August 2024 Patient Newsletter

Posted by: kara - Posted on:

📆 How we did in July

Everyone assumes winter is the busiest time for GP surgeries, but we were still very much in demand here at Tudor Lodge in July. We:

  • Answered over 3,300 calls.
  • Processed over 2,600 online requests (that’s an average of 85 requests a day).
  • Did more than 3,200 appointments (almost 2,000 of those were face-to-face).
  • Processed over 1,573 repeat prescription requests.

We try hard to ensure everyone who needs a medical appointment gets one as soon as possible, but you can really help us by cancelling any appointments you no longer need. In July, 208 people missed out on an appointment when they needed one because 208 other patients no longer needed their appointments and didn’t let us know! That’s 53 hours of clinic time that could have been used by others desperately waiting for an appointment. A big thanks for your support with this.

👩🏽‍⚕️ GP comings and 
goings in August

A couple of our GPs are off for well-earned breaks during August. Dr Smitha is away 19 to 30 August and Dr  Thurairatnam is away 27 to 29 August.

Dr Eade’s maternity cover has now come to an end and is no longer at the practice. Dr Rawoo, our GP registrar finished on 7August and is being replaced by Dr Baird who will start a 12-month placement here on 21August.

💉 Upcoming vaccination programmes

We’ll shortly be offering the new national RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccination. This will be available to pregnant women (from 28 weeks) and older adults (who are already 75 to 79 years old on 1 September 2024 or turn 75 years of age on or after 1 September 2024).

RSV is responsible for many of the respiratory infections that put people in hospital each winter so we are really pleased this protection is being made available. Those eligible will be contacted to book an appointment so you don’t need to contact us about this.

The flu and COVID vaccines this year will start in October and all eligible patients will be contacted to book their appointments shortly.

🚸 Back to school: are you ready?

The return to school can often mean a return of those pesky bugs. Here’s how to help your child stay healthy and what to do if they do get poorly:

  • Handwashing: Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly, especially before eating, after using the toilet, and after blowing their nose.
  • Healthy eating: A balanced diet is essential for a strong immune system. Ensure your child is eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  
  • Regular sleep: Adequate sleep helps the body fight off infections. Aim for a consistent bedtime routine.  
  • Fresh air and exercise: Encourage outdoor play and physical activity to boost overall health.

What to do if your child is unwell

School absence: Inform your child’s school of their absence as soon as possible. This handy guide produced here in South West London highlights when it’s best to keep your child off school or nursery. 

Common colds: Most colds are mild and can be managed at home with over-the-counter medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Ensure they rest and drink plenty of fluids.  

High temperature: If your child has a high temperature (38°C or above), they should stay off school until it subsides.  

When to seek medical advice: If your child’s symptoms worsen, or if you’re concerned about their health, contact your GP or NHS 111.

📰 BMA action in the news

You might have seen BMA action reported in the news recently and we wanted to share our stance here at Tudor Lodge:

  • This is not industrial action, and our doors will not shut. It’s classed as collective action, which basically means we will only deliver what our NHS contract stipulates.
  • None of the recommended actions will directly impact the care you receive from us. We are entirely on your side.
  • One of the BMA’s main recommended actions is to limit patient contacts to a maximum of 25 per day per GP. While we’re aware that this is in our current contract, we are not seeking to implement this recommendation as of yet, as we are very aware of the healthcare needs of our local population. We’ll review our data over the next few weeks before we make any changes to our appointment books and only if they’re required.
  • Finally, it’s important to note that limiting doctors to 25 patients a day provides better quality and focused care to our patients. On average, our doctors currently see and treat around 750 patients a week. The BMA recommended action will reduce this number to around 650 patients per week, so that’s why we, as a practice, wish to review our numbers before we decide what to do next.

We shall of course keep you posted right here on the website and on our Facebook page.

🩸 Low blood stocks

We need your help now more than ever to keep providing lifesaving blood to the NHS. Stocks of O-type blood are critically low and the NHS is appealing for people with O-type blood to urgently come forward and donate.

O negative blood – known as the universal blood type – is safe for all patients. It is used in emergencies or when a patient’s blood type is unknown.

Most people only tend to find out their blood type when they donate blood or if they have a condition where the blood type needs to be known as part of treatment. Whether you’re an existing donor or you’re planning to donate for the first time, you can find your nearest donation point here.

📈 National Patient Survey results 

Thank you to everyone who took part in the National Patient Survey earlier this year. The results have now been published and we are pleased to see that in most areas, we are performing at, or above the national average. Some highlights include:

  • 67% find it easy to get through to this GP practice by phone
  • 83% find the reception and administrative team at this GP practice helpful
  • 61% find it easy to contact this GP practice using the NHS App
  • 94% felt the healthcare professional they saw had all the information they needed about them during their last general practice appointment

We remain committed to achieving at least the national average in all areas and we ask that you keep feeding back to us directly what you think of our service here so we can take steps to learn and improve together.