HARTLEY CORNER SURGERY
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
NEWSLETTER
No.10 –March 2014
Committee Members:
Chairperson: Anne Strong (email: [email protected])
Secretary:
Karen Toms
(Practice Manager - contact through Hartley Corner Surgery)
Treasurer:
Hugh Lambert & Gill Lambert (email: [email protected])
Brian Henley ([email protected]) Louise Parratt, Penny Funnell, Julia
Wedlock.
Introduction by Anne Strong:
The Patient Survey report referred to below summarises information gathered from patients for the third
consecutive year, and once again I’d like to thank those of you who completed either one or both of the
recent surveys undertaken by the practice. The first survey was very short, and enabled us to identify topics
which were important to us as patients, and then these were used to base the main Survey questions
around, making sure the questions were focused in the right directions. The report is easy to read, details of
how to find it are below.
If you would like to join the group of patients who have already agreed to participate in one or two surveys
a year, then you would be very welcome, all opinions are important to us. If you are interested and would be
happy to let us use your email address, please complete the form which is available at the surgery. Your
email address will be held securely at the practice and not given out to anyone.
If you have any ideas or comments about services provided, or any changes you think would be of benefit to
the practice and its patients please let us know by completing one of the feedback forms which are available
at the surgery or on the website.
Patient Survey Results
The 2013-14 patient survey is now complete and the results report will be available for you to view
on our website www.hartleycornersurgery.co.uk – Home Page: Survey Report Tab
We would like to thank all our patients who took part.
Water, Water Everywhere – Are You & Your Family Drinking Enough?
Your body is about 70% water, the majority of your blood and every cell in your body is composed
of water. Your brain is 90% water! Therefore, you need water to function properly.
DID YOU KNOW? Dehydration is a factor in 40% of hospital admissions in the over 65 age
group!
There will be a “Hydrate in Care Homes” Project set up by our local Clinical Commissioning Group
this year to help raise awareness of this problem. This will be followed by a “Hydrate in the
Community” & “Hydrate in Hospital” campaign.
Good hydration can help;
 prevent falls
 constipation
 pressure sores
 kidney stones
 blood pressure problems
 headaches
 improve nerve function
Poor hydration can contribute to;
 Obesity
 Depression
 Inactivity
 Fatigue
 Prolong healing and recovery
 Prolong healing and recovery
How Much Should We Drink?
To stay healthy, it’s important to replace the fluid we lose when we breathe, sweat or
urinate. We get some fluid from our food but most comes from drinks. Intake
guidelines recommend that women should drink about 8 x 200ml (1.6 litres) per day
and 10 x 200ml (2 litres) per day. However, the amount a person needs to drink to
avoid getting dehydrated will vary depending on a range of factors, including their
size, the temperature and how active they are.
The Benefits of Drinking Water
 Increases energy & relieves fatigue – since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you
think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert! Energy levels are boosted!
 Flushes out Toxins – gets rid of waste through sweat and urination which reduces the risk of
kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).
 Improves Skin Complexion – it improves the appearance of the skin, fine lines and wrinkles,
keeping it fresh, smooth, soft and glowing. It’s the best anti-ageing treatment around!
 Aids Weight Loss – Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating intake (if you drink water
prior to meals), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!
 Natural Headache Remedy – helps relieve and prevent headaches which are commonly
caused by dehydration.
 Maintains Regularity – aids digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents
constipation
 Prevents Cramps & Sprains – good hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more
elastic so joint pain is less likely.
 PUTS YOU IN A GOOD MOOD – when the body is functioning at its best, you will feel
great and be happy!
 Save Money – Water is FREE! Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s STILL cheaper
than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!
How Do I Get More Water In My Diet?
These five simple rules will help you get more water into your diet. You don’t even have to buy
expensive bottled water so it’s great for your wallet as well as your health.
1. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. This will wake you up and help your
body replace any fluid lost when you were sleeping. It will also give you a head start on your
2 litres.
2. Carry a small bottle of water around with you. This will not only remind you to drink
more but it’s also an easy way of keeping track of how much you’re drinking. If you fill it up
from the tap you can reuse it as well – brilliant for the environment!
3. Add some flavour. If you really can’t stand the taste of water on its own try adding a small
amount of fruit juice, sugar-free squash or a squeeze of lemon or lime. The lemon can even
help with weight loss. This is because its sour taste helps your liver get rid of toxins. Your
liver plays a really important role in helping you lose weight and if it’s full of toxins it doesn’t
do its job properly. Other alternatives are herbal teas, decaffeinated tea/coffee, milk, fruit
smoothies, and carbonated water or low calorie fizzy drinks.
4. Set an alarm. If you’ve got a watch that beeps on the hour it can be a good reminder. Every
hour fill up a glass of water, or drink from your bottle, and make sure you finish the glass
before the next hour. You could even set a reminder on your computer at work, or on your
phone.
5. Eat water-rich foods. This table shows you which foods have the highest level of water in
them. This can also help you get your five-a-day.
Food
Lettuce
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Carrots
Watermelon
Grapefruit
% water
96%
94%
93%
92%
90%
90%
88%
If you want to avoid frequent trips to the toilet during the night, drink the majority of your intake
before 5pm.
REMEMBER! If you are thirsty you are already experiencing dehydration and may have a dry and
sticky mouth, feel sleepy, experience dizziness/light-headedness, have a headache and decreased
urination.
DRINK MORE WATER!
Share with Someone How Dementia Is Affecting You
There is a new monthly consultation service for people with dementia and their
carers. Andover MIND Dementia Advice Service and the Princess Royal Trust
for Carers offer a free consultation service at the Yateley Medical Centre,
Oaklands Practice, Yateley GU46 7LS.
The sessions are on every second Monday of the month from 9:15 am to 12:15
pm. For an appointment please call John or Bev on 01252 624808 or just drop
in at 11:15 am for a cuppa and a chat.
NHS Breast Screening Service
Did you know?
 Women aged 50-70 registered with a GP are invited for FREE NHS Breast Screening every 3
years.
 Women over 70 can self-refer to the service for screening mammograms every
3 years.
 Inconvenient appointments can always be changed by simply calling 01483
783211
 On average 5,000 women are invited every month for screening – unfortunately,
approximately 25% of women do not take up the invitation
BREAST SCREENING CAN HELP SAVE LIVES!
The Walking Club
Walking is a great way to stay active and healthy. It’s also a great way to meet new
people. The Walking Club is a local group which organises group walks fortnightly on
Wednesdays from the Bell public house. They meet at 10:45 ready to start the walk at
11am. If you would like to get involved with their variety of walks please contact the
chair of The Walking Club – Christine Pieters on 07866 465999 or email
[email protected]. Further information can be found on their website
www.walktalk.shutterfly.com
NATIONAL EMAIL HOAX WARNING
It has been brought to our attention recently that emails have been received by some
patients claiming to be from either specialist consultants or cancer research and appears to
come from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The emails carry the
subject line: ‘Important blood analysis result’
Be aware - this is a set of scams! We want to alert our patients to the
potential risk of such emails and to discard them without opening them. If
these emails are opened and the instructions followed your pc will be
infected with a virus that will then allow the senders of the email to access
your pc (including your email address book) and access accounts and
passwords.
You would never be contacted in this manner about your blood results!
Recipe – Chicken Curry
We Brits love a curry, so here is a recipe for you to try at home.
SPICY CHICKEN,SPINACH AND POTATO CURRY (Recipe courtesy of Slimming World)
Freezer Friendly
Ready in 40 minutes
Serves 4
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1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
794g/1lb 12oz skinless and boneless
chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite
sized pieces
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into
large bite sized pieces
170g/6oz baby leaf spinach, roughly
chopped
2 tbsp medium or hot curry powder
400g can chopped tomatoes
397ml/14 fl oz water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A large handful of chopped coriander
and mint
1. Place a large, non-stick frying pan over
a medium heat. When hot add the
onion, chicken, potatoes, spinach and
curry powder and stir to mix well.
2. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and water,
and bring to the boil.
4. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook
gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the
chicken and potatoes are cooked
through and tender.
5. Remove from the heat and season well
with salt and black pepper. Stir in the
chopped herbs and serve immediately.