Staunton Surgery
Newsletter
Summer Edition – June 2017
Goodbye Dr Bashforth
We are sad to announce that Dr Bashforth will be leaving
the practice in July 2017. We would like to take this
opportunity to thank him for his contribution to the practice
and wish him all the best for the future.
If you are currently registered with Dr Bashforth, please
note that you will not have a named GP on a temporary
basis until his position can be filled. However, you will be
able to see one of the other GP’s for appointments during
this time.
Dr Sheers Return From Maternity Leave
We are happy to announce that, although no longer a
partner, Dr Sheers will be returning to the practice from
maternity leave on a part time basis as of Monday 3 rd July.
At present she is planning to work three mornings per week.
Please visit our website or see our waiting room information
board for details as these will be updated with further
information nearer the time.
E-Consult – Consult Your Doctor
Online
E-Consult s a web-based platform that enables you to
self-manage and consult online with a GP through our
practice website.
With eConsult, patients can use a symptom checker,
self-manage, signpost to other services or complete an
eConsult for one of 100 common General Practice
conditions with a GP at a time convenient to them, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.
In 2014, a six-month study examined the benefits of
providing eConsult to 133,000 patients and resulted in
a 400-hour reduction in GP appointment time.
E-Consult has shown that 60% of patients were able to
resolve their health concerns without visiting a GP.
Changes To Extended Hours
Due to a shortage in clinical staff we regret that we will no
longer be able to run our extended hours surgery program.
This will mean, for the time being, our late Monday and
early Thursday surgeries along with our Saturday surgery
are hereby cancelled. We see this to be a temporary
measure and hope to resume these extra surgeries once
our clinical staffing levels are back to full strength. With
immediate effect our opening hours will now be 8.00am to
1.00pm and 2.00pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.
The features and benefits of E-Consult are:o
o
o
Temporary Suspension
Registration List
Of
Practice
As of Thursday 1st June 2017 we have unfortunately had to
temporarily suspend our practice list. This will mean that
new patients will be unable to register with us and patients
currently registered who move out of our catchment area
will have to reregister with another practice this is due to
having a low number of GPs until we manage to recruit
someone new. As patient safety is our priority it is at the
upmost importance that we do this during this time.
o
o
Significant improvements in patient access to
their GP
Better health outcomes through earlier
detection of significant symptoms and earlier
intervention
Better practice efficiency with more focused
use of clinical capacity, shorter waiting times
and fewer requests for GP appointments
Reduced attendance at urgent care settings
such as walk-in centres or A&E
A safe, convenient way for patients to selfmanage or consult with their own GP
To use E-Consult please visit
www.stauntonsurgeryhavant.co.uk and click the
link (Shown below) at the top of our homepage
We will be reviewing the status of this on an ongoing basis
as we are actively trying to recruit.
Thank you for your patience and we are sorry for any
inconvenience this will cause.
Staunton Surgery Newsletter Summer 2017 1
Hay fever
Hayfever is a common allergic condition that affects up
to one in five people at some point in their life.
Symptoms of hay fever include:
o Sneezing
o A runny nose
o Itchy eyes
You'll experience hay fever symptoms if you have an
allergic reaction to pollen.
Hay fever treatment
Sun safety tips
Spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest. In
the UK, this is between 11am and 3pm from March to
October.
Make sure you:
o Spend time in the shade between 11am and
3pm
o Make sure you never burn
o Cover up with suitable clothing and
sunglasses
o Take extra care with children
o Use at least factor 15 sunscreen
What factor sunscreen (SPF) should I
use?
Don't rely on sunscreen alone to protect yourself from
the sun. Wear suitable clothing and spend time in the
shade when the sun's at its hottest.
When buying sunscreen, the label should have:
o A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to
protect against UVB
o At least four-star UVA protection
UVA protection can also be indicated by the letters
"UVA" in a circle, which indicates that it meets the EU
standard.
Make sure the sunscreen is not past its expiry date.
Most sunscreens have a shelf life of two to three
years.
Don't spend any longer in the sun than you would
without sunscreen
How to deal with sunburn
Sponge sore skin with cool water, then apply soothing
aftersun or calamine lotion.
Painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, will ease
the pain by helping to reduce inflammation caused
by sunburn.
There's currently no cure for hay fever, but most
people are able to relieve symptoms with treatment, at
least to a certain extent.
The most effective way to control hay fever would be
to avoid exposure to pollen. However, it's very difficult
to avoid pollen, particularly during the summer months
when you want to spend more time outdoors.
Treatment options for hay fever include antihistamines,
which can help to prevent an allergic reaction from
occurring and corticosteroids (steroids), which help to
reduce inflammation and swelling.
Hay fever can often be controlled using over-thecounter medication from your pharmacist.
However, if your symptoms are more troublesome it’s
worth speaking to your GP, as you may require
prescription medication. You can contact a Doctor
about this using the above E-Consult Service on
www.stauntonsurgeryhavant.co.uk.
Your GP will respond to your query by the next
working day at 6.30pm.
*All information above is from www.nhs.uk*
If you have any questions on
how to look after yourself this
summer
please
ask
your
Pharmacist
for
further
information.
Seek medical help if you feel unwell or the skin swells
badly or blisters. Stay out of the sun until all signs of
redness have gone.
Staunton Surgery Newsletter Summer 2017 2