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PLANNED CLOSURE FOR URGENT BOOK ON THE DAY OR EMERGENCIES: Wednesday 13th March FROM 12PM ONWARDS TRAVEL VACCINES: Do you need vaccinations for travel? Planned closure for Emergencies from 12pm onwards New entrance to the practice PLANNED CLOSURE FOR TRAINING: Wednesday 24th January from 12pm-6.30pm Update on our Pilot on Access 22/1/2024 Reduction in waiting times and improving access Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Children in Need 2023 THE NHS APP AND ACCESS TO YOUR ONLINE RECORDS
Covid Education Meeting and introduction of some additional roles – 27th January 2021
Dr Beanland – CB
Katie Hanson – KH
Judith Sharod – JS
Mary Bunting – MB
Siri Lewis – SL
JS is Portcullis Surgery’s Community and Care Co-Ordinator and deals with all non-clinical support. She signposts patients to the most appropriate services for their care. She also runs a volunteer befriended programme. She also leads the Carers group which provides respite once a month, taking people who provide care for loved ones out for the day.
If someone wants to contact Judith they need to call the practice and ask for a telephone appointment.
KH is the social prescribing advisor for South West Shropshire which includes Portcullis Surgery. Social prescribers help with non-clinical support and lifestyle changes as well as conversations around mood lifting techniques. Katie offers 3-6 month courses of support for patients to allow patients to achieve their goals.
If someone wants to book in with Katie they need to call the practice and ask for a telephone appointment.
MB is a practice counsellor, offering 10 hours a week to the practice. She is one of 3 counsellors working at Portcullis and the service has kept going throughout the pandemic by delivering telephone calls. This has had its challenges but overall has been a very positive programme for patients. Counselling is working towards moving forward and patients and counsellors have to work together. Due to shortness in funding Mary is only able to assess problems and provide short courses so she is also signposting to other services.
SL is also a practice counsellor working with younger patients and is seeing very anxious patients at the moment, through the pandemic, especially around their educational worries. Siri uses the same techniques as Mary and often uses CBT and person centred care.
If someone wants to see a counsellor, then they can call the practice to book a telephone consultation.
Patient question MG – Is there an expansion of problems from the pandemic and can there be some kind of action to gain extra funds?
MB – expects a post pandemic surge and she is concerned about the care workers who have gone above and beyond and are going to become exhausted and need a lot of extra support in the future. Mary was unable to comment on the funding but will continue to volunteer.
CB-we are hoping more funding will become available for counselling in the next year for the moment the practice has funded counselling out of current funds from extended hours.
Covid Questions
Patient Question LB – has various reactions to some alcohols and asks if it is safe to have her vaccine.
CB – some research had been done and the vaccination suggested for the patient would probably be Pfizer based on the ingredients of Astra Zeneca containing alcohol. We will confirm this with PCN pharmacist and CCG
Ingredients of Pfizer
Note, this vaccine contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) and should be noted when considering for use in patients with an allergy to PEG
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/excipients-information-for-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine/
Ingredients for Astra Zeneca
Patient Question – what is happening with the vaccine roll out?
CB – we have now booked all over 80s for their vaccine and over half of our patients have booked at Church Stretton. We are very grateful to all our patients for being prepared to travel.
The only vaccine that we will receive in practice will be the Astra Zeneca, Oxford Vaccine.
We have now confirmed that we can use the Bishops Mascall Centre and the team will be led by Dr Colebrook and ANP Kate Langman. This centre should start working in the next week or so for all Portcullis Patients
Patient question on transport
KH – sent out details of Shropshire Council transport. https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2021/01/coronavirus-free-transport-to-help-shropshire-residents-get-vaccinations/
Shropshire residents who are without access to transport are now able to get FREE transport to their COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
In order to get help, you must have had a letter inviting you for vaccination in Shropshire, and you must be unable to get there any other way. Subject to availability, Shropshire Council will be able to provide transport to help you get to your appointment and back.
All vehicles will have appropriate ventilation, with strict infection control measures in place to ensure they are operated with the highest levels of public health safeguards.
Transport can be booked by calling the council’s COVID-19 Helpline on 0345 678 9028 (option 0).
Plans are also in place to extend the transport offer to cover Shropshire’s larger local vaccination centres in Shrewsbury and Ludlow which are due to open in early February. More details will be published shortly when the opening dates have been confirmed.
Patient Question KS – I am a shielding patient and in cohort 4 when do you think I will have my vaccination and will the Mascall Centre have social distancing measure be met.
CB – National guidance suggests that you should be vaccinated by mid-February and we have submitted plans to confirm that we can deliver it as a practice. The reason for the move to the Mascall Centre is to keep patients apart and to make it a very cold site compared to the practice. There is a walkthrough and no need to pass anyone coming the other way. They are large well ventilated rooms and plenty of gel will be provided.
Patient Question MG- why did it take so long to role out the vaccine in Ludlow
Dr Beanland declined to discuss the issues that led to the delay
Patient statement MG – thanked Portcullis for efforts made so far to bring the vaccine to Ludlow.
Rachel Shields, Practice Manager – asked that all patients used the contact us page on our website to update their mobile numbers.