Practice Newsletter: February 2025

 

Flu Update

We still have some vaccines available.

If you wish to have your flu vaccination please contact us by phone, or by submitting a contact form here. You can also simply call into the surgery and speak to any of our care navigating staff.  

Remember anyone can get flu, but it can be more serious if you suffer from other health problems.  

Please ask your GP or Practice Nurse if in doubt.

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HIV Testing Week 

Do you know your HIV status? Would you like to know your HIV status?

The National HIV Testing Week starts on Monday 10 February 2025 for one week. During this period, individuals aged 16 and above, and getting their blood tested, will be offered an HIV test.

If you prefer not to be tested, please let a member of staff know. Further details are available here.

 

 
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Help Us to Help You

We appreciate and continue to ask for your help in the following ways: 

  • Consider seeking advice from a pharmacist in the first instance for minor illnesses
  • Keep a well-stocked medicine cabinet to deal with minor illnesses and minor injuries at home
  • Order your repeat prescriptions in good time with at least 48 hours’ notice
  • Refer to NHS UK website for advice
  • Please use our website to access all sort of useful help and advice regarding your care
  • Allow the care navigators to make the most appropriate appointment for your condition; this may be a Health Care Assistant, Practice Nurse, the Walk in centre at Beckenham Beacon, or Pharmacy 
  • Consider alternative services, such as physiotherapists, counselling services, community services, dentists – are these services more appropriate? Please check our website for available information
  • Use your GP appointment wisely, prioritise your needs for the allocated 10 minutes
  • Cancel any appointments you no longer need someone
 

Patient Survey 

The national patient survey is still ongoing. If you have received an invitation, please fill out the questionnaire and have your say so we can deliver the best possible service to patients. The survey will be closing in early April. 

The findings help to show what is working and what needs to improve. The survey is carried out securely and information published does not identify individuals.

For more information about the survey, visit the GP Patient Survey website.

 

A Night of Recognition and Triumph

We are excited to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our very own Barbara, who was honoured with the prestigious Nurse of the Year Award at the remarkable Lewisham General Practice Excellence Awards night held on Friday 31 January 2025.

This awards ceremony, organised by the Lewisham CEPN Training hub with colleagues from NHS South East London ICB) celebrated the contributions made by staff in general practice in Lewisham.  In an evening filled with joy and pride, we were also delighted to witness the success of Dr Bnar Raheem who trained with us just a few years ago.

Dr Raheem was awarded the GP of the Year Award, further demonstrating the high standard of care and dedication that we strive to uphold.  We take immense pride in our affiliation with such remarkable individuals, whose commitment to patient care reflects our shared values of excellence and compassion.

Congratulations to both Barbara and Bnar - Your achievements inspire us all!

 

Facts and Figures

Here are some facts and figures about our activities in January:

  • 5340 incoming calls
  • 4751 calls answered (85.6%)
  • 942 telephone appointments
  • 9879 appointments offered
  • 724 Blood tests
  • 3041 prescriptions issued
  • 46 Home Visits
  • Friends and Family Test: 97.2% of patients surveyed rated our services as very good or good.
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Wasted Appointments 

If you were not able to get the appointment you wanted in January, that could be that of the 9879 appointments we offered, 305 (3.087%) people who booked, did not show up and failed to cancel.  

 

Please be kind to our staff 

We aim to treat all our patients courteously and with respect. We will do everything possible to offer a service, which we ourselves would like to receive elsewhere. Please treat our staff with the same respect you would expect to receive.

Physical violence, racial, sexual and verbal abuse of our staff will not be tolerated.  

Offenders will be reported to the police and deregistered.  

 
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Practice Closure

We will be closed for staff training at 12:30pm on Thursday 13 February 2025 and reopen at 8am on Friday 14 February 2025.  If you need urgent medical assistance which cannot wait until the surgery reopens, please contact SELDOC who will be providing GP cover on 07483 155 397.  

For chest pain or collapse please dial 999. Should you need to see a doctor when we are closed, you can call 111 for advice.

Regards, 

Antonia

Published: Feb 6, 2025