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Appointment system update:
We introduced a new appointment system in October which included
patients being able to register for on-line appointment booking and
prescription ordering. This has been very popular and we have had
some positive reports about the new system. The system is being
monitored closely and we welcome any additional feedback.
Retirement:
Dr Woodcock is
preparing for his
retirement in the
spring and we will keep
you informed of when
this will be in the next
newsletter. Dr
Woodcock will be
greatly missed by all of
us he has been a
valuable member of
the team since 1988.
Congratulations to Dr
Westwood: We are
proud to announce that
Dr Westwood has been
awarded Fellowship of
the Royal College of
General Practitioners
following his dedicated
work with trainees.
FRCGP is an honour and
mark of achievement
recognising a significant
contribution to general
Practice and there are
currently only 6% of
doctors nationally that
have been awarded this.
We are proud of the fact
that Dr Westwood and
Dr Wallworth are
included in this.
number.
Practice News
CQC Inspection
The Care Quality Commission came in to inspect our practice on
Wednesday 30th October 2013. Whilst the CQC were in practice they
spoke to a doctor, members of staff, members of the Patient
participation Group and also patients who were in the waiting room
at the time of their visit. We are pleased to say that we met all
the standards inspected which were: Respecting and involving people
who use services Care and welfare of people who use services
Safeguarding people who use services from abuse Supporting workers
Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision
The report will be available in the waiting rooms and via the
practice website in due course.
Issue 11
WINTER NEWSLETTER Peel House Medical Practice
Peel House Medical Practice
Accrington PALS
Primary Health Care Centre
1 Paradise Street
Accrington
BB5 2EJ
Tel: 01254 282282
Fax: 01254 395520
Opening Times:
Monday 8.30 till 6.30
Tuesday 8.30 till 6.30
Wednesday 8.30 till 6.30
Thursday 8.30 till 6.30
Friday 8.30 till 1pm and 3pm till 6.30pm
Date for your diary
Healthy Living Festival 2014
23rd May 2014
Accrington Town Hall
We are on the Web!
www.peelhouse.gpsurgery.net
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Most people who take antibiotics do not get better any faster
than people who do not take them. Antibiotic resistance is an
emerging threat to public health.
Most common infections do not get better with antibiotics
Most children with a cold, cough, sore throat or earache, who
see their GP, will still be ill 4 days later. This does not mean
that they need treatment or need to be seen again
One third of children who have seen their GP with a cough will
be
still coughing 2 weeks later. This does not mean that they need
treatment.
Only children with signs of more serious illness generally need
to be seen by a doctor or nurse. These signs include:
Excessive drowsiness
Difficulty breathing
Cold or discoloured hands &/or feet with warm body
Abnormal pain in arms &/or legs
Abnormal colour (pale or blue)
Page 2
When should you (or your child) go back to your GP practice or
contact NHS 111 ?
(Listed in order of urgency, with the most urgent symptoms
first)
1- If you develop a severe headache and are sick.
2- If your skin is very cold or has a strange colour, or you
develop an unusual
rash.
3- If you feel confused or have slurred speech or are very
drowsy.
4- If you have difficulty breathing. Signs that suggest
breathing problems can
include
Breathing quickly;
Turning blue around the lips and the skin below the mouth;
and
Skin between or above the ribs getting sucked or pulled in with
every breath.
5- If you develop chest pain.
6- If you have difficulty swallowing or are drooling.
7- If you cough up blood.
If hearing problems develop or if there is fluid coming out of
your ears.
Antibiotics are important medicines. They help fight infections
that are caused by bacteria. Antibiotic resistance (when an
antibiotic is no longer effective) is a major problem. It is one of
the most significant threats to patients' safety in Europe. The
world economic forum recently reported that “arguably the greatest
risk…to human health comes in the form of antibiotic resistant
bacteria”
Antibiotic resistance is driven by overusing antibiotics and
prescribing them inappropriately. It's important that we use
antibiotics the right way, to slow down resistance and make sure
these life-saving medicines remain effective for us and future
generations.
Antibiotic resistance is a quickly growing, extremely dangerous
problem.
How Long will my
illness last ?
Earache – 4 days
Sore Throat – 1 week
Common cold – 1 ½ Weeks
Sinusitis – 2 ½ weeks
Cough or bronchitis – 3
Weeks
Issue 11
Do Antibiotics help ?
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winter newsletter
P r a c t i c e / P h a r m a c y
M e d i c i n e s W a s t e R e d u c t i o n I n i t i a t i v
e
The practice is looking towards reducing the amount of medicines
that are wasted when they are ordered, but are not required, by
patients. Often patients simply tick everything on their repeat
order slip, without thinking if they really do need them that
month. If you don’t need an item or only use it occasionally then
please don’t order it – you can always request it next time you
order your medicines.
Did you know?
· Only 50% of patients take their medicines as prescribed by the
doctor
· Unused medicines cannot be recycled – whether they have been
opened or not
· Unused Medicines cost the NHS in the North West over £40
million a year
£40 million could pay for:
8,000 MORE hip replacements* OR 5600 MORE heart bypass
operations* 56,000 MORE cataract operations* OR 1,200 MORE
community nurses* 7,200 MORE knee replacements* *Based on average
costs.
How Can You Help?
Please let your GP or Pharmacist know if you’ve stopped taking
any of your medicines Check what medicines you still have at home
before re-ordering
Discuss your medication with your GP or Pharmacist on a regular
basis
Think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat
prescription forms and only tick those you really need
If you don’t need the medicine please don’t order it! If you
need the medicine in the future you can still request it.
Paracetamol to help
reduce symptoms
Flurbiprofen
Lozenges could
provide effective
pain relief from a sore throat
due to an upper respiratory
tract infection.
Page 3
WINTER TOOL KIT
Vitamin C
supplementation is
worth considering for
people prone to recurrent colds,
especially if they exercise.
Probiotics might help
to prevent Upper
Respiratory Tract
Zinc (lozenges or
syrup) can reduce the duration
of a cold by 1 day.
Supplementation in children for
at least 5 months during the cold
season reduced the likelihood of
developing a cold by 36%, and
absence from school by 0.4 days
and prescribing of antibiotics.
Medicine Wastage
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Winter Word search
Can you find the missing word ?
Frost, snow, snowman,
robin, blanket, gloves, warm,
hat, jumper, handkerchief, sniffles
S Y V O R H M R W Z R M
V N K H S A B X O P B G
G L O B K N E H G B L K
C Z M W S D I W N O I E
C T C G N K R F V V F N
F E F Z O E I E F Y B S
W K R P W R S K P L L F
T N O D M C Z J M M E E
A A S I A H J E L O U S
H L T K N I I V V J P J
Y B I A X E K Z Y Z Y G
F N J C X F K O L U V E
Puzzle Corner
Patient Participation Group News
The PPG has been busy over the last few months and you may have
seen us in and around
the practice. We have developed a patient information leaflet
and have worked closely
with the practice to help develop the new appointment
system.
Alcohol Awareness Week 18th to 23rd November— We held a week
long Alcohol Awareness Event to
coincide with the National Alcohol Awareness week. As a group we
came along to a Friday afternoon
staff training session where we were given brief intervention
training on alcohol. We have given out
alcohol unit/calorie calculator wheels and glasses to patients
which educate on the amount of units in
different types of alcohol. The event was a huge success and we
had a lot of people trying on beer
goggles and attempting to “walk the line”. Future events as
always will be advertised in surgery.
Healthy Living Festival 2014—We have now confirmed the Town Hall
as the venue for the annual
Healthy Living Festival and this will be held on Friday 23rd May
2014—10.00 am to 2.00pm. This is a
showcase of local community groups offering an opportunity for
the general public to access free expert
advice and practical help. There will be stalls and
demonstrations throughout the day, as well as free
refreshments. The event was a big hit this year and we hope to
make it bigger and better for 2014.
As a patient group we are shocked at the number of failed to
attend appointments and would remind people that there is a
dedicated cancellation line. 01254 282282 option 2. In October
alone there were a total of 286 Nurse appointments and 161 Doctors
appointments wasted through patients failing to
attend ! Please do let the surgery know if you are unable to
attend for your appointment.