WELCOME TO THE BUNBURY ROAD SURGERY WEBSITE!
Spring Newsletter: View below or click latest news to download your own copy.
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Dear Patients,
After a lovely sunny March, this Spring is proving to be more and more wet, windy and rainy. Nevertheless, we all should make an effort to feel the Spring among us.
At the end of March 2012, I completed my first year since taking over the practice from Dr SY. Sham. I am pleased to say that I am now feeling settled in the practice, though, I must admit that the last year has not been easy. I must thank all my practice staff and my patients for being along side me through my first year with its ups and downs. Overall, it had been very satisfying and I promise to take it from strength to strength, every year.
As of 1st April 2012, we have closed out Old Barn Surgery. Most of our patients, who could access the Bunbury Road Surgery have transferred over to this site. I would like to thank those patients who have made the effort to continue their care with us.
I would like to thank my staff again, who have worked extremely hard to help during the closure of Old Barn and who have continued to help reorganise everything back at Bunbury Road Surgery.
Website:
Thank you to all of you who have given me feedback in relation to the website. We have seen increased use of the online repeat prescription service and I would encourage all of you who have access to the internet at home/work to try and use this service, which I feel you will find beneficial.
In the next few months, I am looking into how we can use the website to book online appointments. Before I do so, I need to take into consideration all the pros and cons of online booking as well as looking at our existing booking system.
DNA ‘Did Not Attend’ Appointment Slots:
With the above statement about appointments, I would like to stress the point that we did have many DNA’s in the months of December 2011 and January 2012, when appointments are very precious and tight.
I would recommend all patients attend their scheduled appointments, so as not to waste the valuable NHS resources. If you cannot make your appointment, we would appreciate if you would contact the surgery on: 0121 477 7617 and cancel your appointment at least 30 minutes before it is scheduled. This is so it can be offered to any other patient who is in need.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Cardiovascular Screening:
I would like to remind you all of our Cardiovascular Screening health checks, which we are offering to patients, who fit the criteria below:
- Aged 40-74 years
- Who do not suffer from existing Heart disease, Stroke or Diabetes
If you have not had a screening performed in the last 5 years and you fulfil the above criteria, please make an appointment with the practice nurse either at reception or by telephone: 0121 477 7617.
Smoking Cessation Clinic:
At Bunbury Road Surgery, we actively encourage the smoking cessation clinic for patients who currently smoke. If you would like to attend the clinic, please book an appointment with our Healthcare Assistant, Pamela Hardy to address this health need. When you book your appointment, please inform reception that it will be your 1st appointment for smoking cessation.
Medication Reviews:
Since last year, I have made slight changes to the medication reviews. I have aligned the medication reviews with chronic disease reviews i.e. diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and so on. These chronic disease reviews could be aligned with your medication reviews enabling you to have a one stop annual review. I have had a lot of positive feedback on this and this system has indeed worked very well and so I would like to continue this scheme.
I would advise all the patients, that if you are due your medication review on your prescription, that you make an appointment for your annual reviews at the same time.
Staff News:
Doctors:
We would like to say our final goodbyes to Dr Man. She is now happily married and has now relocated to Portsmouth. We wish her the very best for the future.
Dr Chidrawar, who worked a session on Friday afternoon with us, had had to stop this session temporarily due to other work commitments.
Dr Narayan continues to work with us on Mondays, Thursday morning and Fridays.
Dr Majid continues to work with us on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoon.
I would like to welcome a new GP, Dr Kurian (female), who works along side me on a Tuesday afternoon.
Practice Staff:
We are pleased to announce that our head receptionist, Sam, is expecting her second child and we would like to give her all of our support during her days of pregnancy.
Substance Misuse Clinic:
Kirsty Arrowsmith was our Drug Worker, who had worked with us for the last 3 years and due to rearrangements at her base, Swanswell, she has been relocated to North Birmingham. We are sad of her departure and we will miss her.
We do have two new drug workers:
- Olu Adu, who works on Tuesday
- Kate Colgan, who works on Wednesday
Chiropodist:
Jenny continues to offer her Private Chiropody service on Wednesday afternoon, if you need her services, please ask reception staff for her contact details.
Patient Group Forum:
We have an active patient group and who meet on a quarterly basis. I would like to remind you all of their names and contact details (Please download the newsletter for their contact details). They welcome any queries, questions or recommendations for the practice from you all.
We will be having another ‘Coffee & Tea’ event this summer, so please watch this space for posters and leaflets, which will be displayed in the surgery. We hope that this will be a good morning for you to meet all of the patient group members, the staff team and to exchange ideas with them. Further details regarding the open day will be displayed shortly.
Telephone Consultations:
Last but not least, I am reminding you all of a new service that I have been offering to all of my patients in the last 3-4 months of telephone consultations. Most of the patients have welcomed this service. These consultations are performed at the end of my morning and evening clinic. Conditions that are recurrent, extensions of sick notes and medications that are not on repeat can be dealt with via these telephone consultations. If you feel that you have a medical problem, which a GP can help via the telephone, please inform reception that you would like a call back telephone consultation on 0121 475 1050 and please leave your contact details. I will duly return the call on the same day and your health needs can be addressed.
Once again, I would like to thank you and the staff for all of your help, support and patient, which has been offered to me during the last year.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Aditi Gupte