Newsletter - Summer 2024

Practice News

Car Park Update

You will be aware that we have been trialling closing the car park at school drop off and pick up times. Apart from a few teething problems, the closure of the car park has been a success, so we will be continuing with this approach gonig forward. The whole area feels safer, calmer and stress free. We've had a few issues with cars parking in front of the barriers, but have now put cones out to stop this, as we require emergency access to the car park at all times.

Patients who require the car park, such as blue badge holders, are booked at times the car park is available to allow them to access the building. 

Our patient coordinators are reminding patients of the closure when booking patient appointments during these times.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Carers Surgery

Are you a carer or know someone who is? Are you/ they getting the support they need? We recently had a very successful session in our reception with Holly Green, our local GP Carers Liaison Worker. Each month the practice has appointments available with Holly for any carers who are registered at Horfield Health Centre. These are for advise or signposting in relation to your caring role.

Pick up a leaflet at the front desk for more information.

Elaine's Retirement

We would like you to join us in wishing our wonderful Lead Nurse Elaine a fond farewell. Elaine has decided the time has come to retire from the practice after nearly 35 years with us! Elaine will be missed by all her colleagues and patients. 

If you would like to send in any messages for Elaine, please do so at horfield.health@nhs.net and we will pass them on to Elaine.

Volunteer Digital Champions

At the practice, we have a few volunteer groups - drivers, patient participation - and we are currently looking to have some volunteer digital champions added to our pool of patients supporting improvements in the practice.

What will a digital champion do?

We are hoping to run some NHS App support sessions at the practice, and the Digital Champion will work alongside the practice team to deliver some coaching sessions for any patient who would like to use the NHS App, but are unsure how or where to start. 

The amount of time required will depend of the demand for the sessions, but we are hping around 2 hours per month.

You will run the coaching sessions during opening hours of the practice so there will always be the support of the practice team in the building.

Why are we doing this?

The NHS App is the very best way to request your repeat prescriptions, review your recent test results and view your medical record from point of access. The app means patients will have this information at their fingertips, and will not necessarily spend time waiting on the phone to speak to someone.

How do you become a volunteer?

Please email horfield.health@nhs.net with FAO Summer Kendall, and someone will be in touch.

NHS App Support

We are currently looking at our digital access and the needs of our patients. We know there may be a number of patients whow would happily use digital services such as NHS App, but may need help when first setting up the App or may need help feeling confident to use the App. 

We are hoping to run some coaching sessions, delivered by patient volunteers, in the future that will help patients set up the App on their devices, and explain how the app can beneift patients.

If this is something you think you would benefit from, please speak to one of our patient navigators about completing a questionnaire.

Once we have a sense of how many patients would like these coaching sessions, we will be able to plan and then communicate with patients about requirements for the coaching sessions.

Sping Booster Clinics

Thank you to everyone who came along to the spring booster clinic. We vaccinated 1073 patients across both Horfield Health Centre and Gloucester Road Medical Centre. 

This was the first time we ran the clinics across the two practices and it went really smoothly. We have had some amazing feedback from those who attended - thank you so much for the positive comments and these have been communicated to the team.

We will provide more information about the Autumn boosters as soon as we have it.

Summer Sun

I for one am happy for the warmer weather and longer days! Walks without wellies, pub gardens after work, Saturdays pottering in the garden. Although we are happy for the sun, we need to make sure we are staying safe whilst outside. Here are a number of ways to stay safe:

• Cover as much of your skin as possible - especially shoulders as they burn easy!
• Wear a hat to keep your face out of the sun.
• Sunglasses with UV filters are essential!
• Sunscreen! SPF30+ applied generously 30 minutes before going outside and at least every two hours - don't forget the SPF30 lip balm.
• Shade! We all like the sun, but keeping in the shade between 11am and 3pm will protect you from the sun  - just 10 minutes of strong sunlight can burn pale skin.

Published: Jul 1, 2024