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Enterprisepractice.co.uk

THE ENTERPRISE EXPLORER
Issue 1 – Autumn/Winter 2014
www.enterprisepractice.co.uk Message from the Chair Surgery Opening .
Welcome to the first issue of the Enterprise Practice Patient Group newsletter, which we hope you will find interesting and informative. Our main objective as a Patient Participation Group (PPG) is to enhance services at your surgery by offering a patient perspective to the Doctors and other staff that work Commuter Clinic
within the practice. Whilst the Enterprise Practice is an excellent Practice, as Monday – Tuesday demonstrated in the recent survey, I believe that as a group of patients (or ‘service users') we can, along with the staff, increase communication which will enable new initiatives to be implemented and further improve the service to the patients. Membership of the PPG is open to all Enterprise patients over the age of 18. Group meetings take place four times a year and we welcome the addition of new committee members. If you would like any further information about our activities or Need to Book an
how to become involved by attending meetings or contributing to the next newsletter, please contact me by email: ‘[email protected]' or in writing and handed in to reception and addressed to Jan Parker (PPG Newsletter). Call 0844 576 9444 Best wishes from Chair Patient Participation Group Enterprise Practice Meet the Enterprise Practice team
afternoon/ evening New email address
for repeat
Back Row (from left to right): Jon Sado (Deputy Manager), Dr Sado (Senior Partner), Jan
Parker (Practice Manager), Sylvia (Voluntary Helper), Tash (District Nurse) Front Row (from left to right): Brenda (Receptionist), Dr Allwright (Senior Partner),
Pramodini (Receptionist), Anita (Receptionist)

Launching the New Practice website Did you know your Practice has its own website? On the website you'll find useful information on:  your surgery  Additional services offered alongside General Medical Service  Health information  the Patient Participation Group  Local services and so much more!! Have a look for yourself MMUNISATI
Season al Flu Vac
babies in our Pr actice are not rec heir full co urses If you would like to be vaccinated, tact reception to make an Diphtheria still occurs in our country as does polio. These diseases can appointment, this is highly kill. Also Measles has made an unwelcome comeback, and also recommended for everyone over the Mumps, which can cause meningitis. age of 65 or if you are in any of the following groups: Many of our preschool children are also not attending for their booster People with: Diabetes, Heart Disease, COPD, Asthma, Chronic Kidney injections. These children will not be fully protected against tetanus, Disease, Liver Disease, Low Immunity, diphtheria, polio, whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella. Pregnant Women and a person caring Schools may refuse to take unimmunised children on school trips as they are at risk. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS FULLY IMMUNISED!
Are You a Carer?
Harrow Carers
Services provided:
The Practice team works hard to ensure any Carers are identified; this Provides information and can be through discussion in advocacy, carers support Support Service - Young Carers consultations and at reception, services and social care completion of the new patient form or and welfare benefits - Older Carers Service carers Identification form, but still - Advocacy & Advice many carers remain unidentified. - Training for carers Once the Practice knows a patient is a - Respite activities Carer they will record this on their - Outings - Carers Hospital record and we will be able to better Discharge service support them in their caring role. Ask at Reception for more information. [email protected] Summary Care Records
Summary Care Records (SCR) are being introduced to improve the safety and quality of patient care and one has been automatically created for you at this practice. WHAT IS A SUMMARY CARE RECORD?
It is an electronic record which will give healthcare staff faster, easier access to essential information about you, to help provide you with safe treatment when you need care in an emergency away from the practice or when your GP practice is closed. It is an electronic summary of patients' key health information which those treating you can get access to anywhere in England. This will only include 3 basic details: Allergies Current Prescriptions Reactions you have to medications If you do not wish to have an SCR created then you are able to ‘opt out' by filling in an ‘opt out' form which is available at the surgery. What Should You Do When The Practice Is Closed?
If you need medical advice or to see a doctor out of surgery hours, please call 111 before taking a trip to A&E. A&E is for emergencies only. Please see the information below which looks at what other healthcare is available.
Do You Really Need
&E …. the Alternatives?
YOUR GP: Your GP is always the
best place to go with non-urgent, Improving and shaping local health and non- threatening illness. Your voice and views matter! PHARMACIST : Your pharmacist can provide you with free
confidential advice for a range of common conditions and illnesses. Sign posting to service providers Listening to your concerns Registering your complaints NHS 111: Dial 111 for fast, reliable medical help and advice for a
Performing ‘Enter and View' activities Advising health & social care authorities non-life threatening emergency. NHS 111 is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Calls are free. Healthwatch Harrow is managed by HiB Business Advice Centre HiB Business Advice Centre Stanmore Place, Howard Road NHS WALK-IN CENTRES: Walk-in centres offer treatment and
Stanmore, HA7 1BT Tel: +44 (0)20 3432 2889 advice on the spot, no need for an appointment. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.healthwatchharrow.co.uk Pinn Medical Centre, Love Lane, Pinner. 020 8866 5766. Open 365 Consumer champion for Health and Social
Care in Harrow
days a year 8am-7.30pm. The Ridgeway, Alexandra Avenue 020 8427 2470 Open weekends and Bank Holidays 8am-4pm URGENT CARE CENTRE (UCC): UCCs are an alternative to A&E. They treat minor injuries and illnesses that require
urgent treatment. Your nearest UCC is at Northwick Park Hospital and is based within the main entrance to the
A&E department. It is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Doctors' article: HERBAL CORNER
Patients often ask me about alternative medicines, to treat certain conditions. I studied herbal medicine at the Institute of Herbal Medicine for two years, and gained a good insight into the most commonly used herbal treatments, for various ailments. One of the commonest questions I am asked relates to how to boost the immune system. Some people seem to go through periods where they pick up one infection after another. Often this is because of "Stress ". The herbal treatments that I suggest trying in these situations are: 1) Echinacea.
This is a flower from the daisy family. Originally it was used by the Red Indians to treat Rattlesnake bites, not that common in the UK! The research carried out on the benefits of Echinacea is scanty, and of poor quality. Professor Ernst from Exeter University found it to be of marginal benefit only. An American Study in 2007, concluded that Echinacea reduced a person's chance of catching a cold by about 58%, and also reduced the length of a cold by one and a half days. However, other studies have shown no benefit over placebo. The most efficacious part of the herb seems to be the flowering parts. These can be made into capsules or a tincture (alcohol extraction of the chemicals from the leaf) Various companies make preparations of Echinacea. I normally obtain these either from Lambert's or Higher Nature. 2) Aloe Vera:
Many patients seem to have tried Aloe Vera, for their skin, but very few have considered taking it as a preventative for infection. Most of the Aloe Vera preparations sold in Health Food shops only contain very tiny amounts of the active herb. Aloe Vera has been tried in inflammatory bowel disease (Colitis and Crohn's disease), but again was shown to be no more effective than placebo. Products made in USA (one region where the herb grows), have a much higher concentration of Aloe. 3) D- Mannose.
This is not a herbal treatment, but is an alternative treatment, to reduce repeated episodes of cystitis /urinary tract infections. This "Long Chain Sugar", seems to act by stopping bacteria from being absorbed into the bladder, so reducing the risk of infection. All alternative medicine products always come with a warning that they cannot be recommended for the treatment of disease. I often resort to using these products when nothing else seems to work. If you look back at medical textbooks in the 1920's and 30's the only medicines available were herbal concoctions. Drug companies did not exist. Indeed, the GP of that era, used to have a Dispenser, who made the medicine up, often with a Pestle and Mortar, grinding up leaves from the freshly grown herbs in the Doctor's Garden

Source: http://www.enterprisepractice.co.uk/files/2014/11/GP_newsletter_draft_4.pdf