Practice News
Rethink Mental Illness - Community conversation
We want to hear from you to learn what is important for people to feel part of a community and especially in the context of combating loneliness and isolation. Your feedback will help shape provision and support individuals for Wiltshire residents to help reduce loneliness and isolation within our community. Please click on the link below for further information.
Changing Times at The Old School Surgery
It is with huge sadness that I have to inform you that Dr. Anne Woods is leaving at the end of July. She is returning to Scotland to continue her career. Anne joined the Practice in 2016 and has been an amazing and supportive partner. She has been instrumental in the management side of the Practice, especially her hard work liaising with the other local Practices and the Commissioning Board to establish and manage the Primary Care Network. She has trained future GPs and doctors, performed lots of minor operations and joint injections, inserted hundreds of contraceptive implants and coils, helped thousands of patients and made us all laugh every day with her great sense of humour.
It is with huge excitement and pride that I can inform you that Dr Hannah Graystone and Dr Julia Hempenstall are becoming partners in the Practice. Both Hannah and Julia trained at the Practice over 10 years ago and have worked with us since they completed their training. Hannah and Julia plan to increase the number of clinical sessions that they do so there will be more opportunity to book an appointment with them. We hope to employ a new salaried GP, but other than that very little will change. Hannah is training to do minor surgery, joint injections, and contraceptive implants and both will train as educational supervisors so that the Practice can continue to be involved in teaching future GPs and medical students when I eventually retire.
We all wish Anne happiness and success in the future. She will be missed greatly by everyone.
Dr Angela Paddon and the Staff at the Old School Surgery.
Breast Screening
As a practice we really support breast screening. With 1 in 8 women being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, it’s important to detect cancer as early as possible to have the best chance of successful treatment.
All women registered with our practice and aged 50-70 years will be invited for screening every 3 years. Make sure you attend your appointment when you receive your invitation. Screening saves lives.
Breast screening is a very important part of staying healthy and looking after yourself. Women aged 50-70 years will be invited for screening once every 3 years and it’s really important you attend. If you want to speak to a health professional about breast screening contact 01793 604036. They/We can talk you through what will happen and what to expect. You can also find a handy guide about what happens at breast screening here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-screening/what-happens/
The breast screening van will next be in our area – from April- June 2024. We know that attending breast screening is really important and most women will attend when they receive their appointment letter. If you’ve been putting it off, or want to talk the screening appointment through, we’re happy to help and give you the information you need. Call 01793 604036 or contact whc.wilts.bss@nhs.net to find out more.
Free Extra Support During Power Cuts
Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks.
Get free extra support during power cuts - register for Priority Services.
What we aim to offer:
- Priority treatment during planned or unplanned power cuts
- Connection to emergency services
- Emergency power supplies
- Safety advice tailored to your needs
- Provisions for your Community
- Peace of mind
Call free on 0800 294 3259 or visit https://www.ssen.co.uk/power-cuts-emergencies/priority-services/priority-services-registration-form/
Hungerford Resource Centre
Hungerford Resource Centre is a purpose built centre providing services for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, frailty and dementia.
Please click on the link for further information:
https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/38888/The-Hungerford-Resource-Centre
PPG
PPGs have an important role to play in enabling patients to have a say in the way services are delivered to best meet the needs of the local Community.
A PPG is an opportunity for patients and carers to work with the Practice to:
- Improve local services and quality of care
- Improve communication with patients
- Promote health and wellbeing
- Ensure we remain accountable and responsive to patients needs
Why join our PPG?
As a PPG member you can:
- Suggest ideas for improvements and voice any concerns about how services are organised or managed
- Provide feedback to the Practice about the patient experience
- Help with communication between the Practice and the local population
- Offer practical support to the Surgery
We would love to see you at our next meeting here in the Surgery. If you would like to join us but are unable to come along, we do have a PPG Suggestion Box in the waiting room where you can let us know any ideas or concerns you have, these will be discussed and addressed at the next meeting and will be anonymised.
The Chairperson is Hayley Kane who is happy to be contacted directly if you would like her to raise any points on your behalf – please email hayleykane@hotmail.com
The representative for Vernham Dean is Sue Solari suesolari@hotmail.co.uk and for East Grafton please contact Alison Comyn a.nec@btinternet.com
OUR DOCTOR WRITES
Dr Angela Paddon writes a monthly article covering relevant topics for the local parish magazine.
Please click the links below to read 'Our Doctor Writes'.
DNA APPOINTMENTS
When a patient does not attend a booked appointment, it is known as a 'Did not attend' or a DNA.
Most of our patients know it can sometimes be difficult to book a routine appointment with a GP or Nurse.
One thing that makes this more difficult to overcome is the problem of missed appointments - DNAs.
Patients sometimes have to wait longer than we would like for a routine appointment due to clinics being fully booked, it is at best disappointing when some of those patients do not turn up and have not contacted the practice to cancel the appointment so it can be released to other patients.
Remember, your DNA is another patient's denied appointment and we kindly ask that if you are unable to attend to contact the surgery to cancel so we can offer the appointment to another patient.
STATISTICS
APRIL 2024: NUMBER OF DNAS: 58 APPOINTMENTS = 11 HOURS 10 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
MARCH 2024: NUMBER OF DNAs: 62 APPOINTMENTS = 15 HOURS 40 MINS OF DR/NURSES TIME
FEBRUARY 2024: NUMBER OF DNAs: 59 APPOINTMENTS = 10 HOURS 45 MINS OF DR/ NURSE TIME
JANUARY 2024 : NUMBER OF DNAS: 38 APPOINTMENTS = 6 HOURS OF DR/NURSE TIME
DECEMBER 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 28 APPOINTMENTS = 5 HOURS/5 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
NOVEMBER 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 46 APPOINTMENTS = 8 HOURS/45 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
OCTOBER 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 49 APPOINTMENTS = 10 HOURS/6 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
SEPTEMBER 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 53 APPOINTMENTS = 13 HOURS/54 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
AUGUST 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 32 APPOINTMENTS = 7 HOURS/20 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
JULY 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 36 APPOINTMENTS = 8 HOURS/5 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
JUNE 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 33 APPOINTMENTS = 9 HOURS/15 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
MAY 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 38 APPOINTMENTS = 6 HOURS/50 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
APRIL 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 68 APPOINTMENTS = 14 HOURS/9 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
MARCH 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 52 APPOINTMENTS = 14 HOURS/20 MINS OF DR/NURSE TIME
FEBRUARY 2023 : NUMBER OF DNAs: 29 APPOINTMENTS = 7.5 HOURS OF DR/NURSE TIME