NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) – integrating pharmacy into urgent care
We are participating in a new approach to improve access for patients to GP appointments. The aim is to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional, which may be a GP or a pharmacist.
From 1st December 2021, if your symptoms could be resolved by by a booked consultation with the pharmacist instead of the GP, you will be given a same-day referral to a pharmacy of your choice.
We think this is good thing. Once you see how good your local pharmacist is - they are highly trained and skilled clinicians experienced in treating minor illnesses - we don't think you will look back.
This will help us to free up GP appointments for people with more complex health needs and ensure that everyone gets treated at the right time, by the most appropriate healthcare professional.
We are keen to hear what you think and will be listening to your comments and feedback about your experience of using this service.
Sickness: Self-Certification
If you need to self-certify, you may find the attached blank form useful:
https://public-online.hmrc.gov.uk/lc/content/xfaforms/profiles/forms.html?contentRoot=repository:///Applications/PersonalTax_iForms/1.0/SC2&template=SC2.xdp
Type 2 Diabetic Corona Virus Sick Day Rules
If you are a Type 2 diabetic, and become unwell with Corona virus, please visit the following website for advice on management of your diabetes.
http://diabetesneeds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Covid-19-Type-2-Sick-Day-Rules-Crib-Sheet.pdf
My Care Record
Your GP, hospital, community health, mental health and social care teams may all hold records about your care separately. Often, only health and care professionals within the same organisation can see this information. This means it can be difficult for them to work together to deliver the best care.
My Care Record is an approach to improving care by joining up health care information. Wherever possible, health and care professionals will be able to access your records from other services when it is needed for your care. This will make it easier and faster for them to make the best decisions. For example, a doctor treating you in hospital or a nurse working in the community could view the information they need from your GP record.
Several different secure computer systems are used across the region. These allow health and care professionals to digitally access your records held by other services. In some areas systems are already in place, in other areas more work is underway to invest in the technology needed.
The approach also provides an agreement between all the health and care organisations involved. This means they commit to sharing information in a secure way to help improve your care. The My Care Record approach is in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which provides the legal basis to share information between health and care services when it is needed to deliver care. All your information will be held securely.
Certain information – that doesn’t identify you – will also be used to help improve services and plan for the future. For example, it will help us plan for the number of doctors, nurses and care workers needed to look after you in the future.
Our practice is part of the My Care Record approach which is supporting the work of health and care organisations across the East of England as they respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For example, we are working to make sure doctors, nurses and co-ordination staff at places you may receive advice or treatment can see important information from your GP record. This could include NHS 111 or treatment centres such as the London NHS Nightingale Hospital. This will make it easier and faster for them to deliver effective care.
More information, including answers to frequently asked questions and a list of the organisations that are taking part can be found at mycarerecord.org.uk
Try the New NHS App
If you're a patient at our practice you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.
You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.
If you already use SystmOnline you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well.
For more information, go to 222.nhs.uk/nhsapp
Click Here to Find out How we use Information to Manage the Health of Local Population
Sugar Swaps for Kids
Did you know that just one or two everyday swaps can really make a difference to how much sugar your child is having, while still keeping them happy?
For more information and helpful suggestions, please click on the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/food-facts/sugar/sugar-swaps-for-kids#
Primary Care Network
We have joined a Primary Care Network to help us deliver better services. For more information click on the following link:
Primary Care Networks
Care Navigation
Felixstowe Road Medical Practice has trained their reception staff to become Care Navigators.
What Is a Care Navigator?
A Care Navigator will make sure that you get help from the right person at the right time. This could be anything from arranging contact or an appointment with your GP, Nurse Practitioner, or Practice Nurse, providing information on services within your community that could help you, or by giving you advice or information over the 'phone, perhaps saving you a visit to the practice.
To do this, Care Navigators will need to ask why you are calling, so that they can arrange the right care or support for you.
Care Navigators have been trained to keep information confidential and to provide a safe service.
eDSM - Sharing your Medical Records
Today, electronic records are kept in all the places where you receive healthcare. These NHS Care Services can usually only share information from your records by letter, email, fax or phone. At times, this can slow down your treatment and mean information is hard to access. At the practice we use a computer system called SystmOne that allows the sharing of full electronic records across different NHS Care Services. We are telling you about this as a patient at this practice as you have a choice to make about sharing your electronic record. This is not about your Summary Care Record (SCR), it is about asking your sharing preferences regarding your electronic record. You can choose to share or not to share your electronic GP record with other NHS Care Services.
Download the eDSM Sharing Consent Form and return the completed form to the surgery so that we can update your records.
Going to University? Under 25? Important Information
All new university entrants up to 25 years old are eligible for the MenACWY vaccine. Cases caused by meningococcal W (MenW) bacteria are increasing in the UK. Teenagers and young adults have a higher risk of meningococcal W disease. The MenACWY vaccine protects against 4 meningococcal groups (A,C,W and Y). If you are starting university you should get vaccinated before you go. The vaccine is free and it may save your life.
More information can be found here