April 2022 Newsletter

Practice Development

We would like to thank all our patients for their support in continuing to wear face masks when visiting the practice. Whilst government restrictions have eased, maintaining face masks in a health care setting help us keep our staff and patients safe.

We appreciate that the pandemic temporarily changed the way in which we deliver services to patients. The practice has been working hard over the past year adapting the delivery of services in line with local and government guidance. We are pleased to be inviting patients with long term conditions, for their routine annual reviews at the practice. Invites will be sent by birth month so please keep an eye out and book an appointment when you receive your invite.

Demand for our services is at an all time high and we are looking at ways we can upgrade our phone system to accommodate the increase in calls. You should start to notice some changes soon. Our practice website has some great tools to help you communicate with the practice. Patients are now able to request things such as sick notes, prescriptions, change personal details or request a consultation with your GP online via eConsult.

Further details about Patient Services

Over the past few months we have increased the number of GPs and Care Navigators at the practice. In April we welcomed 2 new GPs Dr Tom Brookes and Dr Abigail Taylor and we will continue to grow the practice team of pharmacists and care navigators over the coming months.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate the changes faced as a result of covid-19. If you have any further suggestions for ways we could improve, please do feedback through our patient participation group via our secure online form.

Launch of shared decision-making aids for people with Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee

Two new shared decision-making tools have been designed by local GPs, Physiotherapists and Orthopaedic surgeons for people with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The tools aim to help people to understand their condition, providing lots of useful information about the different treatment options for osteoarthritis and what is appropriate at each stage. There is information about the benefits and risks of each treatment option. The purpose of the tools is to help people make shared decisions with their clinicians on what treatment is right for them. The charts include information about the local support available and helping people to look after themselves to either get better or reduce the need for surgery. For those people who do need surgery, the charts will help them get fit for surgery and recovery quickly after surgery.

View the Charts

Greenway Patient Participation Group (PPG).

It has been a difficult few years for everyone but the Greenway PPG has continued to meet online to support the Practice in its work of caring for patients. We are very grateful for the level of care Greenway Practice has managed to provide. We are a group of patients who act as a link between you and Greenway Community Practice.

What we do

Ask for your Feedback, listen to you and share your views with the Practice
Meet regularly with Practice staff to support the continuing developing of our Practice
Highlight wider NHS issues to help protect services

Have your say

You will see a table outside Lloyds Pharmacy and the Reception area with ‘Have your say’ slips on it. We are keen to be as representative of the patient population as possible so please fill in a slip with your questions or comments and put them in the box at reception and we will try to respond to them or feedback through our patient participation group via our secure online form.

Research

Athena trial

The practice is part of a new trial which is researching using amitriptylline for the prevention of the pain associated with shingles. Shingles can be extremely painful and in some cases, very difficult to treat. Amitriptylline is a medication which is commonly used to treat the pain associated with shingles, but it is not routinely used to prevent it. So this trial could provide some exciting new evidence that will prevent patients from having pain with shingles in the first place. To be eligible for the trial, patients must be older than 50 years and have a new diagnosis of shingles. The study will then randomise patients into a control group (usual management) or a treatment with amitriptylline group.

GPs can discuss the trial with patients at the time of diagnosis.

NHS Community Pharmacy Consultation Referrals

When you contact the surgery the care navigators will ask you for certain information in order to ensure you see or speak to the right person, at the right time, for the right advice and care. This can include referring you to the Community Pharmacist, at one of your local pharmacies. This will allow you to have a same day consultation with a pharmacist, who have been trained to clinically assess and recommend the best treatment for you. If your symptoms are more serious, they will assist you in seeing a GP. The service covers a wide range of conditions, including (but not limited to) urinary tract infections for female patient (16-64yo), tonsillitis, conjunctivitis and skin conditions. The pharmacist will be able to issue a prescription if appropriate or refer you to your GP.

Please be advised the care navigation team have been trained to signpost and refer you to this service if suitable for your condition.

Published: Apr 28, 2022