Winter Update from Rothschild House Group Surgery
The surgery is busy conducting the annual free ‘flu vaccinations for the over 65s and children but if you haven’t received notification of yours please contact them as soon as possible. You could also be offered a pneumonia vaccination and, if over 70, a shingles vaccination. Please take up these offers and if for any reason you need to cancel, inform the surgery. These vaccinations cost the surgery in materials and staff time and if those who are booked don’t turn up, there is a danger of a valuable vaccination dose being wasted as they only have a limited shelf life. If you are thinking of using a chemist for a ‘flu vaccination be aware that they may not be offering the same multi-variant vaccine as the surgery and it may not be as effective. More information here.
A new Primary Care Mental Health Nurse started with the surgery on 28 October. She will be based at Rothschild House on Mondays and accessible to patients from across the group. However, for a patient to access this service they need to be directly referred to her via their GP. The first appointment would be a telephone call with her and then she would book the patients directly for face-to-face appointments depending on need.
Merger with Berkhamsted Group Practice (BGP)
The merger is proceeding, and approval has now been received for BGP to move to a renovated Gossoms End surgery in around a year’s time, greatly improving patients’ facilities.
Bucks Healthcare Trust
As many Tring and District patients use Bucks Healthcare hospitals by choice, at Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe, the surgery is keen to ensure that their experience is the best it can be. They have documented several patients’ poor experiences and sent them to the Trust’s chief executive and other key senior staff, in order to enter discussions on how services for patients might be improved. As that discussion progresses, patients will be kept informed. Of course not all patient experiences are bad and they’d encourage you to report good as well as bad experiences, which can be done through the NHS Choices website by finding the relevant organisation.
Getting to know the NHS
People often say that they would like to get more involved in their local NHS but find the structure and processes difficult to navigate. Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (HVCCG) periodically holds informal ‘Introduction to your NHS’ sessions which give a step-by-step guide to the workings of the NHS together with an opportunity to find out ways of getting involved. Their next session will be on Monday 11 November, 10am-12noon at Boxmoor Trust, London Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2RE. There is parking available on site and travel expenses can be claimed. To book your place or for more information contact heather.aylward@nhs.net.
Useful information sources
Rothschild House Patient Participation Group believes that patients have useful ideas and feedback to share and would also like to keep you updated by emailing you with regular updates and plans for new services. If this is of interest to you, please contact them, either using the email address rhsppg@gmail.com, write marking your envelope Attention PPG and leave it at one of the surgery’s reception desks or visit www.rothschildhousesurgery.co.uk for more information.