Corona Virus - If you are concerned about the corona virus and how to access help/information, please click on the link below:
Corona Virus - Information
'Movember' Thank you
Dr Mills has raised £57.88 for 'Movember the charity that supports men's health issues including testicular cancer and men's suicides. Thank you for your generous donations to the worthy cause.
Movembver link
Patient Group Donation
Thank you to our Patient Participation Group who have donated £500 towards a 24 hour blood pressure monitor to help patients needing to record their BP over a 24 hour period. This will mean less of a wait to loan it out. The practice are extremely grateful of this kind donation. Below is a picture of the group donation.
IMPORTANT -Are you taking Gabapentin or Pregabalin (Lyrica, Alzain, Neurontin)?
Please read
If you would like to discuss this with our pharmacist, Gill, please contact the practice.
Bowel Cancer Screening for over 60, have you done your test? Please read this leaflet
Common complaints
Dehydration and heatstroke
During summer months, people often go to their doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke.
Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day between 11am and 3pm.
Have plenty of cold drinks, and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine or drinks high in sugar. If drinking fruit juice, dilute it with water. Eat cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with high water content.
Barbeques and food poisoning
Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the Accident & Emergency department during warmer months. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly.
It’s commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly.
Ensure food is cooked properly before serving. Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating.
Sports injuries
Sports-related injuries from playing football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained ankles, wrists and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.
Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care. If you’ve suffered a strain or sprain use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression Elevation) therapy or visit your pharmacy for advice. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor or call 111 as soon as possible.
Choose the right service for your illness or injury
Unnecessary GP visits can drain resources from caring for older, chronically-ill people, and have a knock-on effect of placing A&E and emergency departments under further pressure.
All kinds of minor illnesses and injuries, from insect bites to hay fever, sun burn to minor cuts, can be treated at home with advice and medicines from your local pharmacist.
Self-care is the best option if you have a common summer health complaint.
Your high street pharmacy can give you expert advice without an appointment.
You can also call 111 free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a week for a medical emergency that does not require a 999 call.
Condom Collection Point, anyone aged 13 - 24 years old - C-Card Scheme
We are a collection point for free condoms and lubes if you are aged between 13 & 24 years old and have a C-card. Our staff are fully trained to give these out. We have lots in stock. You dont have to be a patient at Orchard to collect them just show your C-card to one of our receptionists.
If you would like to register for a C-card please click on the link below to find a registration point near you.
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/health-and-wellbeing/sexual-health/c-card-scheme
NEW: SELF REFER - PHYSIOTHERAPY REFERRALS in 3 easy steps - NO NEED TO SEE A GP
Patients can now self refer to physiotherapy without the need to see a GP first in 3 easy steps Physio 3 steps. Fill out this form physio referral form and send off via email, post or hand it in to the practice to send off, the service will then contact you.
Help for Homeless
We support the homeless by having a box in our waiting area of warm items of clothing and blankets which are available if you need it or you know of someone who does. If you also have any items of warm clothing or tins of food (non-perishables) please feel free to bring them in. We do from time to time also give the items from the box to the Salvation Army on Victoria Street Mansfield when the box is full.
If you feel you are at risk from becoming homeless, help, information and advice is available for you. If you would like some help and information regarding who to turn to and where to go please click this link http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/article/5745/Homeless-or-at-risk or contact Mansfield District Council on 01623 463121. If you are not able to retrieve this we have this information within the practice printed out. Help is out there for you. We also have a box in our waiting area
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Don't forget you can be part of the Patient Participation Group for Orchard, we are look for any age patient to become a part of it to give ideas, opinions and feedback on the way services are managed and what we can do better and work towards in the future. Please take a look number 8 under 'further information' if you would like more detail, this also includes dates & times.
Our Next Meeting date: Wednesday 15th January 2020 1.30 pm at the practice
Appointment Statistics - December 2019
4518 patients were seen routinely
2569 Patients were spoken to on the telephone by a doctor
985 patients spoken to or were seen as an emergency
3727 patients were seen by a nurse/health care technician
328 patients DID NOT ATTEND their appointments
1922 patients had a blood test, however 4844 indvidual results came back to process
7462 prescriptions were issued, however, 35.755 individual items were prescribed
776 referral or other Letters typed
5003 incoming letters were processed
4% of appointments were not attended
The effects of patients not attending appointments are:
- An increase in the waiting time for other patients requiring appointments
- Frustration for both staff and patients
- A waste of resources
- A potential risk to the health of the patient
We now send letters out to any patient that doesn't attend their appointment, if you receive 3 letters within a six month period, your registration with the practice could be compromised.
If you can't attend your appointment please cancel it. An easy alternative is to sign up to our online booking and cancelling service is very easy to use, you just need to bring identification down to the practice, the receptionist will give you a username and password and you are able to use it within 24 hours.
One Problem Clinics, Minor Injuries Clinics & a Nurse Practitioner Service
We now offer one problem clinics in a morning and afternoon with our nurse practitioner & doctor (whichever is more appropriate) these are shorter appointments for patients who have just 'one problem'. Minor Injury Clinics We also have an urgent minor injuries Walk-In clinic. This is to ensure that you receive attention immediately for any injury you may have.
Our clinician will be happy to attend to you, please report to our reception desk. This service has been designed so Orchard Medical Practice is your first port of call and NOT Accident and Emergency. Your injury has to be within the last 48 hours of it happening. This only applies to the following injuries
- Lacerations/Bruising
- Minor Head Injuries
- Minor Burns
- Eye Injuries
- Knee injuries
- Minor trauma to hands, limbs or feet
- Blows to head where there has been no loss of consciousness
- foreign bodies
Are you a Carer - help is at hand
Are you a carer or look after someone, help could be at hand, click the link below for details.
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/caring/adultsocialcare/backgroundsupport/social-care-publications/?entryid126=147003&p=2
Friends & Family Test - Survey
We would be extremely grateful if you could fill out our Friends & Family Survey (found to the right) whether you are likely to recommend Orchard to your Friends & Family. We submit statistics monthly to NHS England so we would appreciate your help. Paper copies are available on reception if you prefer. Thanks for your help. Please see below for results
December 20 - total of responses = 159
Extremely likely to recommend =124 Likely to recommend = 29
Neither likely nor unlikely = 4 Unlikely - 2 Extremely unlikely = 0 Don't know= 0
Find us on Facebook, Join & Share with your friends
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Orchard-Medical-Practice/785369651494411?ref=hl
NHS Website - 4* status
Please take a look at the NHS Website (formally NHS Choices), we are proudly showing our 4* status and of 94% of people would recommend Orchard. If you would like to leave a review please go to https://www.nhs.uk/
Insertion & Removal of Coils & Implants
We offer the insertion and removal of Mirena Coils & Implants. We hold regular clinics with a female GP. Please speak to our receptionist for further information.
We are a Research Practice
Please click the attached link regarding Patient Information and how your information may be used for Health Research.
https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/
We are working in collaboration with the Clinical Research Network: East Midlands (CRN:EM). The CRN:EM is part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is focused on enhancing and promoting research, ensuring that it is conducted in line with ethical procedures and for patient benefit. There is a local team working within Nottingham City and Nottingham County, facilitating research within primary care.
We have signed up to a Research Site Initiative Scheme; resulting in them choosing to be involved in appropriate and relevant research studies, focused on enhancing patient care and working on studies that are of particular interest and need for their patient population. The primary care team surpassed recruitment expectations in the financial year of 2014-2015 and this could not have been done without the support of local practices and the engagement from patients in these areas.
You can access the following links for the NIHR and the Clinical Research network:
http://www.nihr.ac.uk/ - National Institute for Health Research
http://www.crn.nihr.ac.uk/ - Clinical Research Network
http://www.enrich.nihr.ac.uk/ - Enrich
http://www.crn.nihr.ac.uk/dementia/about-dementia-research/join-dementia-research/ - Information on Join Dementia Research
If you would like to join the Dementia Research, here is a video you can watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt5FdfsQy_4&feature=youtu.be
Or view a poster for more information click on the link below:
Dementia Study information
Are you a long term catheter user - The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Hospitals Trust are conducting research into a new urinary catheter designed to reduce the risk of infection: See link for more information and who to contact.
Catheter Research
Text Messaging Service
You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care.
If you wish to register for this messaging service please fill out the consent form.
Named Accountable GP
From 1 April 2015, practices are required under the contract to allocate a named, accountable GP to all patients (including children).
Unless you have specified an alternative GP your named accountable GP will be the doctor you are registered under. This will in no way effect your care from the Practice and you will be seen by all GPs who have equal access to your medical records. Unless you pre-book your appointment in advance you will be allocated a GP subject to availability on that day.
Accessible Information Standard
The Accessible Information Standard aims to ensure that people who have a disability or sensory loss receive information that they can access and understand (for example in large print, braille) and professional communication support if you need it, such as from a British Sign Language interpreter.
We can update your patient record with this information you can let a receptionist know or complete the attached form. Accessible Information Form
You can read the ‘Summer 2016 update‘ on the Accessible information standard in Microsoft Word. The update is also available in easy read and as a British Sign Language (BSL) film.