Patient Newsletter June 2024

Posted by: supportymm - Posted on:

🏥 Prescriptions made easier

May was a bumper-busy month at Tudor Lodge:

  • We offered over 3,700 GP appointments, over 1,000 nurse appointments, and over 1,000 other appointments with our pharmacists, physio, mental health nurse, and social prescriber.
  • Our care navigation team answered over 3,200 phone calls.
  • We processed over 1,500 repeat prescription requests.

You might be surprised to read that each repeat prescription takes a couple of minutes to be processed by a GP or pharmacist at the surgery before we can electronically send it to your chosen pharmacy.

Some patients understandably get frustrated when they aren’t sure if the prescription has been signed off or if the pharmacy says they haven’t received it. Well now, thanks to the NHS App, you can find out exactly where your repeat prescription is up to in seconds.

Simply open your NHS App, head to Your Health then View and manage prescriptions to check if Tudor Lodge has reviewed your prescription and when your approved prescriptions are ready for the pharmacy to prepare. If it says your approved prescription is with the pharmacy, be sure to give them 2-3 days to get it ready for you. They make up thousands of prescriptions every single day so if you need your meds urgently, always give them a call.

A big thanks for helping us to help you. Not got started with the NHS App yet? Check this out.

👩🏼‍⚕️ When was your last smear test?

  • NHS data shows that nearly 1 in 3 eligible people don’t take up the offer of cervical screening (smear test).
  • 2,700 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England each year.
  • Approximately 690 women die from the disease each year – around 2 deaths a day!
  • Embarrassment is the most common reason for never having attended or missing an appointment.

At Tudor Lodge, we’re super lucky to have Rowena, Ruth, and Ivana who are the loveliest nurses you could meet. They are great at putting people at ease with whatever they’re doing, especially cervical screening so if you have received your reminder letter or if you’re due a smear test, please book in with them.

If you’re aged between 24.5 and 49, you should have a test every 3 years. For those between the ages of 50 and 64, screening is offered every 5 years. If you’ve had the invitation, please don’t put it off; it takes longer to get undressed and dressed again than it does to have the test itself, and could save your life. Evening and weekend appointments are available too.

🎖️ Say you served

Did you know that Tudor Lodge is a proud Armed Forces veteran-friendly accredited GP practice? This means that, as part of the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, we have a dedicated clinician at Tudor Lodge who has a specialist knowledge of military-related health conditions and veteran-specific health services. If you’ve left the UK Armed Forces, it’s important to tell the surgery you served. This means that as GPs, we can better understand your health, particularly any health problems relating to your time in service.

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🤍 SANDS Awareness Week

Every year, SANDS helps thousands of families who have experienced the death of a baby. If you have lost a baby, whether it was a long time ago, or are recently bereaved, there is help and support available to you. SANDS (stillbirth and neonatal deaths) Awareness Week is 17 to 23 June 2024 and the SANDS website has a lot of information that you might find helpful.

There is also a lot of help and support available here at Tudor Lodge if you need it. We have supported a number of families who have lost babies and we know how painful it is for everyone concerned. Please get in touch with us if you need help.

SANDS have produced this infographic about how you can do your bit to support someone you know going through the heartbreaking pain of losing a child.

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đź’• Time for Carers Week

At Tudor Lodge, we fully support the vital role paid and unpaid carers play in helping the health and wellbeing of others. Always let us know if you are a carer. We can offer longer, flexible appointments and update you on the services and support we can offer throughout the year.

Throughout June, there are events taking place across Wandsworth for carers. Many are taking place during Carers Week (10 to 14 June) but there’s plenty beyond that date too. Full details can be found here but below are details of free yoga classes for carers throughout June and July.

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🛀🏼 Find your little big thing

There are little things we can all do to look after our mental health that don’t have to take up a lot of time or money but can make a huge difference to how we feel.

Small things like making the time to read a book, going for a run, watching a film, meeting up with friends or going for a long walk are all small things that really add up to make a big difference.

If you’re stuck for ideas, search Every Mind Matters online for free, NHS-approved advice and simple tips to help you look after your mental wellbeing.

đź”´ Help for domestic abuse and violence

Nobody should be a victim of domestic abuse and violence in 2024 but sadly, figures from Refuge show 1 in 4 women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. There is confidential help and support available across Wandsworth including One Stop Shop services in Roehampton and Battersea. They offer a free drop-in service providing legal advice, information, and support to anyone experiencing domestic abuse.

There is also a National Domestic Violence Helpline which is a freephone 24-hour helpline, run in partnership with Women’s Aid and Refuge. It is a national service for women experiencing domestic violence. Please call 0808 2000 247 if you need confidential help and support.

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🍓 Bite into healthier habits: Healthy Eating Week

It’s Healthy Eating Week in June, a great chance to look at your diet and see if you can make some small changes to make it more varied and healthy. Remember, healthy eating doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some simple tips for eating healthy and staying on budget:

  • Embrace seasonal produce.
  • Plan your meals to avoid waste.
  • Look up “budget-friendly recipes” online.
  • Use frozen fruit and vegetables – just as tasty and a fraction of the price!
  • Batch cook – this helps you to use all the ingredients in your fridge and cupboards.

The British Heart Foundation has put together 25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less to get you started! If pizzas are a favourite in your house, why not give their Quick Pizza Pittas a go?

Toast wholemeal pitta breads lightly (for ultimate speed, do this in a toaster while you pre-heat the grill). Spread each pitta with tomato puree or passata. Top with a little reduced-fat mozzarella, torn from a ball, and some sliced tomato. Optional extra toppings are tinned sweetcorn (no added salt or sugar), sliced spring onion or sliced button mushrooms. Place under the pre heated grill for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.