Kings Medical Practice News www.kingmedicalpractice.co.uk

The Practice has for many years sought the view of our patients about the service that we provide and areas where we might improve. Following suggestions in last years survey we have increased the number of staff at reception and we have changed our telephone number to a local number rather than an 0844 number. We are in the process of conducting a survey again and are using the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire. The Questionnaire asks about about our receptionists, appointments, opening times, communication with doctors and nurses, continuity of care and enablement.  We have piles on our desks, piles in the waiting room but if you would like to fill one out electronically then click here to download the questionnaire . Please then either email it to Christine Sanderson ( click here for email address ), hand it into reception or put it in the post. Many thanks in anticipation!

We have just switched on our new telephone number today. We have listened to what patients have said about our 0844 number and that has been replaced by a new local number - 01924 223909. When you 'phone the practice the options you get are the same though: Press 1 for appointments Press 2 for home visits and urgent enquires Press 3 for repeat prescriptions Press 4 for test results Or hold for the operator  I have also 'de-flashed' our website - click here to see the new look website. The introductory screen splash on the website was a really switch bit of flash with animated pictures, animated icons and some sounds to go with the animations. I loved it although I do realised some people found the animation intensely annoying. But the big drawback about our Flash is that you cannot see websites that use it on iPhones, iPads and some other smart 'phones. So it has had to go. I have got rid of it and replaced it with a similar animation that will run on iPhones a...

This is a picture of me in my consulting room: I don't have a tie on because it helps to reduce the spread of infections and keeps patients safe? Can you spot anything else in the picture that helps reduce the spread of infections - I can see at least seven things! Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) can occur from contacts with patients in general practice. They are caused by a variety of 'bugs' and can have a large impact on patients. It is estimated that 300,000 patients a year in England acquire a HCAI as a result of care within the NHS. In 2007, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections and Clostridium difficile infections were recorded as the underlying cause of, or a contributory factor in, approximately 9000 deaths in hospital and primary care in England. So, preventing HCAI is an important way to promote patient safety. In my surgery consulting room picture the things that are helping reduce HACI are: 'Bare bel...

We have lots of help to make sure you can keep your New Year resolutions to keep healthy! Quit Smoking The NHS Quit website can be found here but if you ask at reception we can direct you to local services for help stopping. We prescribe patches, gum, sprays, tablets and even nicotine inhalers to help you stop. Drink Sensibly After a boozy Christmas and New Year if you want to check if you are drinking too much then click here for the NHS Drinkaware website. The safe drinking limits advised by the NHS are 3-4 units per day for men - that is one and half pints of 4% alcohol beer and 2-3 units per day for women - that is one 175ml glass of wine per day. To find out how many units are in what you are drinking then the NHS Drinkaware website has a really good calculator - click here Lose weight If you want help losing weight you could contact the NHS Health Trainers in the surgery by speaking to reception or ringing 01977 665717. If you are very overweight (a BMI ov...

The surgery is only closed on the statuary bank holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day) - we are otherwise open as normal. If you need a doctor when we are closed ring our normal number - 0844 815 1340 - and your call will automatically be transferred to the out of hour service. Our opening times over the Christmas period are: Friday 21/12 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 22/12 -Extended access surgery  8.00 am - 11.00 am. Sunday 23/12 - closed Christmas Eve - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm Christmas Day - closed Boxing Day 26/12 - closed Thursday 27/12 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm (and extended access surgeries 7.00 am - 8.00 am and 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm) Friday 28/12 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm Saturday 29/12 - -Extended access surgery  8.00 am - 11.00 am. Sunday 30/12 - closed Monday 31/12 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm New Years Day - closed Wednesday 2/1 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm Thursday 3/1 - 8.00 am - 6.30 pm (and extended access surgery 7.00 am - 8.00 am) Friday 4/1 - 8.00 am - 6...

Congratulations to Dr Sarah Deeley, she has just be appointed as an approved GP Trainer. Kings Medical Practice is an approved GP Training Practice and Dr Deeley is now the fourth approved GP Trainer in the practice. In order for young doctors to become GPs they have to undertake a three year training programme. Half of this time is spent in approved GP Training Practices like Kings Medical Practice. Our trainees will have already done two years in hospital posts since they qualified and then be either at the start or end of their training programme. Most of our trainees will be in the last year year of their training programme so although they are still quite junior they will have been qualified for at least four years. During their time with us they have two tutorials a week and their work is closely supervised. After each surgery session they are allocated a more senior doctor to debrief them about the patients they have seen and any queries they may have had. In addition if the...

If you have had a typhoid vaccination (Typhium Vi) at the surgery recently you may have read in the papers or seen on TV that there has been a manufacturing problem with some batches of the vaccine. Click here to read more about the news story. The manufacturer of Typhim VI has found that some batches of vaccine that patients have received since January 2011 are too weak and patients will not be fully immunised. The practice uses Typhim VI and we have looked through our records and identified nearly 250 patients who may have received the faulty vaccine. We are writing to everyone who has received the faulty vaccine to tell them that they may not be fully covered against typhoid. The current advise from the manufacturer is not to have re-vaccination but to follow the usual typhoid avoidance measures. These are to follow strict food and water precautions. Click here for further advice but remember BOIL IT, COOK IT, PEEL IT OR FORGET IT!