News from the Patient Participation Group

Welcome to our September edition

Our PPG newsletter is written for all Paxton Green patients and staff. We hope that more of you are seeing it now that each issue is advertised prominently on the top of the website home page. We also hope that reading it will encourage more patients to join the group.  At our meetings, which are held online as well as face-to-face, participants hear about and discuss developments and services at the Practice. 

Enrolment with the PPG is free via Reception or online via our form.

Our Steering Group continues to work with the Practice regarding patient communication.

The Practice has been busy working on a new appointment system.  Patients will not notice any difference except for the online booking of appointments which are now done through the NHS app. The plus is that to do this, unlike before, patients will only need their NHS app password. 

You can find more information about this under point 4 of the FAQs here.

There is help with downloading the NHS app for those who do not already have it here.

This new system works with new screens in the main waiting room, the nurses’ waiting area and the pharmacists’ waiting area.  These are used by clinicians to call patients (replacing the old Jayex boards).  There is also a new touch screen electronic check in system at Reception.

Change of communication methods

The Practice is moving its primary method of communication with patients from text messaging to email. This will only be used for non-urgent communications. If a clinician needs to contact you regarding anything urgent, they will still try to reach you by telephone. If you have chosen not to receive email communications, but have given consent to receive text messages, you will be sent a text message instead. If you wish to change your consent preferences, please speak to a member of the reception team on 020 8670 6878. 

Appointment reminders will continue to be sent to you one day beforehand.

Your reminder will arrive:

1. either with a message via the NHS app (if you have the app and notifications are turned on) *
2. or by text to your registered mobile number. 

* If you do not view the reminder on the app within 3 hours of it being sent, you will also be sent a text message. The reminder will include a link to cancel the appointment if it is no longer needed, which you can do up to one hour before the booked time.

Many of you will be aware from reporting in the media of the recent cyber-attack on Synnovis, the company which provides blood services for hospitals and GP practices in SE London.  This has meant that for the moment lab work is being diverted through services elsewhere in London where there is a limit to the number of tests that can be processed.  As a result, the blood tests judged to be the most important are currently being ordered by clinicians. It is expected that services will have returned to normal before the end of the year.
 

It is safe to have the flu and Covid vaccinations at the same time. You cannot get flu from the vaccine as it doesn’t contain any live viruses. No vaccine is 100 per cent effective, but people who have had the jab are less likely to get flu. It takes 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to work, so you might get flu in the meantime. If you do get flu after being vaccinated, it is likely to be a milder, shorter illness than if you haven't been vaccinated. Similarly, Covid-19 vaccines cannot give you Covid and have been shown to reduce the chance of you suffering from severe disease.  

It may take a few weeks from your very first dose for your body to build up protection, but it should start to respond more quickly (within a few days) after any additional doses/boosters.

Who is eligible for both flu and Covid-19 vaccinations this winter? 

• Those aged 65 years and over
• Those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups 
• Pregnant women 
• All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024 (flu vaccine only)
• Primary and secondary school aged children (from Reception to Year 11) (flu vaccine only)
• Those in long-stay residential care homes 
• Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
• Close contacts of people who are immunocompromised 
• Frontline health and social care workers

The Practice will be running vaccination clinics for eligible patients who should wait to receive an invitation to attend. (School aged children will receive the vaccine at school). Some pharmacies will also be offering vaccinations.

RSV Vaccination

For the first time this year from September there will also be the rollout of the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. This will be for those aged 75 to 79 and pregnant women over 28 weeks to help protect their new-born babies. Although RSV infection can occur at any age, the risk and severity of RSV and its complications are increased in older adults, newborns and small babies.

The Practice will be focusing on older adults while midwives will focus on pregnant women. 

The SE London Integrated Care System 

The SE London Integrated Care System would like to understand how women and girls wish to engage with and access healthcare. 

For more information on how to participate please visit the Lets Talk Health and Care London website.

Eldering

This is a useful resource for people who are concerned about what to do and how to manage as their parents age. It provides general information and guidance on a range of common issues, from supporting parents to stay safe and healthy to helping manage their finances, arrange care and deal with family dynamics, but stresses the importance of also seeking professional advice on health, financial and legal issues. 

For more information please go to the Eldering website.

Published: Sep 9, 2024