February 2025 Patient Newsletter
🗓️ 2025 so far!
We are all thankful that February is finally here, and lighter nights and brighter mornings are on the horizon! We had a super busy January here at Tudor Lodge where we:
- Answered 3,091 phone calls
- Processed 1,509 prescriptions
- Processed 2,881 online requests (that’s an average of 93 requests a day)
- Delivered 3,328 appointments (face-to-face and telephone)
- Offered 2,826 GP appointments, 1066 nurse appointments and 359 other healthcare appointments
🚬 What happens when you quit smoking
When you quit smoking, good things start to happen. You’ll begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health. The sooner you quit, the sooner you’ll notice changes to your body and health. For more information and support to quit smoking please visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/
🤧 Treatment for minor illnesses
Pharmacies can now advise, provide medicines, and offer treatment (including prescription medicines) for certain conditions without seeing a GP visit. This is a scheme called Pharmacy
First. We have a new page on our website, especially for minor illnesses. It has information about the conditions you can get treated at a pharmacy, as well as information about free blood pressure checks and getting the contraceptive pill without a prescription. There is also the option to fill in an online assessment and self-refer if you have one of the conditions listed.
ℹ️ Five facts about HIV
National HIV Testing Week is back (10– 16th Feb) and this year’s campaign is “It Starts With Me – Your body, your sexual health, your wellbeing – looking after them starts with you”. HIV testing is quick, confidential and free. You can order your free testing kit here: https://freetesting.hiv/.
Did you know:
- HIV treatment is free in the UK
- After a person is diagnosed with HIV they can start treatment straight away.
- People living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot pass on the virus.
- An estimated 4,700 people in England are currently living with HIV and don’t know it.
- The UK can end new cases of HIV by 2030. The first step is making sure as many people as possible test for HIV
For more information, please visit https://www.startswithme.org.uk/story/five-facts-about-hiv-in-2025
đź“‹ Your annual medical review is important
A friendly reminder that if you live with a chronic disease such as asthma, diabetes or COPD to look out for your annual medical review. We send text message invites out in your birth month and ask you to book your appointment promptly. If you don’t receive an invite or have had to cancel yours in the past, please get in touch with the practice to arrange yours.
⚠️ Please cancel unwanted appointments!
Help us keep waiting lists down by cancelling appointments you no longer need or can’t make! We can then offer it to someone waiting for an appointment. In January, 156 appointments were wasted because patients didn’t cancel unwanted appointments. That’s 43.5 hours we could have allocated to other patients who needed an appointment. Please give us plenty of notice (more than an hour) if you need to cancel your appointment. We have begun removing patients who fail to attend or don’t give us at least one hour’s notice. We are a very busy surgery, so your help makes a big difference.
🏥 Heartburn for three weeks or more?
If you’re 55 or older and experience persistent heartburn or indigestion for three weeks or more, please consult your doctor. Similarly, if you have trouble swallowing or food feels lodged in your throat, it’s important to seek medical advice.
While occasional heartburn (a burning feeling in your chest) and indigestion (pain or discomfort in your stomach) can be attributed to diet or alcohol, it’s crucial for those over 55 to seek professional medical attention if these symptoms persist for three weeks or longer.
For more information about the signs and symptoms of gullet cancer: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oesophageal-cancer/symptoms/
🍵 Socialise in a warm space this winter
Discover warm and welcoming spaces across Wandsworth to stay cosy, meet new people, and enjoy free events. Wandsworth Council have opened up a number of warm spaces across the borough including 11 libraries where people can go to keep warm and enjoy free internet access and a range of other events such as children’s activities and coffee mornings.  For more information please visit  https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news-january-2025/i-feel-warm-as-soon-as-i-walk-through-the-doors-wandsworth-s-community-spaces/.Â
🤷🏻‍♀️Get active this Feb, whatever your mobility!
Age UK, Wandsworth runs free, seated exercise and dance classes for those over 60! Sessions are held most Mondays from 11am -1 pm with an of hour activity followed by an hours social session with free food, tea and coffee. For more information visit https://www.ageuk.org.uk/wandsworth/activities-and-events/regular-activities/ready-sit-go-seated-exercise-class/
📲 Are you following our WhatsApp Channel?
Have you joined our WhatsApp channel. Click here to join http://bit.ly/40JdpT1. Subscribing to our WhatsApp channel does not give us or any other group member access to your phone number or any other details, and users can opt-out at any time.
For personal enquiries or to book an appointment at the surgery please use our online form to contact us.
🤔 Help us to stay in the loop
From time to time, you may receive a request from us for information so we can keep your records up to date. Please respond to any requests you receive from the surgery as it helps ensure we’re providing you with the right care for you.
If you would like to opt out of receiving these monthly updates, please complete this form.
