Microsoft word - birchwood patient newsletter.doc

Birchwood
MEDICAL PRACTICE
in this issue…
Birchwood
www.birchwoodmedicalpractice.co.uk
Partners
BIRCHWOOD EDUCATION EVENT – Living with Diabetes
This extremely successful event was held at the Horley Methodist Church, on the 24th September. This was another event run by the Birchwood Patient Support Group. The Speakers were Philip Malone Tutor EPPCIC, Chris Burgess Tutor EPPCIC and Caroline Associates
The meeting was opened by Dr. E Vijaykumar who with the aid of slides highlighted Chris Burgess then spoke about the long term self management of Diabetes and the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and the age groups affected. Philip Malone spoke next on the subject of "What is Self Management"? He highlighted the importance of both exercise and diet and the importance of the involvement of the Nurse Practitioner
The hall was almost at full capacity and the audience had all their questions fully answered by the expert speakers. All in all another successful event. The Patients Group’s next event will be “Women's Health” which will be held on Monday Patient Support
The Birchwood Patients Group Education Officer recently attended a meeting of a Lupus Group in Reigate. October is "Lupus Awareness Month” and the Writer was most Chair: Jack Costello
impressed by the means that Lupus Patients cope with their condition and they outlined Vice Chair: Liz James
the difference between the two main types of Lupus namely, Skin and Systemic and the various medications employed to control this condition. SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH – Influenza
The annual flu campaign will commence in October. Once again for this campaign most of the clinics will be on Saturdays so to avoid disruption in the surgery during week days. Clinics are now available to book for Saturdays in October. The flu vaccination is available for anyone over 65. Adults and children belonging to the following groups are medically recommended to benefit from annual immunisation against influenza; pregnant women; chronic lung disease, including asthma; chronic heart disease; chronic renal failure; diabetes; immuno-suppression due to disease or treatment. We had an excellent response last year and our target this year is to reach even more patients. ON-LINE REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Following a survey of our patients, the practice worked with our Patient Support Group to update the repeat prescription service. We are delighted that this on line service is now available and proving very successful. Please ask at reception for details (you will need to provide proof of identity). INR (WARFARIN CLINIC) SURVEY
We conducted a patient satisfaction survey on the patients that attend this clinic. The satisfaction rate was very high which is mainly due to the excellent contribution by our nurses and admin staff. Of the 82 patients participated 78 were extremely satisfied and 4 were satisfied with the service. We have in total 280 patients who attend this clinic. Full details of the survey will be in published on our website. ESyDoc is the brand name of the NHS East Surrey, which is the GP Clinical Commissioning Group introduced under the Government’s planned Health & Social Care Bill. Birchwood is one of 18 GP practices in ESyDoc and Dr. Vijaykumar is a member of this Board. Under the new NHS arrangements, the GPs working in the ESyDoc practices will be directly responsible for commissioning the primary and secondary healthcare needs of their patients. The involvement of patients is a key requirement of the NHS changes and in 2011 the Birchwood Support Group was
formed from patients who responded to the invitation that was circulated. Each of the 18 practices in ESyDoc has a similar
group to represent its patients. The purpose is to ensure that there is a formal pathway through which patients can make
their views known and contribute to the improvement of their health services. The Board of Management includes two
patients from among the ESyDoc practices and they hold regular Reference Group meetings with representatives from the
18 practice groups. If you would like to know more about ESyDoc, go to www.esydoc.co.uk.
DR ELANGO VIJAYKUMAR

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kumar has now been awarded a fellowship of the Royal College of General
Practitioners. A Fellow of the College exemplifies its motto “cum scientia caritas” (science with compassion), and he is now
an ambassador for the College’s standards and values. The first Fellows were elected in 1969.
Fellowship is an honour, denoting the esteem in which a Member of the College is held by his or her peers. It is a mark of
achievement to which every doctor should aspire and from which no Member should be debarred solely by circumstance.
NEW DOCTORS AT BIRCHWOOD

Dr. Francesca Mann and Dr. Vidhya Thiagamoorthy have now joined Birchwood as Associate Doctors. Dr. Baljeet
Ajmani and Dr. Alexandra Roberts have joined as GP’s in training.
NURSE PRACTITIONER
Nurse Sarah Cameron is now working as a nurse practitioner, bringing all her skills to better patient care.
DIAMOND JUBILEE/OLYMPIC CELEBRATIONS

Birchwood staff were delighted to be part of the Jubilee celebrations. The practice celebrated by
decorating the surgery and held a Jubilee tea. The London Olympics soon followed and the decorations
brightened our surgery for several months.
BIRCHWOOD ‘DRESS DOWN DAY’

Last month’s Dress Down Day raised £89 and this amount was donated to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Local Chemists

Source: http://www.birchwoodmedicalpractice.co.uk/website/H81037/files/October_2012_Newsletter.pdf