Apprenticeship Opportunity

We are looking to employ an administration apprentice to help support the practice with patient care recall systems.

The apprenticeship is open to all applicants aged over 16 years and is supported by the Education Partnership North East (Northumberland College). Completion will result in a level 3 qualification in business administration.

If you are interested, please apply using the link below: 

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/1000244874

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COVID VACCINES SPRING 2024

Message from West Northumberland Primary Care Network:  This spring Be wise, immunise!

This spring those most vulnerable and at greatest risk from COVID-19 will need extra protection. You are eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine if you are:

• aged 75 years & over (by the 30^th June 2024)
• aged 6 months and over and are immunosuppressed

DO NOT CALL YOUR GP PRACTICE AS THEY ARE UNABLE TO BOOK THIS FOR YOU

TO BOOK if you are eligible: search ‘NHS COVID-19 vaccine’ online, use the NHS app or telephone 119.

We are offering appointments at:  HEXHAM MART

choose this location – if this is not available when you go to book, please try again at another time, more appointments are being added all the time.

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Zero Tolerance 

Sadly, we have noticed a recent increase in the abuse suffered by our staff.  This has come face to face and over the phone.  We have also received abusive emails.  

Our staff are following processes and procedures determined by the GP partners, which are put in place for patient safety.

We are aware that navigating healthcare systems can be difficult and sometimes frustrating, but we are happy to explain our procedures and pathways if given the chance to do so.  We are also aware that patients can be ill or anxious and make allowances for that, but none of our staff should be upset by interactions with patients.

We therefore ask that you treat our staff with courtesy and respect as they try their best to help.

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Think Pharmacy First

You may have seen publicity about this recently expanded scheme.   You can attend a pharmacy yourself or one of our reception team may refer you.  There is no charge for the consultation but prescription items are chargeable (if you pay).

The pharmacist will call you within 3 hours (which may be the following day).  Please remember that pharmacists are skilled clinicians who communicate appropriately with our GPs if necessary.

Conditions  which can be dealt with by a pharmacist:

Aches and pains - back pain, headache, migraine, muscle ache, period paid, teething, toothache

Allergies - bites and stings, hay fever, skin reaction

Colds and flu - cough, congestion, sore throat, fever/temperature(including fever following immunisation)

Ear care - earache, ear infection, ear wax

Eye care - bacterial conjunctivitis, styes

Gastrointestinal care - diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion, piles, reflux, threadworms, vomiting

Head lice

Mouth care - cold sores, oral thrush, ulcers

Skin Care - athlete's foot, chicken pox, contact dermatitis/atopic eczema, fungal skin infections, nappy rash, itching, scabies, warts, verrucas

Urine infections - women aged 18-64

Vaginal thrush

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Feedback

Our appointment reminder system allows us to request feedback after your appointment and we thank those who take the time to do this.

We realise that many people are wary of clicking on links or may not have smartphones to allow them to do this.

We are happy to take feedback via any means patients refer and take on board any suggestions for improvement.

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AAA Screening

If you receive (or may have already received) a letter from the QE Hospital Gateshead, inviting you to attend Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening, please make arrangements to do so. This is a one off, painless ultrasound scan that measures the aorta in the tummy area. The scan will be local to where you live, only takes 10 mins and you get the results on the day. AAA are most common in men over 65, don’t usually have symptoms and can be fatal if left undetected.

Please don’t ignore the appointment; it could save your life!

If the appointment is unsuitable, please contact AAA screening on 0191 4458747

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Enhanced access hub

there will be some availability at Hexham on Saturday 23 December and Saturday 30 December.

The enhanced access hub will be open 9am-1pm on 26^th December and 1^st January at Corbridge. Hub appointments will be available to book  by clicking on the following link Select a location (herohealth.net).

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Shingles vaccination programme (from gov.uk website)

From 1 September 2023, the vaccine programme is being offered to healthy people turning 65 or 70 years on, or after, that date.

The roll out will continue at these ages until all those aged 65 years in 2023 have turned 70 and been offered vaccination (in 2028).

In 2028, the vaccine offer will also be extended to those turning 60, as well as those turning 65.

In 2033, the Shingrix shingles vaccine will become a routine offer at age 60 (by which time all those turning 65 years will have already been offered the vaccine). Once you have become eligible, you will remain eligible for the shingles vaccine until your 80th birthday.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1178498/UKHSA_12644_Shingles_Eligibility_table_poster_2023_12_landscape_WEB.pdf

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Autumn Covid Booster Vaccines 

 As from Monday the 18^th September, the NHS has started to invite patients to book their Covid Autumn Booster in priority order of risk.

Those eligible* are now able to book an appointment via the National Booking Service website (NBS), and appointments will appear bookable at the Mart, Hexham, Tyne Green, NE46 3SG. 

Patients can also book appointments in the NHS APP, or by ringing 119. 

You will be offered a location(s) where vaccine is available. 

If your preferred location is not available at the time of booking, please continue to try again later. 

Some eligible patients may receive an invite to book into one of our local booking service (for limited local pop-up appointments only) 

Please be patient and do not contact your GP practice. 

Eligible patients: 

- Care Home Residents and staff. 

- All adults aged 65 and over. 

- People aged 5 to 64 years, in a clinical risk group (including Immunosuppressed). (Self-declare on the National Booking Service) 

- Frontline Health & Social Care Workers. 

- People aged 12 to 64 who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, as defined in the UKHSA Green Book. 

- People aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the UKHSA Green Book) and staff working in care homes.  

(Self-declare on the National Booking Service) 

(Patients aged 6 months to 4yrs old, in a clinical risk group will be invited separately.) 

For any covid queries please contact the NHS Covid telephone line by ringing 119 or visit www.nhs.uk 

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Flu clinics

Our main flu clinic is at the Primary Care Centre on Saturday 30 September.  Appointments are available to book online.  We also have other sessions available for those unable to attend on 30 September.  These are Thursday mornings in October.

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Carer Organisations

Please ensure that you check appropriate registrations e.g. with the NMC and/or CQC for carers or care organisations coming into people's homes.

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Accessibility

We have added the Userway icon to our website to allow viewers to change settings, tailoring the contrast etc to their needs.

Our latest newsletter is available in the newsletters section.

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Travelling Abroad

Whilst abroad, please be aware that we cannot:

• consult or provide any medical advice by phone, email, fax or video link
• provide electronic transfer or faxed prescriptions should you run out of medication
• source a doctor or medical assistance
• ensure there are suitable medication supplies at your intended destination.

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Reviews

We are introducing a ‘birth month’ annual review system for patients who have regular check-ups and blood tests. Patients will be contacted by letter in the month of their birthday inviting them to book their annual reviews, and we will aim to streamline our systems into one process which should reduce visits to the practice for lots of our patients.  We ask that you bear with us whilst we are introducing this system.

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Group A Strep infections

There are lots of viruses that cause sore throats, colds and coughs circulating. These should resolve without medical intervention. However, children can on occasion develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and that can make them more unwell.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:

• your child is getting worse
• your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
• your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

Good hand and respiratory hygiene are important for stopping the spread of many bugs. By teaching your child how to wash their hands properly with soap for 20 seconds, using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, and keeping away from others when feeling unwell, they will be able to reduce the risk of picking up or spreading infections.

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Saturday Hub

The local extended access hub operates from Sele's premises every Saturday. If you need to see someone on a Saturday or can't get to a smear appointment through the week, please ask to be booked into the 'hub'.

Ear syringing is also available at the hub for those who need this.

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First Contact Physiotherapists

If you have aches and pains which you think might need a referral for physiotherapy, please ask for an appointment with our first contact physiotherapist who works with us on Mondays.

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Pregnancy care

You can self refer for pregnancy care without needing to see a GP.

Please click on the link for more information: Pregnancy Care

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Appointment Times

Most of our appointments are for a duration of 10 minutes and we request that you attend in time. We do try our best to work to time but there are occasions when consultations take longer than anticipated for many reasons, so please bear with us.

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Contact details

Please ensure that we have up to date contact details for you. Mobile contact details are particularly helpful for us to send text messages inviting you to attend for vaccinations etc. If you have changed your mobile phone in the past few months, we may not have the correct number.

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Polio

Polio vaccine is part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination schedule. It's given to babies and children when they are:

• 8, 12 and 16 weeks old as part of the 6 in 1 vaccine DTaP/IPV/Hib/ HepB
• 3 years and 4 months old as part of the 4 in 1 pre school booster (DTaP/IPV)
• 14 years old as part of the 3 in 1 teenage booster (Td/IPV)

You need to have all of these vaccinations to be fully vaccinated against polio.

If you have missed out for any reason, you can have polio vaccination for free on the NHS at any age. You should get vaccinated even if you've had polio before as the vaccine protects against different types of polio.

Having been declared polio free in 2003, genetically related polio virus has recently been found in sewage samples in London. This suggests it is likely there has been some spread between closely linked individuals in North and East London and that they are now shedding the type 2 poliovirus strain in their faeces. Please consider having a polio vaccination if you need one.

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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening (AAA)

Our eligible patients will shortly be called for screening under this national programme. We would encourage anyone invited to engage with the programme.

Research Project - June 2022

The practice is participating in a research project called PATHOR which is assessing the impact on mental health of pregnancy and childbirth.

We are sending text messages to eligible patients. who may wish to participate.

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Breast Screening

eligible ladies will soon receive an invitation from the NHS breast screening service asking them to make an appointment. The invitations are not issued by the practice.we would encourage all eligible patients to attend for this very important check.

February newsletter available here

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MMR

The risk of catching Measles, Mumps or Rubella increases when your child goes to nursery. If they are not vaccinated, they are left exposed to becoming seriously ill if they are infected. Protect your child and make an appointment for a vaccination.

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West Northumberland Primary Care Network wants your help

Are you enthusiastic about the health and wellbeing of your community?

Are you a patient of Branch End Surgery, The Bellingham Practice, Burn Brae Medical Group, Corbridge Medical Group, Haltwhistle Medical Group, Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group, Prudhoe Medical Group, Scots Gap Medical Group, Sele Medical Group or White Medical Group?

Then the West Northumberland Primary Care Network (PCN) wants your help.

The GP practices across the Tyne Valley are working together to give you a more co-ordinated and wider range of services. We want to set up a Patient Participation Group (PPG) to understand what patients and carers experience in our services and what they want in the future.

Although not members of the PCN, Adderlane Surgery and Riversdale Surgery receive services from our PCN, so patients from these surgeries are also welcome to join our PPG.

Being part of the PPG means having a voice and participating in the development of the range, shape and quality of our services.

PPG members are volunteers and meet regularly (virtually at the moment).

You may already be part of a PPG at your local practice, and we are keen for you to bring your experience to this new wider group. If you have never been involved before then there is lots to do and it’s an exciting time to get involved. We can put you in touch with an existing member of the PPG to hear first-hand about what a great opportunity this is.

What to do next

To arrange an informal chat with Jeni Langdown, the PCN Manager email norccg.westnorthumberlandpcn@nhs.net.

Come to a meeting at 6pm on Thursday 17 February 2022, hosted by Healthwatch Northumberland. The meeting will be online.

Book at norccg.westnorthumberlandpcn@nhs.net and you will be sent the link

Email info@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk to book your place and then you will be sent a link

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Dr Walker

We wish to announce that Dr Walker will be retiring at the end of March. We thank him enormously for his years of support and dedication to the practice and his patients.

We hope to be able to let you know about his successor very soon.