Notice Board

Newmarket Medical Practice- Keeping up to date with your Practice The Doctors and staff are pleased to introduce the latest changes to aid the smooth running of the practice whilst improving the service we provide to our patients. DONATIONS Thanks to all the patients and their relatives who have given donations or gifts to the surgery throughout the year. We have recently received paintings for the surgery and many donations for the equipment fund. We are constantly looking at ways to improve the service and the excellent equipment purchased this year will aid these improvements. Suggestions for suitable future purchses are welcome. NEW DEFIBRILLATOR This an essential piece of equipment which has recently been replaced in the surgery. The clinical team and some of the frontline staff have been trained to use the equipment by a local'LIVES' trainer should an unfortunate occasion arise. WEIGHING SCALES You will see our new scales in a discreet position in the corridor next to treatmant room A, THESE SCALES ARE FOR PATIENT USE. They are the latest of their kind, being able to produce a printout to calculate height, weight and body mass index. Patients choosing to use the equipment or patients who have been asked for their weighton attending an appointment may use the scales and take the print out into the GP or Nurse for assessment. Keen weight watchers may just like to pop in and get weighed for sheer pleasure. DISPENSARY-Repeat prescription requests When we re-organised the dispensary a few months ago we removed the letter box at the side of the dispensary hatch and replaced it with a slot in the work surface. This is so that prescrition requests are easily accessible to the dispensers from the inside. LOOK FOR THE RED ARROW THAT MARKS THE SLOT TELEPHONE The Touch Screen at reception and a revised appointment system are working well. The extra telephone lines are enabling calls to be answered promptly but please still be patient if you are asked to hold as we will attend to your call as soon as possible. Between 8am and 9am each day, the Nurse Practitioners work alongside the receptionists to helpwith the large number of calls, sometimes 50-60 calls in the first hour. We value your comments and thank you for all your continued support. PNEUMONIA VACCINES Are recommended for all our patients who are 65years of age and over. The vaccine is usually a 'one off' unless otherwise advised at the time of the vaccination and it can be given at any time of the year. If you are eligible for the vaccine and have not yet received yours please speak to a receptionist to arrange an appointment. ATTENTION ALL TEENAGERS We have been invited to participate in the Lincolnshire wide 'C' Card Scheme. The scheme provides free condoms to teenagers who have a 'C' card. To obtain a card all you have to do is attend one of our Teenage Advice Clinics and register with the practice. Details of the clinics are available from reception. Once you have obtained your card you will be able to collect free condoms here and at other specified centres. CHOOSE AND BOOK On the 1st December 05 the surgery will enter into the new NHS scheme called 'Choose and Book'. This has been introduced by the DOH to offer patients more choice. From the first of the month the Doctors and Nurse Practitioners will be able to refer you to a Choose and Book adviser who will talk to you about the hospitals or services from which you can choose. As always should you require a referral of any kind the GP or Nurse Practitioner will recommend that you see a specialist and prepare a referral letter. Leaflets are also available from reception. MARIE CURIE-The Great 500 Cycle Challenge 2006 Dr Birch, Dr Dwyer and the Practice Manager, Angela will be taking part in this sponsored cycle ride from Vilnius to Warsaw a total of 481KM- 5 days riding. The first of the fund raising events 'A Coffee Morning' will take place on Friday 16th December 10am-12:30pm. PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US The doctors and the staff will all be helping throughout 2006 to ensure we raise as much money as possible for this very worthy cause. Please keep a look out for future events and join us in this exciting challenge. ALL DONATIONS WELCOME Thank you for taking time to read this letter.