RPPG
Newsletter No 2: Spring 2015
Runnymede Patient Participation Group
Connecting
The Great Seal of King John as used on the Magna Carta
Patients with their GP Practice
The Practice was originally formed by Dr Bill Branch in a house just past Barleymow
Road near the Village Green. The surgery was attached to his home and the garage
converted into a surgery annexe. He was joined in partnership by Dr David Jeffery who
set up a small surgery in his house The Croft, on the corner between the Straight road
and the Avenue in Old Windsor.
Dr Jeffery started the surgery in Old Windsor from scratch and his patients can
remember a time when he kept the entire amount of patient records in a shoebox in his consulting room! How different
it is now when we have a whole room at Newton Court with seven large cabinets full of mainly redundant paper records
from the past as we now use and store records on computer hard drives.
Both Dr Jeffery and Dr Branch found that their growing practices needed more space and Dr Jeffery moved to a larger
house which he had built together with a purpose built surgery at Kenmore, The Friary. Dr Branch recruited a new
doctor, Dr Geoff Baker to work with him and together they moved to premises at his new house, Englewick, next to
the Barley Mow pub in 1969.
By 1975 even this was insufficient to meet the growing demand of patients from the village and a new Health Centre
was commissioned by the local health Authority and built in 1975 adjacent to the Cottage Hospital to house not only
the GP surgery but the community nurses and other health services. The GPs also worked at the Cottage Hospital
(now called St Judes Cottage) and some of the GPs even performed surgery in the small cottage hospital theatre.
The GPs used to look after inpatients with different conditions, pregnant women with severe vomiting of pregnancy
as well as older people with chronic illnesses. The Queen Mother opened a new lift at the hospital, but eventually the
hospital was pronounced unsafe due to a fire hazard from the kitchens below and a new facility was created at Queen
Elizabeth House across the road at Bond Street.
Meanwhile Kenmore was also becoming too small to accommodate the numbers of patients from Old Windsor. The
then growing partnership, which now included Dr Charles Hill and Dr Steve Culling, decided to purchase and build a
new surgery on the site next door to the Nurses Home and the duck pond on Burfield Road, now known as Newton
Court Medical Centre.
Newton Court was built in 1982 and Dr Robert Bethel, a new doctor who had been a trainee at the Health Centre in
Englefield Green, was invited to join the partnership. The GPs also looked after patients in the Old Windsor Hospital
on the site in Bears Rails on Crimp Hill where the old Union workhouse used to be. The Old Windsor Hospital was
founded in 1948 at the beginning of the National Health Service and there are still residents in Old Windsor who
remember working at the hospital which eventually closed in 1991 to be converted to a new private housing estate
called Bears Rail Park. Our own practice nurse Kiat Jacques, who retired last year, worked in the hospital.
The Practice has continued in the tradition of attracting GPs who have completed their training within the Partnership.
Following the completion of my vocational training under Dr Bethel, I joined the partnership in 1997. The partnership
over the years has included several female GPs including Dr Janet Gillespie and Dr Sue Carratt and of course Dr Gwen
Lewis, who is the most senior of partners in the practice at the moment.
Dr Uppal, Dr Howells and Dr Walker all joined the Practice quite soon after myself and we now make up a partnership
of five GPs across the two sites. We continue to be active in GP training across the two sites with Dr Uppal, Dr Howells
and Dr Walker training new GPs every year.
In the next issue, Dr Hayter will explain the how the Runnymede Medical Practice operates two Health Centres
under two different NHS trusts.
• Loss of consciousness
Practice Manager, Jackie Keefe, updates us on our
appointment system
•
•
•
•
Acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
Persistent, severe chest pain
Breathing difficulties
Severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
It is fair to say you may not on every occasion get an
appointment at the specific time you would like one, but
what you can be assured of is that you WILL get an
appointment when you need one.
In situations when you are unsure then call 111 who shall
help the decision.
For illnesses that are not life-threatening you should first
contact your GP surgery. Outside of normal surgery hours
you can call NHS 111. The service is available 24 hours a
Routine, pre-bookable appointments are released six day, seven days a week, and can provide medical advice
weeks in advance, usually they are towards the end of
and advise you on the best local service to offer the care
each calendar month. If a specific doctor is requested and you need.
they have has available slots you will be allocated an
appointment in their clinic until maximum is reached. The The out-of-hours period is from 6.30pm to 8am on
number of appointments available will be dependent upon weekdays, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.
the number of sessions each doctor is contracted to work During out-of-hours periods, less severe injuries can be
each week. Once they are fully booked you may be asked treated in minor injuries units (MIUs) and NHS walk-in
to call back at 08.30 on the day you would ideally like the entres (WICs) which can treat patients without an
appointment.
appointment.
Appointments on the day. Usually, fifteen
appointments are held in the morning and five in the
afternoon at each site for allocation to patients on the
day. These are for those patients with conditions that
cannot wait. These are electronically pre-set for release
on the day and are allocated on a first come first served
basis, which is why it is difficult to get through on the
phone when the lines open at 8.30am.
Once all these appointments are taken, you may be asked
to call back the following day. If your need is urgent, your
call may be triaged and if it is decided you need to be
seen urgently, you may be asked to come down at the
end of surgery when you will be seen once the doctor has
finished seeing all his pre-booked appointments. This can
sometimes mean a lengthy wait dependent upon demand
on the day
We also offer evening appointments with both
nurses and doctors between 18.30 and 20.30 on Monday
evenings out of Newton Court in Old Windsor. Patients
registered with the practice may consult at either site,
irrespective of the geographical vicinity in which they
reside.
From 1st April it will be possible to book some
appointments on-line. To do so you will first need to visit
your surgery (after 10am), to register for on-line access
via the reception team. As part of the registration process
you will be asked to bring photo ID and proof of address.
Leaflets are available in the surgery to explain the
process. Patients registered with the practice may
consult at either site, irrespective of the geographical
vicinity in which they reside.
Only call 999 or go to A & E in a genuine lifethreatening emergency, such as:
You can be seen in an out of hours GP centres based at
King Edward Hospital Windsor, Brants Bridge
Healthspace, Bracknell, or the Herschel Medical Centre,
Slough. There is a walk in centre at Ashford and Upton
Hospital Slough and Urgent care centres at Brants Bridge,
Bracknell and St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead.
The Practices in the Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead
Clinical Commissioning Group have been successful in
bidding for funding to have greater access for patients to
booked appointments 7 days a week and in the coming
months there shall be appointments available for patients
at King Edwards Hospital and St Marks Hospital during
weekends and into the later evening.
We all have frequent requests to complete a survey or offer
a series of our judgements on various issues – at times one
feels that we may be over burdened by too many surveys!
However, our Runnymede Medical Practice welcomes and
does need the views of patients of all ages.
How do I register for online repeat prescriptions?
You can register your details at the surgery for access to
our Patient Access online services.
When you have registered, you will be able to order your
repeat prescriptions online, view and print a list of your
repeat prescriptions for necessary drugs, medicines or
appliances.
What information do I need to register?
You will need to bring photo-id, (for example a passport
The good news is that we have one Runnymede Patients
or photo driving licence) and proof of your address (a
Participation Group (RPPG) survey each year and it is usually bank statement or utility bill) to the surgery.
in the spring. Yes – there will be items and categories to
The Reception team will then issue you with a unique
tick but the most important part is for patients to write in the login name and password. This will enable you to register
large box at the end of the survey. This is where you have
online and order your repeat prescriptions securely.
an opportunity to make recommendations on how the
service you receive may be improved.
The 2014 Survey showed that most patients were either
satisfied or very satisfied with their appointments with
doctors and nurses, but there was concern over problems
in booking appointments which, of course, is a national
problem. Please see the appointment booking article on
page 2 which explains our process.
Several of the recommendations made in the 2014 survey
are being acted upon by the RPPG – these include:
ü Improved communication between the Practice and
patients such as the RPPG Newsletters and updating of
Practice webpages.
ü Provision of electronic information screens in the waiting
rooms.
ü An improvement in the décor of these rooms.
Five further topics are under investigation.
You may have seen information about a national survey
called the Friends and Family Test (FFT), this is a
requirement by the NHS for all medical practices and
hospitals. It will not replace the RPPG Survey but offers
another opportunity to express your views - your
Runnymede Medical Practice welcomes and needs your
suggestions and recommendations.
What else can I do online with my patient access
code?
Your patient access code will allow you to access our
medical practice online. Patient Access offers a number of
features, including:
- Checking your medication and ordering repeat
medication.
- Checking, booking and cancelling appointments.
- Updating your contact information, including mobile
phone number and email address.
How else can I order my repeat prescription?
You can complete a form at reception, prescriptions will
be available for collection from the surgery after two full
working days but if you wish to collect your medication
directly from a pharmacy then please allow three full
working days.
Please ask the reception team for one of our information
leaflets for more information about ordering your
Prescription online.
As reported in the last newsletter this is a new vaccination
programme that was introduced by the department of
health for the first time last year. It is quite specific on the
age group it is open to.
Those who qualify will have received a letter from the
practice inviting them to make an appointment by
31/8/2015. Those who fail to do so will not be eligible to
receive a vaccine under the NHS in subsequent years.
The vaccine is initially free of charge and otherwise
costs £99. We would strongly recommend you make an
appointment to have your free vaccination if you qualify.
We are now
offering an online
prescription
system. This is a
secure and
convenient way to Ages this year are:
order your repeat
prescription.
Age 70 on 1/9/14 (born between 2/9/43 and 1/9/44)
Age 78 on 1/9/14 (born between 2/9/34 and 1/9/36)
If you have not registered, please come in to the surgery
to collect a unique login name and password to use the
new system.
Age 79 on 1/9/14 (born between 2/9/34 and 1/9/35)
Many believe that if they have had chickenpox in the past
that they will not get shingles. The virus remains dormant
in nerve cells and with age, the immune response that
keeps the virus dormant weakens.
1 in 3 people are likely to get shingles during their lifetime
and almost half of the over 85’s are likely to have had the
ailment.
Vaccination is recommended.
Between March and July 2015, eligible women in
Runnymede Medical Practice (aged 47-73) will receive an
invitation for breast screening. Their appointments will be
at The Parapet, King Edward VII Hospital, Windsor.
If you have been invited for screening, or have been for
screening and have any questions about the result, you
should contact the name and address shown on your
invitation letter or result letter.
The aim of the Runnymede Patient Participation Group is
to improve the levels of patient satisfaction and offer
In April, Dr Walker completed The support to Practice staff when and where appropriate.
Email us at: [email protected]
Marathon des Sables (MdS), an
epic event which takes place every The group comprises patient volunteers and senior
members of the practice as follows:
year in the Saharan desert of
Morocco, and is arguably The
Dr Adrian Hayter
Practice Partner
Toughest Footrace On Earth. As
we go to press, he has raised over
Alan Fone
Patient
£4,000 for MENCAP, the leading
voice of learning disability.
Bob Green
Patient
It is a grueling series of six successive days of racing, the
equivalent to five and a half marathons across the desert,
racing through some of the most vicious terrain on the
planet; running, walking and sometimes even crawling
through rocks and sand, over salt plains, stoney Hamada
desert and sand dunes of up to
150m high, and experiencing
sand storms and temperatures
sometimes exceeding 50 degrees
Celsius; definitely not for the
faint hearted!
We think you’ll agree that Dr
Walker must be very strong
willed to complete this challenge
and is to be congratulated on a
truly amazing achievement.
If you would like to read more
about The Marathon des Sables
(MdS), see
www.completemorocco.com/marathon-des-sables-2013/
Francesca Morgan
Patient
George Notley
Patient
Jackie Keefe
Practice Manager
Jane Eales
Patient
John Clarke
Patient
John Reed
Patient
Julian Bell
Chair and Patient
Pat Scott
Patient
Rachel Brooking
Patient
Stephen Adamson
Stuart Salt
Hon Secretary and Patient
Patient
For more Practice news and information
about our online services, please visit:
www.runnymedemedicalpractice.nhs.uk
We are delighted to introduce our new Nurse, Sister Nicola Oatley. Sister Oatley has a
particular interest in Diabetes and will be sharing her experience and knowledge with us at
both Practices - Englefield Green and Newton Court. Sister Oatley was previously at a
Practice in Slough, where she worked in all areas of Practice care.