Newsletter – Issue 4: Spring 2011Welcome to our Summer Newsletter
Booking Appointments
Many patients are still unfamiliar with the appointment system. Remember you can book ahead for non-urgent problems. For more urgent problems there are ‘same day’ appointments available. You can also leave a message for the doctor if you have a query but do not need to be seen.
Website (www.dorchesterroadsurgery.co.uk)
Our website continues to be developed. Appointments can be booked and patients can order repeat prescriptions online. We are also hoping to give patients the facility to look up their own results soon. This will mean that you can keep a track of your results (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc). You can also e mail the doctors (non-urgent matters only please).
If you are interested in this service please register at the Reception desk.
Quality
We are always interested to hear your ideas as to how we can improve our services. Please let us know.
We continue to work hard to achieve well in most of the many areas monitored by the PCT.
A new face at the Reception desk
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A very warm surgery welcome to Lin who has joined us as part of our hard working reception team of Maria, Chris, Wendy and Lesley.
Help your doctor to keep to time
Remember our regular appointments are scheduled at 10 minute intervals. It is always helpful if patients can please limit the number of queries they bring to an appointment so that the doctor can keep to the scheduled appointment times.
Wendy Harvey, Nurse Practitioner
Please remember that you can make an appointment with our very capable Nurse Practitioner, Wendy, if you cannot get an immediate appointment with the doctor. Wendy can deal with many problems and can also prescribe. She has surgeries on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday a.m. and p.m.
Wednesday morning baby clinic
(Jane Hill with baby Kitty & her mum Helen)
Our Health Visitor, Jane Hill holds a baby clinic every Wednesday morning in the common room of the surgery from 11am till 12.45pm. This is a ‘drop-in’ session so no appointment is needed. All are welcome for a chat, advice, information or just to have your baby/toddler weighed! From time to time we ask colleagues to join us for information/education sessions. If you need to talk or have a chat and clinic is not convenient for you, please ring (01305) 752399.
Surgery improvements
We are in the process of installing a baby changing unit in the surgery toilets which make things easier for parents. We also now have a hyfrector diathermy machine for minor operations (by courtesy of The League of Friends). Thank you to them.
Surgery Bicycle
To keep the docs healthy and active and to reduce our ‘carbon footprint’, we have invested in a surgery bike to share amongst the staff. Tour de France here we come!
Be aware of the effects of the sun!
Now the weather is improving and we are all hoping for a long hot summer, Please do remember to use sun creams or cover up in the sunshine.
Dying Matters
Without communication and understanding, death and terminal illness can be a lonely and stressful experience, both for the person who is dying and for their friends and family. Dying people and their families can experience a tremendous sense of isolation and can feel shut out of social circles and distanced from their communities.
A lack of conversation is perhaps the most important reason why peoples’ wishes go ignored or unfulfilled; if we do not know how to communicate what we want, and those around us do not know how to listen, it is almost impossible to express a clear choice.
It has been said that what we fear most about dying is the associated loss of control. As a surgery we are committed to help empower our patients to express their wishes, so that their sense of control can be restored.
(For further information go to www.dyingmatters.org.uk)
Services
We have many services which can help to improve your health and to which you can self-refer by asking at reception. They are always happy to help where they can.
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