Newsletter - August 2020

Published: 13 July 2020

Bank Holiday Closure
We are expecting the surgery to be CLOSED on Monday 31th August Bank Holiday. If the guidance changes and the CCG expect us to be open, this will be published on the practice website.

Face coverings and masks
Following telephone triage with a clinician, we are asking increasing numbers of patients to attend the surgery for face to face consultations. We are therefore asking that all patients wear a face covering in line with government guidance when attending the surgery. These are available to purchase in local supermarkets and at Willingham Pharmacy.

For further information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering

We are also limiting the number of patients in the waiting area at any time. You may therefore be asked to wait in your car or outside the front of the practice, where you will be called in when your GP/Nurse is ready so that we can maintain safe social distancing at all times. All patients must abide by the one way system we have in place, and adhere to the social distancing markers at the reception desk. Please use the hand sanitiser dispensers when entering the premises.

Dr Suter is retiring
We will be saying a fond farewell to Dr Suter in September, as she retires to spend more time with her family in Winchester. Dr Suter has been at the surgery for 26 years, and is quite frankly part of the furniture! She is a popular and much respected GP, and we would like to thank her for the dedication, support and care she has given to her patients, staff and the wider community throughout her career. We wish her a joyful and happy retirement, and will miss her greatly. We are pleased to announce that Dr Alice Gilbert will be joining our team at the end of September, and is looking forward to meeting our patients in due course.

Immunisations

While coronavirus has put limitations on all our lives, it is important that you or your baby or child still have routine vaccinations. They protect against serious and potentially deadly illnesses and stop outbreaks in the community. We recommend that you book in your next scheduled appointment – see www.nhs.uk/vaccinations for details on when they are due.

If you are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable and have been shielding, please check gov.uk for the latest advice on what to do.

Carers Meeting
Due to the current pandemic, the carer’s meetings are still currently postponed until further notice. They will be reinstated as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we would like to continue to support carers in our local community in any way possible. If you are a carer for someone and need advice and financial or emotional support, please contact Sue Lawson at Susan.Lawson@nhs.net or 01954 260230.

Hot Weather
It’s worth remembering that sunny spells can pose health risks for some people. It’s important to protect yourself and others from too much sun or heat, to carry water when travelling and to think of those, such as young children or older people, who may feel the heat more acutely than others. Make sure you follow the COVID-19 social distancing guidance while looking out for others.

Look out for older people and others who may find it more difficult to stay cool and hydrated in hot weather – stay #WeatherAware. Many people who are at higher risk of ill health due to the hot weather are also at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19)
If you need to provide direct care for someone at risk from the hot weather, follow the COVID-19 guidance on providing care to family or friends. Wash your hands regularly and don’t visit at all if you are unwell - make alternative arrangements for their care
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol during the hot weather.
Avoid extreme physical exertion during the hot weather. If you can’t avoid strenuous outdoor activity, keep it for cooler parts of the day e.g. early morning or evening.
The best thing to do in the hot weather is stay out of the direct sun, especially between 11am and 3pm as UV rays are strongest during these hours. #BeattheHeat
Stay #WeatherAware: if you or others feel unwell, get dizzy, weak, anxious or have intense thirst move to a cool place, rehydrate and cool your body down