Patient newsletter Summer 2024

Patient newsletter Autumn 2023

Patient newsletter Summer 2023

The NHS is here for everyone. Whatever your healthcare needs, we want to make sure you receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Your local NHS is very busy at the moment.You can help ease the pressure by choosing the right service for you when you need medical help or advice. Not only will this help you get treatment you need faster, but help us ensure we can prioritise healthcare for those most in need.

You can find information below on local services alongside how you can help to keep yourself and your family to stay well. You can also find out more in our  Help us help you and your family stay well or our  Your Guide to Childhood Illnesses.

If you are unsure on which service you need, you can visit NHS 111 service online at 111.nhs.uk where your symptoms will be assessed, and you will be given healthcare advice. You can also access this via the NHS App or visit Local Services | CAPCCG Website (cpics.org.uk)

Patients are encouraged to use the new NHS My Planned Care platform that is available online and will provide direct access to the latest average wait time for appointments and operations for local hospitals, as well as helpful advice and support for patients whilst they wait.

NHS My Planned Care is updated weekly, is easy-to-use and has ‘open access’ which enables carers, friends, relatives to also access information on someone else’s behalf.

We at Monkfield Medical Practice are proud to be an accredited Veteran Friendly GP Practice and to honour veterans this Remembrance Day.

More than half of veterans (52%) have a long –term illness or disability, yet research suggests many may be reluctant to seek support for their issues, particularly if they feel they may not be understood.

With an estimated two million veterans in the UK, a GP practice, like ours, may see a veteran patient every day on average. Being able to identify and support veteran patients is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes, as research shows that some veteran patients may face different health challenges to the general population.

It's fantastic being able to make a position impact on our veteran community. The accreditation process is simple and quick and offers plenty of training, information and guidance for the whole practice to help up better meet the needs of veteran patients.

We’d encourage other practices to sign up at www.rcgp.org.uk/veterans

If you’re a patient at our practice you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.

If you already use MMP GP online service available at practice, you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well.

For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp

The Covid19 pandemic has added to the strain on all NHS services. As a result of this, waiting list times for outpatient and specialist appointments and procedures have increased for everybody. 

We appreciate that this can cause worry and uncertainty about when you will eventually receive an appointment.  The practice has no direct access to the hospital appointment lists.  

If you have been referred by your GP/are waiting for :

• An outpatient appointment
• An appointment for hospital tests (eg scans)
• A date for an operation or other treatment
• A follow-up from your hospital team

and you have a query about what is happening, please contact the Patient Helpdesk on 0800 048 5800.

 Only call the practice if your condition has genuinely deteriorated, when you will be reviewed by one of the clinical team and appropriate action can be taken in regard to your care.