Cranleigh Gardens Medical Centre

There have been many media campaigns recently highlighting the pressure the NHS is under as well as the shortage of GPs, Nurses and the longer waiting times for GP appointments – indeed across all NHS services at the moment.

The routine wait for appointments is 3-4 weeks at the moment. We all appreciate that you may feel let down by your practice if you have to wait for a few weeks for routine GP appointments.  We don’t like it either and it is not the service we want to provide to you. The increasing demand for GP services and shortage of GPs and nurses is putting increasing pressure on all our practices.   

It can be tempting to think about registering at another local practice if you believe you will get seen quicker. However, this is unlikely as all practices are experiencing the same problems. In fact, by moving practice your care will be affected as you will lose the continuity of care and the relationship you have built up. It also creates additional work for the practice you leave and your new practice, which makes the problem worse.    

We all have a part to play in protecting GP practices and our NHS.  We all need to ensure that we access services appropriately.  These are a few things you can do to help: 

• Visit www.patient.co.uk or www.nhs.uk for health advice and information. They provide information that the GPs trust.
• Self help support for depression, anxiety and other similar problems can be found for free at:        http://selfhelpguides.ntw.nhs.uk/somerset/
• If you have a minor ailment, such as a sore throat, cough, cold, athletes foot, hayfever, rather than ask for a GP appointment you could seek advice from a pharmacist. Their ‘Minor Ailments’ scheme often means they can dispense medications at no cost to you.
• If you have a query concerning your medication, you can also seek help from your pharmacist, rather than your GP.
• If you are not housebound, please do not request a Home Visit from your GP.   This reduces the time they are in the practice which reduced the number of patients they can see.
• Cancel any unwanted appointments so that they can be booked by another patient.
• For all dental problems, please contact your dentist.
• If you have an acute eye problem, such as flashes, floaters or a foreign body, contact the local ACES Service –
• please contact Specsavers 01278 452245, Turners  Optometrists 01278  422978, or East Quay Vision – 01278 440440

 All the practices in Bridgwater area want to provide the best service we can within the resources we have available and to do this we need all of our patients to be reasonable and responsible in their use of our services and all services in the NHS.

Positive Test? Book Before 10 Weeks!

Search 'Somerset Foundation Trust Maternity' or CLICK HERE to SELF REFER

https://www.badgernotes.net/SelfReferral/CareLocation/somerset

Your first midwife appointment (also called the booking appointment) should happen before you're 10 weeks pregnant. This is because you'll be offered some tests that can only be done in early pregnancy. However, you will be well cared for whenever you tell us you are pregnant, it's never too late

Did you know you can manage repeat prescription in the NHS App?

You can easily choose where your prescriptions are sent. So, if you know you'll be away from home or you are moving home, you can change your nominated pharmacy from within the app.

You can also order your prescription at any time that suits you. There's no need to wait to join a telephone queue or wait until the GP surgery opens.

It's easy to use, and, if you hit a snag, you can go to 'Help' in the top right-hand corner of the app or visit www.nhs.uk/helpmeapp  

Find out more about the NHS App at: www.nhs.uk/nhsapp  

We encourage all patients to order their precriptions online. The best way of doing this is either the 'NHS App' or the 'Patient Access' App. 

Download the NHS App, or open the NHS website in a web browser, to set up and log in to your NHS account. Owned and run by the NHS, your NHS account is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services online.  From 1 November 2022 this will also enable you to access your online records.  

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/.

We advise users of Patient Access to check the name and email address of the sender.  All emails from Patient Access will come via an email address that ends in @patientaccess.com. We advise users never to click on any log in links that you receive via email but to visit the site via the address bar of your browser instead so that you know you are on the genuine Patient Access log in page. You can find more information and guidance on our information security page here: https://www.patientaccess.com/security  

We strongly advise users to set up their Memorable Word security feature, as well as using biometrics (fingerprint ID) if they use the app.  

Email addresses used to register for Patient Access account are secure. We do not share any data and no data is ever saved or stored on any device you use to access Patient Access.

If you have had an investigation arranged by a hospital consultant or in a specialist clinic it is the responsibilty of that hospital to provide you with the result of that test. 

• Your GP will not receive that test result directly unless it is included in a letter to you, the patient
• The GP will get that letter at the same time that you do as they are posted at the same time 
• Specialist tests often require clinical interpretation. This may include discussion at a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT), which may occur only once a week.
• If you are concerned about a test result or delay in getting the result please contact the secretary of the consultant or speciality who ordered it at the hospital
• If you have a letter, please use the telephone number provided on the letter.  If you do not have a letter, please telephone Musgrove Park hospital switchboard on: 01823 333444.

Our aim is to provide all our patients with comprehensive healthcare services of the highest quality within available resources.

• To provide excellence in patient care for each individual and family.
• Each patient to be given care that recognises the individual.

A new service to help you be seen more quickly via your local pharmacist for of treatment of minor conditions

We are introducing a new, same-day, GP community pharmacy consultation service to help you receive quality care and support for minor health conditions, more quickly through accessing care via your community pharmacist.

This is for minor illnesses and injuries such as: -

• Ankle, foot, knee, lower leg or arm swelling or pain
• Athlete’s foot
• Allergic reactions
• Bites or stings
• Coughs and colds
• Eye infections
• Headaches
• Lower back pain
• Mouth ulcers and blisters
• Rashes
• Sore throat
• Shoulder pain

How does the new service work?

Click here to watch a video that explains how this new service works

Now, when you contact us regarding a minor condition, after discussing your condition, where appropriate, our receptionist will offer you the option of having a same-day appointment with your community pharmacist.

Community pharmacists are highly qualified and experienced in providing clinical advice and care (including recommending over the counter treatments) for minor injuries and conditions. They will offer you a same-day consultation via the phone, or in person, which can be arranged quickly and at a time to suit you.

Your pharmacist will take your medical history, ask about your symptoms and any current medication you might be taking. Following the consultation, the pharmacist will offer you self-care advice and if appropriate, offer you an over-the-counter product. The pharmacist will make a record of the outcome of your consultation and send it to your GP.

If having given you advice/treatment, your pharmacist identifies you need further specialist help your pharmacist, will be able to refer you back to your GP, or onto another health service for support.

Community pharmacists have already successfully seen thousands of patients for a consultation for a minor condition, following a call to NHS 111 and through GPs around the country who have been piloting this service

Evidence from these pilots shows advice provided by community pharmacists results in the same outcome, as if the patient went to see their GP, or attended an emergency department.

Advantages for patients using the new GP Community Pharmacy consultation service

• Community pharmacies are local, open longer hours than the GP practices and can offer you the same consultation outcome at a time that is more convenient for you either on the phone, in person or through a video consultation
• If the pharmacist thinks you need to see the GP or other health professional, they can help arrange an urgent appointment for you.
• This will help ensure as patients you receive the right care, in the right place, with the right person and at the right time.
• Introducing this new service, frees up GP appointments for those people with more complex symptoms who really need to see a GP.