In the year prior to June 2017, the NHS spent approximately £569m on items available OTC.

The NHS is asking we reduce our prescribing of these items. If there is a reduction in spending on treating conditions that are self-limiting or which lend themselves to self-care, or on items where there is little evidence of clinical effectiveness, resources can be used for other higher priority areas that have a greater impact for patients, support improvements in services and/or deliver the transformation that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the NHS.

NHS England (NHS E) has produced guidance on prescribing in primary care of items which are available OTC for the treatment of conditions which are self-limiting or which lend themselves to self-care.

The guidance ‘Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care is found below:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1c-over-the-counter-patient-info-sheet.pdf

Calling all Unpaid Carers.

 Know your rights and where to get support this Carers Rights Day!

Are you a local unpaid carer, or do you have a family member or friend who is?

Thursday 26 November is Carers Rights Day 2020!

This is a national day to raise awareness about your rights and where you can get help and support!

Carers Network is a local charity supporting unpaid carers in central London.

We would love to be out and about in the community meeting local carers, but due to current restrictions, we are instead going to be hosting an online ‘virtual stall’ on the day.

Why not pop in, meet the team over a cup of tea or coffee, and find out how we can help you!

We will have a morning session from 11am-1pm and an afternoon session from 2pm-4pm.

We’d love to meet as many carers on the day as possible.

There is no need to register, and the log-in details are the same for the morning and afternoon:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87846319852?pwd=QXFGcG1QdFh5M3lFSXQ5Z05rZ3diQT09

Meeting ID: 878 4631 9852

Passcode: 247911

We look forward to hopefully meeting lots of local unpaid carers on the day!

Best wishes,

Carers Network.

www.carers-network.org.uk

Patients’ participation in GP practice

Seminar for H&F GP practice PPG leads and PPG members

Wednesday 25^th November 2020, 12:30-2pm, will use Zoom

This event will explore how to approach patient’s engagement in GP practices during this challenging time and promote additional resource available to practices to deliver this work.

We invited H&F CCG, CQC, GP Federation, patients and PPG project to facilitate discussions and answer your questions.

To book your place contact PPG project coordinator Odeta Pakalnyte

Link to COVID-19 resource pack  https://healthwatchcwl.co.uk/coronavirus/

Over the last 8 months we’ve all had to change the way we do things.  We want to assure you that whilst we have changed the way we do things at Park Medical Centre to ensure we keep you and each other safe we have remained open throughout the Pandemic and have tried to ensure that whilst it is less likely we might see you in person it is easier than ever to get hold of us and communicate with us at any time.

You can get hold of us this in the following ways:

1.) Via eConsult

If you’re reading this you’re likely to have had to get rid of that pesky blue window titled eConsult.  It’s one of the many changes we’ve implemented to help us more effectively since COVID arose.  See our first COVID update for details.  You can use this not only to consult about a new problem but also administrative issues like asking for details on referrals and sick notes.   An automated survey of 30 people who used it last week showed 77% would recommend eConsult service to family and friends.  From our perspective please submit relevant photos if asked and please try and ensure they are taken in good lighting and are in focus.  For skin lesions it is useful to have a ruler or coin in the picture so we get a sense of scale.

2.) Via Telephone

Reception will take your details and arrange the doctor or pharmacist to call you back.  We are typically receiving 300 calls a day so if you can please use eConsult.  If you call in the morning this will almost always be the same day.  Please ensure you keep your phone with and charged up we spend a lot of time calling unanswered phones!  The receptionists will ask for brief details.  This enables the GPs calling to spot patients who we may want to bring in and arrange accordingly.  We will arrange to see people the same or on subsequent days after calling.

From an eConsult or a Telephone consultation we may either manage it that way or offer you a video or face to face consultation.

3.) Booked Face to Face Appointment

For certain things like wound care/vaccinations/smears there is no value in you being called first so you will be offered a face to face appointment via reception.  We ask you wear a mask at all times you’re in the Medical Centre.  Clinicians will see you in PPE and clean down the rooms between patients.  Obviously please only attend if you do not have to isolate/have a cough/fever or loss of taste or smell.

Thanks for your support and working with us to help provide you the best service we can.

Dr Robert McLaren

on behalf of the whole team at Park Medical Centre