Surgery News

Newsletter June 2009

We hope you are now aware of our new Open Access Clinic, which operates each morning between 8.30am and 10.30am, where patients with a need to be seen on the day can walk in, check in and wait to be seen.  This Clinic is instead of the morning triage which used to be in operation.

We already feel that this new system is proving to be a far more efficient way of dealing with an increasing number of patients who feel that they need to be seen on the day.  We would like to remind you the open access clinic is for on the day emergencies only, routine appointments can still be booked in the normal way.  Please try to avoid Monday mornings if you can as this is  inevitably the busiest session of the week.

 Frequently asked questions:

 How do I book into the walk in surgery?

Patients must present at the reception desk between 8.30am and 10.30am

Can I use the self check in screen?

No, because you won’t have a pre-booked appointment.  It is IMPERATIVE that you are booked in with a receptionist or you will not be logged as in the queue.

Can I phone and book myself in the queue?

No

Can I arrive before 8.30am?

No, we will not be opening the doors until 8.30am

Can I book in and then go home?

No, you must wait in the Surgery

So, Triage will stay for the afternoons?

Yes, but you need to phone after 2pm.  The afternoon triage is intended for urgent acute problems which cannot safely wait until the following open access clinic.

We will shortly be conducting a survey to find out your views on the new  system.   We are also in the process of updating our computer system, which will add the functionality of online booking and an automated telephone booking service.

Plans are currently underway to build a small extension to the Practice in order to increase our range of services to patients.  This will include becoming a Training Practice which will involve teaching doctors how to become a General Practitioner.  We are all very excited about these developments and will keep you all updated.

Congratulations to our Receptionist Lynette and family who had a baby girl on 2nd July.  From everyone at Woolston Lodge Surgery.

William Upton, known to some of you as Dr Upton’s musician son, is playing with Swing Unlimited Big Band in an open air concert in the lovely grounds of Highcliffe Castle on Sunday July 12th from 3-6pm.  This annual event draws an audience of several thousand people who use the free park and ride from the seafront car park at Highcliffe for an afternoon of big band, funk, jazz and pop from this popular big band.  Why not pack a picnic and some low chairs and come to this seaside concert in aid of a local Breast Cancer Charity?  For the computer buffs among you, you can hear clips from last year on the SUBB Group website by going to ‘Videos’. Admission free, donations welcomed, the Castle tearooms will be open.

2008 saw the departure of some familiar faces, and the arrival of new staff who are already vital to the running of Woolston Lodge Surgery.  Our    youngest arrival, Sakina, the daughter of Dr Nigel Jones and Naz, has already brightened our lives, as did George, the one year old son of Assistant Practice Manager Clair.  George volunteered to dress up as Santa Claus for the Practice Christmas nibbles, and played percussion with Dr Upton’s son William, who started Music College this year.  As usual we were overwhelmed by the cards and presents we received for simply doing our job - you are very kind!

On a sad note we lost 75 patients who died during 2008. This meant that many families had a difficult Christmas and New Year coping with     bereavement; we appreciate this and our thoughts are with you.  As a practice we have over twice the national average of over-75 year old patients, and looking after them requires a dedicated team.  We are fortunate to have Karyn Gamble Elderly Care Facilitator and Julie Harding Community Matron as part of our Primary Health Care Team.  Patients are discussed regularly at team meetings with up to 25 Woolston Lodge and attached staff present and plans of action drawn up.  There is no doubt that this has improved the lives of many patients; it is sad that schemes are afoot that might take them away from us. Although there is a need for Complex Care Management to avoid inappropriate hospital admissions, this should not be achieved by depleting existing services. 

We welcomed Nigel Edwards as our practice Manager and Joy Carling as our Nurse Practitioner in 2008, and Mel Bray has replaced our much-loved Nurse Janet Joyce in January.  Staff change but Woolston Lodge continues to provide family-orientated General Practice in its traditional way (now from 6:30am to up to 8:30pm).  On a personal note, Dr Upton will be 60 in October, at the moment he can’t face the prospect of tidying up his room if he had to leave!  We are bursting at the seams in our present accommodation, and our teaching of Medical Students from Southampton School of Medicine, which is highly regarded, is affected by room occupancy constraints.  There may be an opportunity to extend the building; we are looking into it.

Each year the practice completes an independent patient satisfaction survey.  The survey we completed in January was analysed using the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ).   One particular area in need of improvement is our appointment system and therefore as a result on Monday 6th April 2009 the way we see patients who feel that they need to be seen on the day will be changing.  We will no longer operate a nurse triage system in the    morning, instead we will have a walk in surgery between 8.30am and 10.30am where patients with a need to be seen on the day will walk in, check in and wait to be seen.  It is intended that this new system will prove to be a far more efficient way of dealing with an increasing number of patients who feel that they need to be seen on the day.

 Frequently asked questions:

How do I book into the walk in surgery? - Patients must present at the reception desk between 8.30am and 10.30am

Can I use the self check in screen? - No, because you won’t have a pre-booked appointment.  It is IMPERATIVE that you are booked in with a receptionist or you will not be logged as in the queue.

Can I phone and book myself in the queue? - No

Can I arrive before 8.30am? - No, we will not be opening the doors until 8.30am

Can I book in and then go home? - No, you must wait in the Surgery

 So, Triage will stay for the afternoons? - Yes, but you need to phone after 2pm

 May we take this opportunity to thank the patients who took the time to complete and return the questionnaires and for the comments contained in them.

Congratulations to Dr Jones and Naz on the safe arrival of Sakina. From everyone at Woolston Lodge Surgery

Many people have trouble sleeping.  Often better sleep can be achieved without the need for medication. Early morning waking can be a sign of depression; you should seek advice from your doctor if this is the case.  

People need less sleep as they get older.  Do not be unrealistic.  If you are nodding off in the afternoon, you will not sleep at night.  

Do not go to bed until you are tired.

Try to develop a routine and stick to it.

Make your bedroom and bed as comfortable as possible.

 Avoid stimulant drinks like coffee and tea during the evening; alcohol is not recommended as a sedative.

Try listening to the radio; TV may be too stimulating; BBC 7 often has enjoyable readings

Make sure you have had some exercise during the day.  Walking the dog in the evening is good for you and the dog! 

If worries keep you from sleeping, keep a pen and paper by the bed and write down anything that is troubling you.

If pain such as from arthritis stops you settling adjust the time of taking your tablets; one or two Paracetamol tablets might be the answer.

Making a deliberate effort to relax can be useful; start with your right arm and imagine it relaxing and drifting upwards, then do the same for your left arm, right leg, left leg and body... you may be asleep by now!

Large bookshops and web site such as Amazon have CDs which are    intended to help you sleep; some people find them helpful.

Prescribed and over the counter sleeping tablets may work for a few days but your body soon gets used to them and they then make matters worse; never use them more than a few days a week.  If you are using sleeping tablets more than this, see your Doctor.

Newsletter October 2008

Traditional General Practice

In the last few months a number of well liked patients have died.  Many of them had become friends and the staff here all feel the loss.  It would be a sad state of affairs if all the ‘improvements’ in General Practice pushed through by Politicians meant that it became impersonal.  We will continue to provide a ‘family service’ as long as it is what you want!

We Need Your Help

Sadly, we have been targeted by thieves who removed a lot of our flashing, the sheets of lead which keep water out.  We think they were disturbed as not all of it was removed.  If anyone saw anything we would of course like to know, as would the Police. Meanwhile, you know who to blame if you feel raindrops on your head in the waiting room.  If you have been offered strips of lead cheap, be suspicious!

Welcome Back

Baby News

We hope to have another exciting event to celebrate before Christmas—Watch this space!

William Upton who worked on our computerised notes for the Summer has now started at the Royal Northern College of Music, some of you may have heard him practising his saxophone early in the morning at the Surgery and wondered if you had gone to heaven!

Flu Clinic 2008 - Wednesday 15th October 2008           8.30am - 17.45pm

The flu jab is free to people in 'at risk' groups.  Only people in these groups need to have a flu jab.  This applies to everyone aged 65 or over, or if you have any of the following chronic health conditions (however old you are):

Your GP may also advise you to have the flu jab if you have serious liver disease or if you are a primary care worker, such as a nurse or social worker.  If you are not in one of these groups, you do not need the flu jab.  The flu jab is available to those groups because the possible complications of flu, such as pneumonia, can be very serious to at risk groups.  For the rest of us, flu is usually only a minor illness that may mean a week off work.  Remember there are limited quantities of the flu vaccine and these people need it most.  If you are not in one of these groups, but you think you need to have the flu jab, you should see your GP for advice. If your GP does not think you need the flu jab, you may be able to get the jab from a private non-NHS health clinic.  Contact details for private clinics can be found on the Internet or in your local telephone directory.

  Get Fit with the Olympics

Following the terrific success of Britain’s athletes at the Beijing Olympics many more people have been motivated to take up a sport such as cycling or swimming. "The Olympics has the ability to inspire people from so many walks of life, and so many abilities and disabilities, to get involved in sport," said Kelly Holmes in an interview for the NHS.   "There are a lot of projects going on at the moment around swimming, cycling and running to get more people involved in physical activity in their local area."  

We all know that regular exercise is important for your health.  Doctors recommend that adults should do a minimum of 30 minutes moderate-intensity physical activity, at least five days a week.  For children and young people the target is at least 60 minutes a day and with more money than ever being invested in sports it has never been easier to take part in an activity.  The government has pledged to have two million more people taking part in some form of physical exercise by 2012, with initiatives such as free access to swimming pools.  The local bike shop on Obelisk Rd comes highly       recommended by our Doctors.

 Kelly is no exception, finding the time and the motivation to keep fit is easier said than done.  "I find that now, not being an athlete any more, trying to fit activities in is so hard  because of lifestyle demands and a lack of time,” she says.  “But when you think about it, if you want to look good, healthy and energetic, you have to look at exercise as a priority."

 Please remember an exercise referral is available for any patients with diabetes,  coronary heart  disease and many other conditions if weight reduction would be beneficial to health.  Please book an appointment to see Lisette or another member of the nursing team.  Leaflets are available for further information.

Changes in Personnel

After 16 years at Woolston Lodge our Practice Manager Jayne Cruise is setting up her own business and leaving us. Jayne has risen through the ranks, starting as a clerical officer  in the days of Fund Holding. Jayne and Clair Hayward, currently on maternity leave, made a fine team and saw Woolston Lodge through some difficult times into much calmer waters. Jayne and her family were also a vital part of our May Fair team, and she will be greatly missed.  Her new venture ties in with Seamus’ Property Development and Building company Pembroke Contractors (highly recommended by the Doctors here!) and will involve helping property owners prepare houses for sale to their best advantage. We will miss Jayne’s wise advice and administrative genius and wish her well. We will have some of her business cards at the desk.

We are fortunate to secure the services of Nigel Edwards as our new Practice Manager. Nigel has already made a big impact as General Practice faces challenges all the time. Nigel finds time to be a Park Warden at Victoria Country Park as well as wrestling with the intricacies of running a busy General Practice, and he has many ideas on how to make Woolston Lodge even better.

We are also joined by Joy Carling our new Nurse Practitioner. Joy is new to the area but has lots of experience and is highly skilled, we look forward to working with her. She will be seeing patients independently and prescribing.

Tracey Marten has now completed her NVQ3 Health Care Assistant training, enabling her to provide a variety of additional skills to Woolston Lodge Surgery.

  Save Our Surgery

As you know General Practice is facing a variety of threats at the moment and we would all like to thank you for your support in the recent Save Your Surgery Campaign.  We pride ourselves on our personal touch and we do not anticipate Woolston Lodge being replaced by these polyclinics anytime soon.

Behaviour

A small minority of patients are taking advantage of our tolerance and friendliness. One example was a patient who insisted on a home visit by the District Nurse but then said she would not be in at the time offered because she was going out. She then became abusive– we know this because all phone calls are now recorded. This is for your benefit as well as ours, but it must be said that recordings almost always show very patient staff dealing with some very unreasonable people. Our reception staff, who are highly skilled and the best team that Dr Upton can remember working with, understand that people may be worried, frightened or even mentally disturbed. However, we cannot tolerate repeated bad behaviour and will not hesitate to take action against the worst offenders.

Bike to Work Day

Hats (or cycling helmets) off to Julia of our admin staff who risked the bomb craters of Portsmouth Rd to cycle to work on National Bike to Work Day. Dr Upton has also bought a new bike from our friendly cycle shop in Obelisk Rd and is trying to relive past glories– he once rode 75 miles around the Isle of Wight trying to keep up with his son!

Exercise is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle and even helps in depression- as good as a tablet!  Lisette has details of the Exercise prescription system Active Options which enables anyone with health needs to join a gym at a reduced cost and have a programme specifically tailored to them.

Changes to Surgery Sessions from 1st July 2008

The surgery will be offering early morning/late evening additional pre booked routine appointments for patients who are unable to attend the surgery during the hours of 8am - 6.30pm. The new sessions will be held on the following times:

Monday: 7.30-8am and 6.30-8pm

Tuesday: 7.30-8am

Friday: 7:30-8am

Home visits and urgent health problems will continue to be dealt with by the Out of Hours Service, whose telephone number is: 0845 601 8803.  For Emergencies you should attend the Accident & Emergency Department of your local hospital or dial 999

Senior Health/Activity Mentor? 

If you are an energetic person attending activities in your area perhaps you could be a friendly face to someone wanting to try that activity for the first time. You can pick roles that suit your skills, these range from simply helping to keep someone motivated to developing your skills as a trainer or even leading an activity. Age concern are happy to support you cover any costs incurred.

Also, if you  are interested in benefiting from this scheme and being helped to get involved with a variety of activities by a mentor, please contact us.

R. Borman   Telephone: 02380 368636

Co-ordinator: Life to the Full Age Concern

Patient Satisfaction Survey

Each year the practice completes an independent patient satisfaction survey.  The survey we completed in December was analysed using the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ).

 We are delighted that our overall scoring has improved and at 69% is well above the National Average.  Some individual scores were exceptionally good and there were many favourable comments.

 One particular area of improvement has been around telephone access.  We are pleased that you seem to prefer the new system and the scoring results have proven the majority of you are now are finding it easier to contact us by telephone.  We are pleased that the average wait for a call to be answered is less than one minute, there are of course busy times when this is not always possible which tend to be between 8.30am - 9am and 2pm  - 2.30pm, but we are trying our best to pick up your call as soon as possible.  Please remember all calls are recorded — you might be surprised to hear how rude some people are!

 We had comments regarding confidentiality when speaking to a receptionist at the desk, please remember we have a “privacy booth” available for patients who wish to speak to a receptionist in confidence.  Requests for air-conditioning in the waiting room have been investigated, however we are unable to secure permission from the landlords for permanent units but we will be  installing wall-mounted fans before the warmer weather arrives.

 May we take this opportunity to thank the patients who took the time to complete and return the questionnaires and for the comments contained in them.

  Leaving News 

Debbie Chamberlain, our Nurse Practitioner leaves us on 7th March to further develop her career at the Walk-In-Centre at the Royal South Hants Hospital.  Debbie will be sadly missed by the whole team and also I am sure by many of you that she has treated since 2004 when she joined the practice.  We wish her well with her new job and some of you may see her again at the WIC!

  Your Comments 

We welcome your comments on the Surgery, both when things go well and also when you feel they have not.  We are always appreciative when patients take the time to say thank you and we welcome the opportunity to review the way we work if you would like to make a constructive criticism.  Please continue to let us know your thoughts.  Things do not always go according to plan, but we do try!!

Baby News 

Assistant Practice Manager Clair Hayward gave birth to a healthy, bouncing, baby boy on December 8th.  Clair and Paul named him George William Hayward and all are doing well.  Clair is now enjoying her maternity leave and will be back with us in September.

Memories of Woolston Lodge Surgery by Derek Williams (Additional items by Dr John Kent and Peter Upton)

I became a patient at WLS in 1959 soon after coming to live in Southampton. At that time I lived with my wife and family in St Annes Gardens (No 14), and our own neighbours recommended Dr Burt (C H Burt) who lived at Woolston Lodge and also ran a practice from the premises, as was usual in those days. He was in practice with Dr Mumby, who lived in Bitterne Park and I think may himself have had a surgery there. I am not aware of there being previous partners; I did see both  doctors at different times. The entrance to the Surgery was in Hazeleigh Avenue, and the waiting room was just inside the door. I am not sure whether there was a morning surgery but there was an evening one at 6pm and the waiting room was generally full no appointments in those days. There was no recording of when the patients arrived, but the order of admission to see the doctor was sorted out by the patients, and to the best of my recollection there was never any difficulty in deciding who was ‘next’.

Dr Mumby died in about 1962/3 and a little time after this Dr Burt’s son Michael returned from Australia and became a partner of his father, who was close to retirement age. It was about this time that the practice of Drs McCoy, Pitts and Kent were facing the problem of re-siting, due to the compulsory purchase of the two properties which were home to Drs McCoy and Pitts, Westcliff and Eastcliff respectively, from which they practiced. There were plans to build a new school in Inkerman Rd. JNK

Dr John Kent ran another Surgery at Thornhill but the practice name was Drs McCoy Pitts and Kent. It was about that time that I became friendly with Dr Kent but I had no business connection at that time. Derek was subsequently the WLS Accountant for many years. Dr McCoy sadly died of  Leukaemia at the age of 59JHK.

There must have been discussion and negotiation going on with a view to merging the two practices, ie Pitts/Kent and the Burts.  Dr Birt senior retired, and Dr PB Christian arrived to join the practice now Drs Pitts, Kent, Burt and Christian. What completely eludes me is how the practice  continued to function while the new purpose built one storey building was being constructed at the Woolston Lodge site. The whole house Woolston Lodge was used as a Surgery, with John Kent using the upstairs. The new surgery was built in the garden of the old WL so presumably the house was then demolished to create the car park??  ** Patients may be able to tell us?**

PKB&C operated in partnership, but for a relatively short time, as Michael Burt decided to re-emigrate to Australia, and Dr Elliott, then working as a Psychiatrist at Knowle Hospital, replaced him.  Dr Olive Obin became the 5^th Partner. After this time, by now the late 1960’s, Dr Ann Wooley joined for a time.

When Dr Upton started, it was on Dr Pitts’ retirement so Dr Kent was Senior Partner and it was Kent, Elliott, Adey and Upton. Dr Obin was practicising in the same building with Dr Jo Walsh, Dr Christian went to Africa but returned to set up what became St Peters Surgery, Dr Martin Hughes was an assistant briefly before going to the White House and Dr Martin Lewis, who had been both a student and a GP Trainee at WLS arrived so the Practice was Kent, Elliott, Adey, Upton and Lewis until Dr Kent retired in 1990. Dr Adey left to go single handed shortly after this, initially practicing at WLS before moving to Spitfire Court; Dr Lewis then resigned to go to Thornhill Park, leaving Drs Elliott and Upton to soldier on alone. An episode with Dr van Delft as a Partner ended abruptly   despite new premises being built in 1998-9 on the WLS site while the Surgery continued in Portacabins.  Dr Peter Savill joined the practice and then left to concentrate on cardiology.  Dr Humphries joined us and Dr Elliott retired, then Dr Jones arrived, with Dr Moe Moe Lwin as a salaried GP……..  and so it continues!!!  Dr Upton has been at WLS since 1980 and promises he will be around for a while yet!

New Telephone System

Our new system has now been in place for nearly two months, there were some initial teething problems which we hope have now been addressed.  We are grateful for all of your comments and we are still trying our best to incorporate the new options within the system to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Surgery.  Many positive comments have been received with regard to better telephone access.  The options give you the opportunity to speak to the member of staff most relevant for your needs, so we would be grateful if you would only use the emergency / home visit option if the care you require falls into these categories.  We are pleased that the average wait for a call to be answered is less than one minute, there are of course busy times when this is not always possible which tend to be between 8.30am - 9am and 2pm  - 2.30pm.  We are happy as always to receive feedback in an attempt to give you the best possible service.   

Flu Jabs

We tried a weekday Flu Jab Day and managed to increase our  total for the day to nearly 800; well done to all who worked so hard.  We still have vaccines available for anyone who missed out, and can arrange home visits for our housebound patients - just let us know.  The Raffle raised £300 for the Friends of Woolston Lodge Surgery - please let us know if you have any ideas of what we can purchase for the benefit of our Surgery patients; remember the Matrix board which calls you into the Doctor’s room and gives you lots of news was bought with Friends money from the May Fayre.

  Prescription Pre-Payment Certificates

The current prescription charge is £6.85.  If you have several medications on a regular basis, it may be worthwhile buying a season ticket for pre-payment of prescription charges, these are currently £26.85 for three months and £98.70 for twelve months.

  Rumours

Rumours of Dr Upton’s retirement are about again; he says Mrs Upton does not want him under her feet yet, and he is actually younger than he looks. Some years before he hangs up his stethoscope.

Your Comments

We welcome your comments on the Surgery.  We are often touched by little messages from you thanking individuals for ‘going the extra mile’ to help them.   We managed to squeeze one patient into hospital for an operation in time for her to get to Australia on holiday; this involved several staff in hours of phoning and was much appreciated.  A lot of staff time is spent chasing up appointments, booking transport and generally ensuring that things run smoothly.  Inevitably things do not always go according to plan, but we do try!!

  Baby News

Now that Assistant Practice Manager Clair Hayward is about to go on Maternity Leave we are realising it will take about 8 people to replace her.  The Office will at least look more business like without her collection of cuddly toys and Winnie the Pooh memorabilia.  We all wish Clair, Paul and the new baby (Tigger?) well; meanwhile Kate our Receptionist will be back in the New Year.

  History of the Practice

Woolston Lodge Surgery is the longest established medical practice in Woolston,  serving people in the East of Southampton and environs.  We have a long tradition of providing high quality medical care for local people, using an interdisciplinary team approach.  Our aim is to maintain that very high standard by continuing to develop our practice along modern lines, whilst retaining the personal touch of good old fashioned family doctoring.  We would be very interested to hear from anyone who has any photo's of past buildings or any stories to tell!

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Newsletter July 2007

Patient Satisfaction Survey

The results from our independent patient satisfaction survey showed improvement in the majority of areas.  Our Nurse Practitioner, Debbie, scored particularly highly, a great achievement as patients often feel that only a Doctor can help them.  Our telephone system was again highlighted as a problem and we have been actively looking at new systems to try and improve the telephone access for our  patients.  We will  be having our new telephone system installed in the first week of September.  The system includes many new features and we would ask for your patience during the change over.  There will be no change to existing telephone numbers.

   Politics

Recent criticism of GPs for prescribing expensive drugs came as a surprise to Southampton GPs, whose prescribing is closely monitored, both by our surgery computer system and nationally; this surgery stayed within its prescribing budget for the last year despite the need to prescribe for many chronic diseases.  Our use of branded products is among the lowest in the country.  Our effective use of antidepressants (as well as counselling) has led to the lowest national suicide rate ever recorded.  The Government sets General Practice rigorous targets and seems unwilling to pay when we achieve them.  GPs are now heavily involved with planning and directing services—hence their absence at meetings periodically.

  News

Dr Harriet Upton is preparing for 3 years on the Isle of Wight to complete her GP training; Good Luck Dr Upton from all at Woolston Lodge.

   Graduation

Congratulations to Gill, our Practice Nurse who joined us in September 2006 after qualifying.  Gill attended her Graduation ceremony on 19th July 2007 and was presented with her Bachelor of Nursing Honours Degree.  Well Done Gill.

  More Baby News

  May Fayre 2007

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25 Years at Woolston Lodge

Some gory details will have to wait for my memoirs, but over the years I have been gratified to see how well members of our staff have developed, how loyal they have been, and how much personal satisfaction they have gained through doing very difficult jobs to the best of their abilities.  At the heart of the Surgery are some very caring and dedicated people, trying hard to be helpful and to deal efficiently with ever more complex demands.  We know how frustrating it is for patients to encounter delays and we do try to live up to your high expectations.

I have 25 years of memories of some very brave patients enduring illness and tragedy, of births and deaths, and people with lives so complicated that they outdo anything TV soap operas could dream up.  I am the repository of many secrets, which will not appear in my memoirs, but I look forward to telling the true story of my 25 years at some point - I might call it ‘If only they Couldn’t Talk’. 

Dr Peter Upton

  Flu Clinic 2006

This years flu clinic will take place on Saturday 11th November and NOT Saturday 14th October as previously advertised.  Following a change to the Government ‘at risk’ groups you will now be entitled to a free flu vaccination if you are aged 65 or over or suffer from  CHD, Stroke, Diabetes COPD or Asthma.  Our ‘walk-in’ flu vaccine clinic is on Saturday 11th November 8.45am—2.45pm, please make every effort to attend this day as flu appointments after this day will be limited.  If you do not meet the above criteria but wish to purchase a vaccine privately these will be available from the beginning of November.     Please see the receptionist for more detail.

Newsletter July 2006

Woolston Lodge Update

We were all saddened by the death of Dr John Pitts, my predecessor at Woolston Lodge, and one of the founders of the Surgery.  It is hard to believe John retired 24 years ago; he pursued his love of nature and was devoted to his family.  His health deteriorated over the last year and he was nursed by the team from his old surgery, enabling him to die peacefully at home.  John’s dry wit sometimes concealed his great patience and his caring nature, and he gave me invaluable advice during my  career here.  We will all miss him.  Dr Peter Upton

you will be asked to give a brief outline of your condition or request for advice together with a current contact telephone number by the receptionist, who will pass these details on to the Triage Nurse. 

One of our trained triage nurses will then telephone you to discuss your medical needs and take the appropriate action.  This could be advice from the triage nurse, a prescription or an appointment with the appropriate clinician – please note the appointment given may be with either a Nurse, the Nurse Practitioner or a Doctor.  As we are a group practice you may not always be offered an appointment with your chosen Doctor, however we will endeavour to accommodate your request when possible.

 This change has been developed by our clinical team in an attempt to ensure that if you need an appointment that you are seen by the most appropriate clinician.  We have    increased our nursing hours to accommodate this change in practice and triage will be in operation from 8.30am each morning and every afternoon.  This new triage system will hopefully ease the pressure on the appointment line making it easier for you to get through to the practice initially. 

 If your appointment request is for a follow-up to a previous consultation and the clinician has requested to see you again, they will have noted this in your medical record and the receptionist will be able to book this appointment for you.  Likewise the receptionists will continue to book appointments for the practice nurses, the healthcare assistant, the midwife and the complementary therapists.

 Dr P G Upton, Dr S A Humphries & Dr D N Jones

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Newsletter October 2005

It's Flu Jab Time Again

The year we are offering a flu jab to all patients over 65, together with patients who have a chronic disease, ie. Diabetes, CHD, COPD, Asthma and Liver Conditions.  Carers are invited to attend to eliminate the risk of carrying the flu germs home.

 Our main clinic is on Saturday 15 October 8.30am to 3.00pm, no appointment   necessary.  Please make every effort to attend on this day, however if you are  unable to attend please telephone our appointments line on 023 80446735 to arrange an alternative appointment

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Newsletter April 2005

After 23 years at Woolston Lodge Surgery I now find myself as Senior Partner.  It seems only yesterday that I arrived at the Surgery to replace Dr Pitts, and spent my first few years being told by patients that he was a better Doctor than me.  Now we have a new team of four doctors but more importantly a large Practice team who work together and are organised to provide modern general Practice.  We have had a hard six weeks since Dr Elliott retired but have all pulled together well, and we can now welcome Dr Nigel Jones and Dr Moe Moe Kyaw-Lwin to our team and move forward confidently.  The Government set us very vigorous quality targets to aim for in the last year and thanks to a massive effort by all the staff we have achieved them, these are not just paper figures as they do involve improving the health of the population. 

There are always areas where we fall short and we are open to constructive criticism, however I am confident that we do provide a very good service and your comments reflect this.  We look forward particularly to the Surgery May Fayre on Saturday 7 May, which has been such a popular feature of surgery and community life, I personally am rather apprehensive about what Clair and her Team have arranged for me — no doubt it will include some humiliation!

  Hello from Dr Lwin

I am enjoying being part of the Woolston Lodge ‘family’.  I am an experienced paediatrician and also interested in dermatology and women’s health.  I like reading and try to meditate and avoid gardening which is not my thing!

  May Fayre 2005

Our May Fayre for 2005 is to be held on Saturday 7th May.  We have ordered the good weather and no doubt as usual a great time will be had by all.  If anyone has any items that they are able to donate we would be extremely grateful.  We are looking for the following:

 · Items to sell on the Plant, Bric-a-Brac, book, cake and toy Stalls

· Bottles for the Bottle Tombola

· Prizes for the Draw

 Our first May Fayre was held in May 2000, and was extremely well supported by patients and staff, since then we have been holding them annually.  To date we have raised a total of £6634.90, which has provided a great deal of medical equipment for the Surgery for the benefit of Patients.  For more information on the day, please our poster.

  Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire

Not surprisingly the recent patient satisfaction Questionnaire reflected the recent uncertainty the patients have been feeling with the changes in Partners.  However the vast majority of comments were very positive, an example “I consider this to be the best and most caring practice I have ever been with”.  We have addressed some points already, the door between the reception area and the administration office is to provide privacy and security, we now have our online repeat prescribing running, and despite what one person thought the phone is never “off the hook” - it is simply often very busy here!  We always look forward to comments, I know the staff some times think a few patients could be a little more polite in view of the very great efforts that they make to satisfy every demand and in return, with regards to our own staff communication skills we have included this in the training plans for all front-line staff.  It is important that you do give the Receptionists as much information as possible when booking an appointment.  This will ensure that you are booked with the most appropriate person, with enough time allocated  and that the clinician has some idea of the nature of the appointment prior to you entering the consultation room.  All GP’s at the Surgery expect the receptionists to request this information and would appreciate your co-operation.  Thank you to  everyone who completed a Questionnaire—this survey will be completed on an annual basis.

  Computer for Schools Vouchers

A brave young patient of the Surgery who is severely handicapped and attends St Francis School in Fareham, is collecting Tesco computer for Schools Vouchers to enable the school to buy specially adapted computer equipment.  There is a collection box on the reception desk for these vouchers — Can you help?

  Active Options Exercise Referral

Please remember referral is available for any patients with diabetes, coronary heart disease and many other conditions if weight reduction would be beneficial to health.  Please book an appointment to see Lisette or another member of the nursing team.  Leaflets are available for further information.

  Now Available - Online prescription requests

Order your Repeat Prescriptions on-line. Please ask the Receptionists for more info or see our online services page.

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Newsletter January 2005

As most of you will know by now, Dr Elliott will be retiring from the Practice on Friday 14th January 2005.  He has been with the Surgery since 1977 and has been Senior Partner since 1990.  He has cared for several generations of many families and we know from all the kind wishes that he has been receiving that many of you will miss him just as much as we will.   He is happy to know that he is leaving the Practice in excellent shape and I am sure he will be popping in from time to time.  We hope he will  continue with his Acupuncture sessions.  We all wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.  Dr Elliott has written a farewell letter to you all, which you will find below

It was the 1^st April 1977 when I arrived at Woolston Lodge and I had only intended to stay for 6 months until I found a country practice.  But time passed and you all made me feel so welcome, that I stayed for nearly 28 years!  It does not seem possible that it is now time to retire and hand on to younger doctors.

 During those 28 years it has been a great pleasure and privilege to know you all and to be entrusted to be of help to you in so many different ways.  I have got to know your families and we have been through joys and sorrows together.  It works both ways though and I have had many words of encouragement from you when the going has been tough and you have given me tremendous support.  Thank you all for the friendship you have shown.

 Perhaps it is old-fashioned, but I think the essence of General Practice is the relationship   between the patient and the doctor.  This is a private and special relationship and many things are addressed that cannot be measured or quantified.  Confidentiality is paramount so people can feel free to talk about issues that are worrying them.  It’s nice, too, to talk about grandchildren, holidays, ambitions, dreams and things like that.  We have all been very keen in our Practice to maintain these principles.

 One trend I have seen over the years is an enormous mushrooming of paperwork and bureaucracy.  I cannot really make sense of this and believe the merry-go-round of bits of   paper has little benefit in terms of the quality of medical care we can provide.  I often wonder who dreams up all the forms, what happens to them when we have filled them in and what difference it makes!  These things about the NHS I will certainly not miss.

   Our New Doctor

We are pleased to announce that Dr Nigel Jones will be joining us on 7 March 2005.  There will be regular locum cover to ensure continuity of clinical care for all our patients between the time of Dr Elliott retiring and Dr Jones joining us.  Dr Jones himself will be covering some of the sessions, so you may have the opportunity to meet him before he officially joins.

  Hello from Dr Jones

May I start of by saying that I am looking forward to joining the practice in March.  I qualified at Southampton University in 1997.  Prior to that I worked in a pathology department for several years.  I spent five and half years working at Southampton General Hospital before deciding to become a GP, a decision I have not regretted.  Being a Welshman, I am a keen rugby fan and am looking forward to Wales beating England in the not so distant future!  I also enjoy gardening and travelling.  I have been married to my lovely wife Nazira for 8 years, who is an Occupational therapist in Southampton.  I look forward to meeting you all in March.

   Christmas Cheer

We all love Christmas because of the warm messages which we receive from our patients, we have been inundated with cards and gifts and the staff very much appreciate your   kindness.  Mrs Foley who regularly provides us with wonderful cakes, produced two Christmas cakes, which we auctioned among the staff and we have raised £50 for breast cancer research, a Charity dear to her heart.

   Referral Monitoring Centre

The Referral Monitoring Centre has been set up by the Primary Care Trust to ensure that all hospital letters and referrals are directed to the correct departments, and help ensure that the hospitals are meeting their access targets and that referrals are appropriate.  We have been closely involved with this exciting development and feel it has a lot to offer.

  Quality Outcome Framework

Our hard work over the last year was rewarded by a very good report from the Quality Outcome Framework Team, which visited the Practice to review all our procedures and patient care.  This included a lay assessor who represented patients’ interests.  The  report said “A well organised practice that offers good care.” “Very good systems in place, everyone working well together.”

  Triage Calls

If you phone to speak to the Triage Nurse and are told that she will ring you back, please keep your telephone lines clear, whilst waiting for your call back.

   Goodbye Jo

  Having a Ball! 

  Charity Bike Ride

Dr Upton and his son Will completed their bike ride for Marie Curie Cancer Care, raising over £400 from patient and staff sponsorship. 

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Newsletter September 2004

  Free Flu Jabs

· Aged 65 or over

Visit us at www.woolstonlodge.co.uk

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Newsletter July 2004

  Triage

  Nurse Practitioner

  Doctors

  Lunch Time Opening

  Out of Hours

  May Fayre 2004

May Fayre 2004 Photo Album

  The Atkins Diet

• Following recent concerns highlighting the safety aspects of using the Atkins Diet, the Partners strongly advise against using this diet over a long period of time

• Potential problems include electrolyte imbalance, raised blood cholesterol, constipation and increased risk of developing osteoporosis, diabetes & heart disease

• We cannot recommend the Atkins Diet until further medical research has been completed

• Our practice nurses would be happy to offer dietary advice and appointments can be made in the usual fashion

  Flu Vaccination Day: Saturday 4th October 2003

• After last years successful saturday campaign we are once again offering a saturday vaccination clinic

• This time we are staggering the day to provide a more efficient service: surnames A-M should arrive from 0830-1200 and surnames L-Z from 1230-1630

• If you are over 65 or have diabetes, chronic lung disease (asthma, chronic bronchitis etc), heart disease or kidney disease then a flu jab is advisable

• Also available this year is a pneumonia vaccination for all people over 80 years of age

  New Partner

• Dr Samantha Humphries joined the surgery as our 4th partner on the 1st September 2003

• All of Dr Sharmas patients will automatically be transferred to Dr Humphries unless they have already registered with another partner at the practice

  Dr Savill

• Dr Savill is currently training in echocardiography and working in the chest pain clinic at Southampton General Hospital

• In addition from the 18th September 2003 he begins a 1 year diploma course in cardiology

• As a result of this he will be spending less time in the surgery over the next year

• The sessions he spends at the hospital are covered by locum doctors so the overall GP availability will remain unaffected

  May Fayre 2003

• Despite the inclement weather the annual surgery fayre raised £1273.85 bringing the total raised from 2000-2003 to £5034.90

• May Fayre 2003 Photo Album

• We have used this years funds to purchase more medical equipment to improve patient care: