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Charlbury Patient Participation Group: CPPG

Welcome to the Charlbury Patient Participation Group page. We will use this page to keep you up to date with Charlbury Medical Practice news, our quarterly newsletters, and occasional bulletins.

Please find our  newsletters:

Newsletters continue at the foot of this page.

September 2023

Covid and Flu clinics in October: 3rd, 12th and 17th October for CMC patients

We have posted an item in news alerting eligible patients to be on the look out for a text message on their smart phone from the medical practice.  Please follow the instructions right through to choosing and booking an appointment. You will receive a confirmation text straight away.  The clinics will be, as usual, in the Football and Social Club.

Important. If you have a friend or relative who has received a text message, but who may find it difficult to book an appointment please, with their agreement,  help them to do so. Thank you.

August 2023

Staff news
More changes at the medical centre:
Dr Emma Osanyinlusi has left so no longer provides maternity cover for Dr Gillgan's patients.
Dr Khan has returned for one day per week.  Dr Khan has commitments elsewhere so this is not a permanent arrangement but it is hoped it will last for at least the next two months and perhaps longer. 
Dr Natalie Mason is seeing some of Dr Gillgan's patients. Dr Mason will become a permanent member of staff from mid- September when she will become the named GP for Dr Jones' patients.
Dr Brookes-Whites' patients who have long term medical conditions will be allocated to a named GP over the next few weeks.
Some of the staff at CMC have been off sick with covid. Please do not come to the surgery if you have covid, or think you may have covid. The UK Health Security Agancy also suggests that as the number of people with covid is increasing, and will probably increase sharply when the schools go back, we should all consider wearing a mask if we have any symptoms of what could be covid or flu.

April 2023

We have a series of bank holidays in May.  Please ensure that you order repeat prescriptions so you do not run out as we approach each bank holiday weekend. It usually takes four days to process a request.  The NHS App and Patient Access is the quickest, cheapest and most efficient way to do this. 

 The phones are always very busy after a bank holiday weekend. Please only call the surgery between 8am and 9am if you have an urgent need to speak to a clinician on the same day.  If it is safe to do so, please call later in the day, or wait until the following day.  The practice will be very grateful for your help.

 Dr Gillgan. As some of you already know, Dr Gillgan will be going on maternity leave from the middle of May.  A locum GP has been appointed to provide maternity cover during her absence.  We wish her good luck and hope all goes well for her.

 Dr Brookes-White. Patients currently registered with Dr Brookes-White can ask to see any GP. Her patients will be re-allocated to other GP(s) in due course.

 Prescription charges have gone up.

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced a 30p (3.21 per cent) rise in prescription charges

from April 1st 2023.   This increases the prescription charge for a single item to £9.65.

 The cost of prescription pre-payment certificates (PPCs) will also be increased.

  • a three month PPC increases by £1 to £31.25;
  • a twelve month PPC increases by £3.50 to £111.60.  This can be paid for in 12 monthly instalments
  • a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) PPC will cost £19.30.

How much could I save? 

If you need:

  • 2 items each month – you can save £120.00 with a 12-month PPC
  • 3 items each month – you can save £235.80 with a 12-month PPC
  • 4 items each month – you can save £351.60 with a 12-month PPC

For more information, see https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions-and-pharmacies/save-money-with-a-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc/

March 2023Please read our latest winter newsletter at the foot of this page to find out about staff changes at CMC; the importance of taking prescribed medication; tips on how to communicate with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and what happens at a hearing test. Save a life: The training sessions at the community centre on how to give CPR and when and how to use a defibrillator are now full.  However we hope to be able to offer more sessions soon if there is sufficient interest.  If you are interested please email: patientgroup.charlbury@nhs.netThe medical centre asks patients to ring at 8am only if they have an urgent need to see a GP or nurse that day. The queue builds up quickly as the receptionists answer one call another 10 come in. Ring later in the day and you may be "caller number 1" in the queue and only have to wait a few minutes.

August 2022

Missed Appointments

Unfortunately, some people are not attending pre-booked appointments, particularly appointments for the Asthma Clinic. Patients are also missing booked appointments with the GP and nurse. Appointments are precious, please do not waste them.  Please let the surgery know if you are unable to keep an appointment, even at short notice your appointment can be offered to another patient.

Thank you for helping the medical centre and our community.

July 2022

Summer newsletter

Please click on the icon at the foot of this page to read the patient group's latest newsletter: June newsletter 2022. This time we include latest information about the proposed treatment and management of lower back pain, how UV damages our eyes, and the Red Cross collection of small items of medical equipment which takes place on 5 July. There is also a special plea from the practice manager Kathy Gale:

Repeat Prescriptions. The slowest, least efficient and most expensive way of ordering a repeat prescription is by ringing the practice. Please whenever possible order a repeat prescription using the NHS App, Patient Access, or putting your slip in the white letter box next to the front door of the practice.

Masks and face coverings.  Please wear a mask or face covering when attending the surgery.  There is a high prevelance of Covid in our community.  Please help to keep everybody well.

March 2022

News from the Practice

Dermatology. The Practice has purchased a Scope (to look in detail at a lesion) and from there each GP will follow the guidelines of the Dermatology department. The practice has also purchased a centrifuge to spin blood samples enabling samples to be kept without deteriorating in the fridge overnight. This means that samples can be taken throughout the day instead of up until noon as now.

The practice asks that all people visiting the practice continue to wear a face covering for the protection of other patients, staff and themselves.  There are still many cases of covid in our community.

Vaccination programme

Charlbury Medical Centre completed their Covid-19 vaccination programme in December by which time they had delivered approximately 11,000 doses. This is an amazing achievement. Thank you to all the staff, the volunteers and the patients of CMC who made this possible.

Winter newsletter

The Winter 2022 newsletter is available to read as a PDF at the bottom of the page.  In this edition we give information about the Warm Home Discount; the environmental impact of inhalers; bowel and breast cancer screening.

January 2022

Help from your local pharmacy

Pharmacies can give treatment advice about a range of common conditions and minor injuries, such as:

  • Cystitis

  • aches and pains

  • sore throat

  • coughs

  • colds

  • flu

  • earache

  • skin rashes

  • teething

  • red eye

People aged 65 and under who think they may have a urine infection can book a consultation with the pharmacist.  If the pharmacist diagnoses an infection the pharmacist may prescribe a course of antibiotics. 

Please do not visit the pharmacy if you think you may have, or have coronavirus.

Averose telephone number: 01608 810 315

November 2021

Autumn Newsletter

You will find at the foot of this page, the autumn newsletter from the patient group. Please read it to find out about other sources of help and advice if you are not feeling well.

Remember to use local pharmacies where highly trained pharmacists can help with many common ailments.

Witney Minor Injuries Unit is open seven days a week and can save a visit to Oxford and Banbury A&E.  Phone the MIU first on 01865 903 841 to make an appoitment.

NHS 111: open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By dialling 111 you will speak to well trained staff who can refer you to a doctor or nurse, or if necessary make an appointment at A&E saving a long wait. They can make an appointment for you at your GP practice if necessary and give advice and information to help you.

By using these support services we can help the medical practice to concentrate on helping patients where there is no other appropriate source of clinical support. Thank you.

August 2021

Summer NewsletterThe patient group's latest summer newsletter is available to open and read at the bottom of the page. In this edition we have an article about antibiotics, their use and the dangers of over-use. New services for women aged 16 and over at Averose Pharmacy in Charlbury: contraceptive advice and diagnosis and treatment of urine infections for women aged 16 to 64. Social prescribing has come to the Charlbury Medical Centre. "Your docotor isn't the only person who can help you feel better." Link workers Sue and Sian are hear to help all adults aged 18 and over. Read more about this new service in the newsletter. As soon as we receive information from the practice about the vaccination booster and flu vaccination programme, we'll let you know.

Spring newsletter

Just in case you did not spot our latest newsletter in "News" on this website, it can be found at the foot of this page. In this edition we focus on heart health, especially women's heart health, where problems can be missed or wrongly diagnosed. The article is written by a patient of CMC. We also describe hypertension, or high blood pressure which is one of the most commonly occurring conditions in patients of CMC, and how to monitor blood pressure at home. Jason from Charlbury Community Centre encourages us to excercise more and Nikki Jackson writes about the benefits of yoga therapy. We hope you find the newsletter interesting.

April 2021

Your Vaccination Records

By downloading the NHS App, (not the coronavirus tracing app) you can see and have evidence of your immunisations, including the Covid 19 vaccination. It may take time for information to be uploaded onto the app, but it will get there.

After you download the app, you will need to set up an NHS login and prove who you are. All this can be done at home with some patience and perseverance. You only need to do it once. There is no need to visit the medical centre with your documents.

The app then securely connects to information from your GP surgery.

You can use the NHS App to:

  • See details of the vaccinations you have received.

  • order repeat prescriptions - see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to

  • book appointments - search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments (no online booking available at the moment)

  • see test results – for tests ordered by the GP or nurse, and see whether they are within the normal range

  • get health advice - search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you

  • view your medical record - securely access your GP medical record, to see information like your allergies and your current and past medicines

  • register your organ donation decision - choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision

  • find out how the NHS uses your data - choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning

In the NHS App you can see when your repeat prescription order is:

  • waiting for GP approval or undetermined

  • approved by your GP or issued

  • rejected or refused

You can contact your GP surgery or nominated pharmacy to find out when your medicine will be ready.

Unfortunately, at the moment we cannot book appointments online due to Covid-19 restrictions.

For more information visit: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/nhs-app/

  

April 2020

WHEN SHOULD I CONSULT THE GP? Call your Practice to seek advice on any of the following:

·        Unexplained bleeding

·        Significant and spontaneous bruising in different areas of the body

·        Unexplained weight loss

·        Unusual thirst, very frequent urination

·        New and persistent headaches, not improving with painkillers, especially if accompanied by dizziness and or nausea

·        Moles which grow, change shape, colour, start itching or bleeding

·        Any new lumps anywhere on your body

·        Breast cancer can have several symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue. Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by a doctor

More information in our 2020 spring newsletter at the bottom of this page.

 

MEASLES AND PROTECTION WITH THE MMR IMMUNISATION 

Important Key Facts and more information in the article at the foot of the page. Click on the icon to open.
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