2023 Covid Spring Booster Clinics
We will update our patients with details of where and how to book spring Covid Boosters shortly. Please note these vaccinations are only for the following groups:
1. 75 years (by 30th June 2023) & over
2. Immunocompromised patients 5 years & over
3. Care Home Residents & Elderly Housebound.
Patient National Survey Results
Please click on the link below to see how we did in the Patient National Survey.
https://www.gp-patient.co.uk/report?w=1&practicecode=C82027
Keep your antibiotics working this winter
Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics do not work on viral infections such as colds and flu, most coughs, sore throats, earache and cases of sinusitis. Viral infections can be treated with a combination of self-care and over the counter medicines. Ask your community pharmacist for the best way to treat symptoms of a viral infection.
Taking antibiotics when you don't need them might make you feel worse as you may experience side effects such as an upset tummy. It also puts you and your family at risk, and encourages harmful bacteria that live inside you to become resistant. This means that antibiotics may not work when you need them next time. Always take the advice of your doctor, nurse or healthcare professional on antibiotics.
How you can help
- If you are prescribed antibiotics, it is very important to take them correctly, especially the right dose at the right time. You should always complete the prescribed course.
- Antibiotics should never be saved for future use or for someone else to take.
- As you are more likely to get ill during winter months, it is essential that you make sure your medicine cabinet is stocked with your prescribed medications as well as all of the standard items needed for treating common winter ailments.
- If you have any questions about any of your antibiotic prescriptions, visit your local pharmacist. Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals who can answer your questions and give you expert advice.
Further information:
Supporting you to manage and treat common illnesses this Self-Care Week
Winter’s the time when illnesses such as sore throats, colds, coughs and stomach bugs become more common. If you’re generally quite healthy, you can usually treat these illnesses at home with rest and over the counter medications.
During Self-Care Week (18 – 24 November), the NHS in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are sharing a series of animations that give basic advice for treating common ailments, together with more detailed advice online.
Self-care is not the same as no-care, and the local resources and website offer simple practical steps to help you feel better and recover as soon as possible. You can also get advice on how long you can expect to feel ill for and when you should seek medical attention.
You can also view and download a locally produced booklet - the Good Health Guide - with comprehensive self-care advice plus information on the NHS services that help prevent ill health, such as immunisations, and services that can detect early signs of illness. These include NHS Health Checks and screening programmes for certain types of cancer, which can help to find them at an early stage, when they are easier to treat.
Lookout for the hashtag #SelfCareWeek on Twitter and Facebook this week. The Good Health Guide can be downloaded from your local NHS Self-Care website.
Ordering Repeat Prescriptions
What is Changing?
The way repeat prescriptions are ordered is changing. From the 30th June 2019 you will have to order your repeat prescriptions directly through The Old School Surgery and not your high street or internet pharmacy or appliance contractor.
What is Not Changing?
If you already order repeat prescriptions directly through your GP Practice this change will not affect you. When you order your repeat prescription directly through The Old School Surgery, your pharmacy will continue to collect or receive your prescription as before. Pharmacies may also continue to deliver your prescription if they offer this service.
How do I order my prescription through my GP practice?
You can order repeat prescriptions through The Old School Surgery online, by post or in person by using the tick slip, which is the right-hand side of your prescription which lists your current repeat medication.
Find out more on the West Leicestershire CCG website.
Dispensing Patients
Please note this does not affect the surgery dispensing patients. Please order your prescription in the normal way.
Enhanced Summary Care Record
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.
If you live in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland you can sign up to an enhanced summary care record.
Staff in hospitals, ambulance crews, NHS 111, out of hours and social care services do not routinely have access to individuals GP medical records. By consenting to an Enhanced Summary Care Record we can all help health and care staff to treat us more quickly and effectively, enabling them to make better and safer decisions.
You will already have a core Summary Care Record, but by spending a couple of minutes to complete the consent form to enhance your records you could end up saving your life.
The record can include details of illnesses and health problems, past operations and vaccinations, treatment preferences, information about the kind of support needed, and who should be contacted if more information is required.
Please encourage your family and friends to sign up too. You can download the consent form https://www.westleicestershireccg.nhs.uk/your-health-and-services/your-health-records-and-data and then return the completed form to the surgery (reception). Or next time you are talking to someone at your practice why not give your consent verbally?
This information will be managed securely in line with the NHS Care Records Guarantee. The Record will only be accessed by health and care staff if consent is provided by the patient, unless they are unconscious or unable to communicate and they believe that accessing the record is in the patient's best interest.
Good Hand Hygiene
Catch it. Bin it. Kill it – good hand hygiene this winter
Cold weather can be seriously bad for your health. That’s why it is important to look after yourself, especially during the winter. If you start to feel unwell, even if it’s a cough or a cold, don’t wait until it gets more serious - seek advice from your pharmacist.
Flu is very infectious and spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours. To reduce the risk of spreading flu:
- use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
- bin used tissues as quickly as possible
- wash your hands often with warm water and soap
To find out more about how to wash your hands (tip: it should take you 20 seconds, enough time to sing Happy Birthday twice) then please visit the NHS Choices website for more.
Self Care Guidance for Minor Ailments
West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group
After talking to patients about over the counter medicines for minor conditions and understanding their experiences, the local Clinical Commissioning Group is asking GPs to no longer prescribe medicines on prescription for the short term treatment of minor ailments, low dose vitamin D supplements for prevention of deficiency and some specialised infant formulas. Patients will be asked to purchase them over the counter instead at the local pharmacy.
Community Pharmacists are best placed to help and advise people about suitable treatment for minor conditions. They are a great source of information, advice and guidance and you can buy your medicines cheaply and easily for minor conditions. The pharmacist will check the medicine is appropriate for you and your health problem. They will ask questions to ensure there is no reason why you should not use the medicine.
However if you are worried or your symptoms get worse or persist you can still make an appointment to see your GP.
By visiting your pharmacy you will help to free up valuable GP and nurse time, which can be used to deal with more complex or serious health needs.
Or visit: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Medicinesinfo/Pages/Introduction.aspx
People can access advice on self-care at:-
www.westleicestershireccg.nhs.uk/your-health-and-services/you-and-your-medicine/self-care-for-minor-ailments
More information on the changes to prescribing is available at:-
https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines/over-the-counter-items-which-should-not-routinely-be-prescribed/
or people can speak to their Community Pharmacist or GP practice
QuitReady Service is here to help
If you are ready to quit smoking, the Leicestershire County Council's new QuitReady service is up-and-running for people who want to add their name to the welcome statistic. QuitReady Leicestershire offers free and confidential text, phone and web chat advice, for more details visit www.quitready.co.uk or call 0345 646 6666.
Your NHS needs you!
Reduce Prescribing Waste!
DID YOU KNOW?
That unused drugs cost about £300 Million a year in the UK on unused or partially used medication?
Even if you never open them, once you leave a pharmacy your medicines cannot be recycled or used by anyone else.
THIS WOULD PAY FOR;
11,778 MORE community nurses or
80,906 MORE Hip Replacements or
19,779 MORE Drug Treatment Courses for Breast Cancer
300,000 MORE Drug Treatment Courses for Alzheimer's or
312,175 MORE Cataract Operations
THINK ABOUT IT!
Before heading to the pharmacy, take a look in your medicine cabinet to see what you actually need.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
There are a number of ways that you can help to reduce the issue of wasted medicines and save money for your local NHS.
ONLY ORDER THE MEDICATION THAT YOU NEED
- 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 form 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.
- If you need to go into hospital, please remember to take all your medicines with you in a clearly marked bag.
Please also remember that your medicines are prescribed only for you: it's not safe to share them with anyone else.
REMEMBER THAT UNUSED MEDICINES CANNOT BE RECYCLED
- Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the Pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else.
- Please take your unused medicines to the Pharmacy for safe disposal.
UNUSED MEDICINES ARE A SAFETY RISK
- Return out of date medicines to your pharmacy or dispensary for safe disposal.
- If your medicines change - return your old medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal to avoid mixing them up with your new medicines.
- Don't stockpile medication - it is a safety risk for children and others who might take them.
- Store medicines in an appropriate place out of reach of children - away from heat and not above boiling kettle!
NEVER dispose of your unused or unwanted
medicines down the toilet.
ELECTRONIC PRESCIBING
The Electronic prescription service is available in our practice. It gives you the chance to change how your GP sends your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from.
If you collect your prescriptions from your GP you will not have to visit the practice to pick up paper prescriptions. Instead the GP will send them electronically to a pharmacist you choose saving time.
You will have more choice about where to get your medications from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop.
If you would like to use this service you need to choose a pharmacy for the practice to send your prescription to. This is called a nomination, you can do this at your chosen pharmacy. You DO NOT need a computer to have this service.
If you would like more information ask your pharmacy or the practice.