Practice News
Annual Health Checks
Annual Health Checks
If you have chronic health issues like diabetes, COPD and high blood pressure, we may invite you in for an annual review.
This usually involves an appointment with one of our Health Care Assistants, and for some conditions, a follow up appointment with one of our specialist nurses, pharmacists, or a GP.
If you have several conditions that could mean lots of separate trips to the surgery. We want to reduce the number of appointments you have to attend, so we have started to invite our patients to one combined appointment with one of our Health Care Assistants. During this appointment, all the tests required to monitor all of your conditions will be carried out.
If your conditions mean that you also need to see a specialist nurse, pharmacist or GP, we will do our best to book you in with someone who is trained to manage everything. That way, you will only have to attend one follow up appointment too.
Because of this change to our process, we have stopped sending separate invitations for a diabetes review, or a COPD review, or a blood pressure check for example. Instead, you will now receive an invitation to attend an Annual Health Check.
MMR
Please only contact us to arrange an appointment if your child has not had 2 doses of MMR or you're unsure of your child's immunisation status after checking your child's red book.
Last weekend’s tragic incident
Last weekend’s tragic incident:
The tragic incident that occurred in Bristol on Saturday night, resulting in the loss of two young lives, has been deeply upsetting for our community and our thoughts are with the families and friends of the two young boys at this dreadful time.
We wanted to share details of the websites below, as they contain useful information and links to further sources of support for anyone who may understandably be struggling to come to terms with what has happened:
Cruse: Cruse Bereavement Support - Bristol | AtaLoss.org
Cruse also have a website specifically for young people: Hope Again
Happy Maps is a useful website for support with young people’s mental health: Home - HappyMaps: Help and Resources for Children's Mental Health
We also attach links from Bristol Educational Psychology Service: bereavement-guidance-for-parents-and-carers-003.pdf (bristolsafeguardingineducation.org)
And the NHS on Dealing with Grief: looking_after_your_child_following_trauma_-_a_guide_for_parents.pdf (bristolsafeguardingineducation.org)
Road works disruptions
Orcha Health Winter Pressures
Orcha Health has created a winter pressures page with downloadable apps to help patients throughout the winter season, please click the link to be taken to the Orcha Website: https://bnssg.orchahealth.com/en-GB/winter-pressures
IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR ORDERING YOUR MEDICATION
Important changes for ordering your medication
Our prescription team are joining our PCN (Primary Care Network) Prescription HUB and will no longer be based at the Surgery.
We are asking that patients use online services to order medication. This can be done using the NHS App, Patient Access or by emailing bnssg.priory.scripts@nhs.net
Due to patient safety we do not accept telephone requests for repeat prescriptions due to the possibility of confusion or mistakes.
Any prescription queries or if your prescription is not at the pharmacy after 5 working days please email bnssg.priory.scripts@nhs.net
The surgery will now be working on a 5 working day turn around. Working days are Mon-Fri (not including bank holidays). Where possible all prescriptions will be sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy.
Due to these changes, we are now allowing patients to order medication when they have 10 days remaining of medication.
Urgent Medication
Urgent requests need to be emailed to bnssg.priory.scripts@nhs.net by 2.30pm
Please closely monitor your medication levels. As only the below medications are classed as an urgent medication:
|
Medicines |
Examples (generic names) |
|
Insulin / diabetic medicines |
Gliclazide, Insulin, Lixisenatide, Metformin, Pioglitazone, Alogliptin, Dapagliflozin, Empagliflozin, Canagliflozin |
|
‘Rescue’ inhalers |
Salbutamol, Terbutaline |
|
Anti-epileptics |
Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, Phenytoin, Sodium valproate, Topiramate |
|
Parkinson’s medicines |
Co-beneldopa, Co-careldopa |
|
Anticoagulants |
Apixaban, Dabigatran, Edoxaban, Rivaroxaban, Warfarin |
|
Heart medicines |
Atenolol, Bisoprolol, Digoxin, Ramipril, Diltiazem, Verapamil, Enalapril, Perindopril, Clopidogrel, Spironolactone, Eplerone, Ivabradine |
|
Anti-depressants |
Sertraline, Citalopram, Venlafaxine, Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Mirtazapine |
|
Contraceptive pills |
Cerelle, Levest, Rigevidon, Gedarel |
|
Antipsychotics and mood stabilisers |
Quetiapine, Lithium, Olanazapine. |
All other medications will be treated as routine and will be actioned within 5 working days.
Urgent Prescriptions will be printed and need to be collected between 6.00-6.30pm on the day it was requested.
Children and young people with COVID
The time it takes for someone to get better from COVID varies from person to person. Some children and young people continue to experience symptoms after their acute COVID infection. The term ‘long COVID’ is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after an acute COVID infection for over 4 weeks, that cannot be explained by an alternative medical diagnosis.
In the link below, you will find information and guidance on some of the different symptoms of long COVID tailored for children and young people and where you can get further help and support:
https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/children-and-young-people-with-covid/
NHS Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)
NHS Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)
If you pay for NHS prescribed HRT medicine 3 or more times in 12 months, an HRT PPC could save you money.
Each item on an NHS prescription usually costs £9.65. You can buy an HRT PPC for a one-off payment of £19.30 (the cost of two single items).
The HRT PPC covers an unlimited number of certain HRT medicines for 12 months, regardless of why they are prescribed.
Chronic Illness Management - Long Term Health Condition
VitaMinds
VitaMinds
Free mental health support from the NHS, offering evidence-based talking therapies as well as advice and guidance on community services. VitaMinds provide therapies for low to moderate mental health illnesses like depression, low mood, excessive worry, anxiety, stress, sleep problems and others.
You need to be aged 16 or over and registered with a GP in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.
You can refer yourself in a few different ways: - Talk to the digital assistant via our website here. - Fill out an online form here
- Call 0333 200 1893 (Mon-Thu 8-8, Fri 8-5 and Sat 9-1)
- Text ‘YOU’ to 88802
There are also a range of useful self-help material available via the VitaMinds website here.
“I have to say the therapy was invaluable, and I feel still months later infinitely better than I have in years, my therapist was patient, caring, intuitive and insightful. I feel very grateful to have had this help and experience, and have been given these tools to deal with life better” – VitaMinds service user, 2022.
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If you are short on space then use:
VitaMinds
Free mental health support from the NHS, offering evidence-based talking therapies as well as advice and guidance on community services. VitaMinds provide therapies for low to moderate mental health illnesses like depression, low mood, excessive worry, anxiety, stress, sleep problems and others. For more info and to refer yourself visit their website here. https://www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk/nhs-services/nhs-mental-health/
Community Equipment with Medequip Label
Did your child miss out on their vaccine at school
Managing Stress
RECOVERING FROM COVID
MMR Vaccination
Stroke - Fast Symptoms
Type 1 Diabetes in Children
- Toilet
- Tired
- Thirsty
- Thinner
My Planned Care - Hospital Waiting Times
Are you caring for a poorly child?
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