Newsletter - Issue 3: Spring 2010

A change at the top!
Welcome to Carole Pentelow



In September last year we said farewell to Giovanna Kerr. After nine years of managing the surgery Giovanna decided to take a break from work. Our new Manager is Carole Pentelow. Carole has come from a background of managing a series of stores for Boots. She is keen to bring her experience of customer care and personnel to strive to improve the performance of the surgery.


Dr Bick
Labour Candidate for West Dorset



Many of you will know that Dr Bick won the Labour Party listing to become the Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for West Dorset. This will mean that he will be taking some holiday to campaign as we run up to the General Election on 6th May. We wish him well as he fights against Oliver Letwin, the Conservative member MP.


Jenny Chaloner
Treatment Room Nurse
Jenny is gradually being trained as a Practice Nurse. She is very keen to learn and be able to offer the full repertoire of skills required by a Practice Nurse.


Wendy Harvey



Congratulations to Wendy who, not only completed her very demanding Nurse Practitioner course, but followed this immediately with the Nurse Prescribing course! She passed with flying colours and can now prescribe as well. This should be a great asset to her surgeries and the patients she sees. She is able to see and treat many of the common conditions seen in General Practice. Her skills and training are a valuable addition to the clinical staff of our surgery.


Premises
We have invested in new windows for the Waiting Room.

They are double glazed and have opening windows to enable more ventilation in the summer months. They also look very smart!


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).

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. You can see some of our results through the website NHS Choices.


Watching out for the effects of Alcohol
A new booklet ‘Your drinking and You’ will be available at the surgery soon. It is hoped that it will help to reduce the number of people drinking at increasing and higher risk levels. Alcohol Effects focuses on hidden health harms, particularly conditions you cannot see developing, such as cancer and heart disease. It also includes a six-step guide to cutting down.


Carers Direct
Carers Direct has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the service, particularly among ‘hidden carers’ – people who look after and support friends or relatives, but don’t consider it ‘care’. A promotional poster is displayed in the waiting room and cards are available from reception giving contact details for help and support.


Summer is on the way!
Believe it or not! So as summer approaches remember to cover up with clothing or sun screen!!


‘YoungMinds’ helpline for parents
Mental health charity YoungMinds has set up the national Parents helpline as part of the Families Information Direct campaign, organized by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. This is a confidential service which provides extra support for parents who are worried about their child’s behaviour or emotional problems. Freephone 08088025544.


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.


Review Dates
If you see a review date on your prescription, such as medication review, please do make an appointment to save us having to ask you to do so. It will save a great deal of time and also avoid delays and prescription queries. Thank you.


Services
We have many services which can help to improve your health and to which you can self-refer by asking at reception:
Stopping Smoking
Exercise Referral
Family and Personal Weight Management
Lifestyle Mentoring
Relaxation Class
Managing Stress Course
Improving Sleep Class


Help your doctor to keep to time
Remember our regular appointments are scheduled at 10 minute intervals.
It is helpful if patients can limit the number of queries they bring
to each appointment please.

General Information (from our practice leaflet)

Download our Practice Leaflet as a PDF

Newsletter

Medical Advice

Useful Links


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Newsletter Archive

Newsletter Issue 1
Winter 2008

Newsletter Issue 2
Summer 2009

Newsletter Issue 3
Spring 2010