Newsletter No.7 Summer 2008
Help Save the dispensary
The Pharmacy White Paper 'Pharmacy in England - Building on Strengths, Delivering the Future' put before Parliament on 3 April 2008 may stop this surgery from being able to dispense medications to our patients.
In other words, YOU will have to take your prescriptions to a Pharmacy in Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Ledbury or Newent - very different to the short walk from the consulting room to the dispensary!
We do not consider that this is in the best interests of our patients:
- It restricts your choice at the time when the Government is supposedly increasing patient choice.
- It is far more inconvenient, let alone an extra cost, bus fares, fuel, parking, just to collect your medication.
- It will divert resources away from the Surgery to commercial pharmacies, which may lead to a reduction in other services that the surgery can provide.
HOW YOU CAN HELP?
WRITE TO YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT at:
HOUSE OF COMMONS, SW1A 0AA
Bill Wiggins, MP Leominster, Herefordshire - www.billwiggin.com
Mark Harper, MP Forest of Dean - www.markharper.org
Sir Michael Spicer, MP West Worcestershire- www.sirmichaelspicer.net
Laurence Robertson MP Tewkesbury - www.laurencerobertsonmp.com
AND TO
The Rt. Hon. Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State of Public Health who is the Architect of these proposals:
Rt. Hon. Dawn Primarolo MP Richmond House 79 Whitehall
LONDON SW1A 2NS
INTERNET PETITION - saveourdispensary.com and 'sign' the
Downing Street e-petition
PLEASE ALSO WRITE TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF OUR PCT:
Ms Jan Stubbings Chief Executive
Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust 1250 Lansdowne Court
Gloucester Business Centre Brockworth
GLOUCESTER GL3 4AA
Patient and Public pressure CAN make a difference.
The Government promise a patient led NHS
HELP US REMOVE THIS THREAT TO YOUR DISPENSARY
STAUNTON AND CORSE SURGERY
Patients Comments from the Suggestion Box
- Request for extending time for phone calls to GPs
If you ring the surgery between 10.30 and 10.50am and all GPs are already answering calls, leave a message with the receptionist and the doctor will ring you back by the end of the morning.
- Hearing Difficulties
Patients with hearing difficulties should tell the receptionist on arrival so that the GP can be warned to the come to the waiting room for you. You could also request the Hearing Loop.
- Lack of a Sign at the entrance to the Surgery
There is no sign for security reasons but the Surgery has agreed to put up new poles to mark each side of the entrance. These will be marked with fluorescent strips.
In emergencies the Red Cross can provided a weekly hire service for wheelchairs
Profile of Senior Community Nurse Mary Edginton and her Team
Mary's working day is full and varied. Before her day starts officially at 8.30am she visits her diabetic patients on the way to work. After visiting the surgery to pick up any messages about people she or her team have to see and care for that day, she goes to the community nurses office to pick up telephone messages. Once there she will organise the work schedule allocating patients and the work load between the whole team of nurses.
The work varies each day. It includes the palliative care of patients in the last days of life and their families. Also leg ulcer care eg 3 to 4 layer bandaging, taking blood for diagnostic tests, injections for an assortment of conditions, care of patients receiving chemotherapy including intravenous antibiotic therapy. There is also much routine work eg removal of sutures, clip dressings, pressure area care and ordering of equipment. The nurses also give a full assessment of a patient when they first come home from hospital. This includes ordering equipment needed from cushions and commodes to hospital beds and accessing other services that might be needed.
At 12.30pm Mary goes back to base to meet the team again and discuss and assess the mornings work and any problems that have come to light and during her lunch break answers any phone messages. She also checks with the surgery at least 3 times a day for up-dates. The community team also have the care and training of 2nd and 3rd year nursing students on community placement which Mary oversees.
There's also the mandatory training courses to fit in to make sure they are up to date as well as Mary's personal nursing interest studies which she often does in her own time.
She also attends the surgery Primary Healthcare meetings once a month which she feels are very important as these give across the board care of patients. Mary's says, "The Staunton Team's philosophy is to give all patients and carers the best service and care that we can".
In her leisure time Mary enjoys listening to live music, going to the theatre, reading, cooking and eating out trying different foods. She also likes walking on the Malvern Hills.
Patients Group Committee
Sheila Golightly
Jane Evans
Judy McCarthy
Bob Crockett
Jane Morton
Sheila Millichap
Sally David-Bond
Sandra Furst
Elizabeth Wilkins
Tegwin Harrison
Telephone Numbers
Staunton Surgery - General Enquiries - 01452 840228 Appointments - 01452 840555,
Dispensary - 01452 840688 Community Nursing Team - 01452 840680
Cheltenham & Gloucester Hospital - 0845 422 2222
Tewkesbury Hospital - 01684 293303
Gloucestershire Citizens Advice Bureau 01452 528 017
Gloucestershire Age Concern 01452 422 660
NHS Direct (for general 24hr medical advice) - 08 45 46 47