august 2020 patient newsletter - mendipvale.nhs.uk€¦ · august 2020 patient newsletter welcome...
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Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
August 2020 Patient Newsletter
Welcome to the August edition of our patient newsletter. In this issue:
● Face Coverings and Exemption Requests ● Long Covid Support Group ● Patient Feedback ● The NHS App ● North Somerset Mobile Library ● School Age Immunisation Catch Up ● Community Pharmacy Prescribing Update ● Coronavirus Self Isolation Rules ● National Cycle to Work Day 6 August ● Minor Summer Ailments for Self Care ● We want to hear from you!
Face Coverings and Exemption Requests
It is now a requirement for patients to wear face coverings when attending our surgeries. Unfortunately, we have still had a number of patients presenting for appointments without face coverings. Please remember to wear a face covering or mask when coming into our practice buildings. We have also had a number of requests from patients wishing to be issued with face mask exemption letters. Please note that it is not the responsibility of the practice to issue patients with a face mask exemption letter or certificate. Patients can however visit the following website to obtain a face covering exemption card: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own The link below gives a comprehensive exemption guide to clarify the criteria. Face coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own
Quick Guide to Face Covering Exemption: You are a child under the age of 11; You have a physical or mental illness, impairment or disability that prevents you from putting a face covering on; You are providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading; You are avoiding harm or injury to yourself or others; You are eating or drinking; You are taking medication; A police officer or other official requests you to remove your face covering.
Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
“Long Covid” Support Group
If you have suspected Covid-19 and your experience doesn't follow the 'textbook' symptoms or recovery time, you are not alone - the researchers behind the Covid Symptom Study app estimate that between 5% and 10% of people infected with Covid-19 have symptoms that persist, aka “Long Covid”. This Facebook group is for people to support each other with shared experiences and useful information. Where relevant the group are using the #LongCovid hashtag to help raise awareness of people with these symptoms. https://www.facebook.com/groups/longcovid/ The group is for people who have, or have had, an illness which they suspect was Covid-19, whether or not it was officially diagnosed or confirmed. People who have directly cared for family/friends with suspected Covid are also welcome.
Patient Feedback
We endeavour to provide an excellent service to all patients and value your feedback.
We welcome all comments on the services provided by the Practice. We are continually looking to turn our patients’ feedback into real improvements in the services we provide. We use it to focus on the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families. We would like to hear from you if you have a suggestion on how we can do things better to improve our patients’ experiences. We’d also like to hear from you if you are pleased with the service you’ve received. We’ll let the staff involved know and share the good practice across our teams.
You can do this in the following ways:
By email: [email protected] By phone: 01934 839820 (or 01275 873588 if you live in the Clevedon area) By post: Mendip Vale Medical Group, Pudding Pie Lane, Langford, Bristol BS40 5EL
You can also visit their website for resources and information on how to cope with long term symptoms following infection with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 https://www.longcovid.org/
Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
The NHS App
All GP practices in England are connected to the NHS App. This means that anyone aged 13 and over and registered with a GP practice in England can use it. The NHS App is available now on IOS and Android
Use the NHS App to: • get advice about coronavirus • order repeat prescriptions
• book appointments (currently unavailable due to Covid19)
• check your symptoms
• view your medical record
• register your organ donation decision
• find out how the NHS uses your data
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/the-nhs-app/
North Somerset Mobile Library The Mobile Library is currently operating a Click & Collect only service. Due to current COVID-19 guidance, customers cannot board the mobile library but can collect pre-ordered
books, at the agreed time, from their stop. Visits Langford, Burrington, Rickford, Blagdon & Churchill fortnightly on Thursdays.
2020 Thursday
August 13, 27
September 10, 24
October 8, 22
H – public holiday = vehicle off road M – maintenance = vehicle off road
Stops at:
Langford Old Post Office 10.00 – 11.00am
Burrington The Square 11.10 – 11.55am
Rickford Waterfall 12.00 – 12.30pm
Blagdon Village Club car par 1.35 – 2.35pm
Blagdon Junction of Eastcroft & Score Lane
2.40 – 3.40pm
Churchill Doctor’s surgery car park (Pudding Pie Lane)
4.00 – 4.45pm
Please note that stops and timings may be subject to change during the currency of this timetable.
Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
Many parents/guardians will already have been contacted by the school aged immunisation services to rearrange their child’s vaccination(s). If you haven’t been contacted, your local immunisation service provider details are below:
Area Provider Generic email address Contact
Bristol, North
Somerset and South
Gloucestershire
Sirona Care and
Health CIC
[email protected] 01275 373104
Somerset Somerset NHS
Foundation Trust
[email protected] 0300 323 0032
Community Pharmacy Prescribing Update Following the article in our June newsletter about the North Somerset Community Pharmacy service, several of our local community pharmacies have now started to offer services whereby they are able to prescribe antibiotics to patients for a specific list of conditions. Please note that patients who are exempt from NHS prescription charges will not have to pay for them, in exactly the same way as if the GP had prescribed. The list below sets out the conditions covered as well as the pharmacies that are able to offer this service. Our patient co-ordinators will, as usual, routinely ask patients for brief details of their condition and will direct patients to the most appropriate service. If the patient’s condition is one of those included in the community pharmacy service, the patient will be offered a telephone consultation with whichever participating pharmacy is most convenient for them.
Pharmacy Antibiotic Prescription Qualifying Conditions Eczema and UTIs (females aged 16 – 64 who are not pregnant) Impetigo for any patient aged 2 year and over. Eye infection children aged one month – 2 years (for children over 2 years chloramphenicol available to buy over the counter) Dermatitis Children aged 1 – 10 years old can now be prescribed hydrocortisone cream; for use of hydrocortisone cream on the face, patients of all ages can now have a prescription from the pharmacist.
Participating Pharmacists COHEN’S YATTON DAY LEWIS CONGRESBURY WELL PHARMACY, SUNNYSIDE TESCO CLEVEDON BOOTS LOCKING CASTLE TESCO WESTON SUPER MARE DAY LEWIS WESTON SUPER MARE
School Age Immunisation Catch up Sessions
Please note that school immunisations providers will be contacting parents/patients to provide information about the plans being made to catch up on any HPV, MenACWY or Td/IPV immunisations that young people were due during the 2019/20 academic year and that were missed due to COVID-19 and the closure of schools and/or cancellation of clinics. Schools immunisations providers will catch up with these immunisations and will ensure that children and young people are offered the immunisations they have missed.
Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
Coronavirus Self Isolation
Remember, the rules about self-isolation if you are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus have changed. As of 30 July, the government has recommended that self-isolation should be for a period of 10 days and NOT 7 days, as previously. This is because evidence has strengthened to show there is a possibility of infectiousness between 7 and 9 days after illness onset. You should self isolate if: You have any symptoms of coronavirus You’ve tested positive for coronavirus Someone you live with has symptoms or has tested positive Someone in your support bubble has symtoms or has tested positive You’re told by NHS Test and Trace that you’ve been in contact with a person with coronavirus. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/
National Cycle to Work Day!
Did you know Thursday 6 August is National Cycle to Work Day? Cycle to Work Day is the UK’s biggest cycle commuting event, with the idea of getting the nation on two wheels. For one day, cyclists of all ages, skill levels and abilities are asked to swap their usual journey to work for a cycle instead! Why not think about taking part yourself? Click the link or visit the website below for more information: https://www.cycletoworkday.org/
Produced by: JG for Mendip Vale Medical Group Feedback and future topics suggestions please email [email protected]
Mendip Vale Medical Group Your health, Your Care, Your Medical Group
https://www.mendipvale.nhs.uk/
Self Care for Minor Summer Ailments
We want to hear from you!
We would very much like to involve our patients in this newsletter – after all, it’s written for you and to benefit you! Please send us your suggestions for future topics and also any feedback on how we’re doing
By email: [email protected] By phone: 01934 839820 (or 01275 873588 if you live in the Clevedon area) By post: Mendip Vale Medical Group, Pudding Pie Lane, Langford, Bristol BS40 5EL
Get advice about all of these minor summer ailments from the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/
Insect Bites and Stings Hayfever
Sunburn Food Poisoning
Heat rash