confidential information from your medical records can be used by the NHS to improve the services offered so we can provide the best possible care for everyone.
This information along with your postcode and NHS number but not your name, are sent to a secure system where it can be linked with other health information.
This allows those planning NHS services or carrying out medical research to use information from different parts of the NHS in a way which does not identify you.
You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please speak to practice staff or ask at reception for a copy of the leaflet “How information about you helps us to provide better care”.
More information can be found here www.nhs.uk/caredata