SURGERY NEWS
September 2023
MMR Awareness
An online webinar is taking place on Wednesday 13th September, 6-7:30pm.
This webinar will provide you with information about the Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccine, and you will also have the opportunity to get your questions answered by local healthcare professionals.
Shingles
Shingles vaccination eligibility is changing from 1st September, 65, 70 year olds and immunosuppressed patients age 50+ will become eligible if your birthday falls after 31st August 2023.
Shingles eligibility from 1st September 2023
Flu & Covid vaccinations
Children age 2 and 3 years olds will be invited by text to self-book in to our diary with appointments available from 19th September.
Our Adult flu vaccination clinic will be on Saturday 23rd September 8am-11am.
Patient eligible for vaccines at Langley Medical Practice:
- 65 and over - Flu and Covid vaccines
- 6 months to 16 years in a clinical risk* group - Flu only
- 16 years to 64 years in a clinical risk* group - Flu and Covid vaccines
- Frontline & Social Care health workers - Flu (where no occupational health scheme available) + Covid vaccines
- Carers - over 16 - Flu and Covid vaccines
- Pregnant women - Flu and Covid vaccines
*Clinical risk group under 65 for Flu and Covid vaccines, Chronic conditions include: Kidney, heart, respiratory, liver, neurological (not stroke/TIA), Diabetics, immunosuppressed, Asplenic patients.
If patients are having a flu only, eligible patients can arrive via Surbiton Health Centre and give their names to the receptionists in the foyer. There will be no letters sent to patients with a mobile phone this year, texts only will be sent. Patients without a mobile will receive a letter.
For patients who would like a flu vaccine and/or a covid vaccine, there will be a self booking text sent to pre-book a time on Saturday 23rd. Patients should still arrive via the front entrance and see a receptionist on arrival in the foyer to be checked in.
We have currently invited working age vulnerable patients age 18-64 and patients 75+ to have a covid vaccination on Saturday. We will be holding another covid vaccination clinic in October during the working week for our patients age 65-74 and any eligible patients who were not able to get an appointment on Saturday 23rd.
Autumn events in Kingston
There are so many opportunities for residents in Kingston to get involved in activities, join a group or learn something new, all good for our overall health and wellbeing.
A reminder to our patients about the Connected Kingston website. There are so many links to either free or paid activities and courses. An example is a course available to Learn English at Home for Adults where English is not their first language.
Another is the Bereavement Journey, there is a course starting on 19th September in St Matthews Church in Surbiton.
International Older People’s Day on 1st October is a celebration of later life.
Ageing Well Events at Staywell, Bradbury Centre, Emmanuel Church, Tolworth Recreation Centre, and local libraries during October. See attached information on dates, times and locations:
Ageing Well Events - October 2023
Five to Thrive Campaign
Part of the Ageing Well campaign asks patients over 50 to take on five challenges for better health and wellbeing.
July 2023
Measles campaign
Measles cases on the rise in England and across the whole of Europe. Make sure you and your family are protected against becoming seriously unwell with measles by checking you are up to date with the MMR vaccine.
Across England, on average one in ten children are not up to date with their MMR vaccinations, with some areas of the country as low as two in five, putting thousands of children at risk of catching measles and the disease spreading in unvaccinated communities.
Just two doses of the MMR vaccine gives you and your family lifelong protection against catching measles. The first vaccine is given at age one year an the second at age 3 years and 4 months old. If you’ve missed any doses it’s not too late to catch up. Contact Langley Medical Practice to book an appointment to get up to date.
If you are unsure if you or your child are up to date check your childs red book or GP records and make an appointment to catch up any missed doses.
For more information please visit the NHS vaccination schedule
Diabetes - Freestyle Libre issue
We have been made aware patients who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and use a Continuous Glucose monitor (CGM) via the Abbott FreeStyle LibreLink app have reported it is not working. Contact Apple's customer service line and the advice is "Customers experiencing issues with the iOS app should uninstall and reinstall the app". The Android version is not affected.
Further advice is provided on the Abbott website (link below), with a video clip showing how to delete and reinstall the app. If customers are still experiencing problems, they can contact the Customer Services team on 0800 170 1177.
Abbott Freestyle LibreLink App iphone
Patients should also be advised that if they are still having problems with the app or if the readings do not seem appropriate, they should revert to the finger prick test for checking blood sugar levels.
June 2023
We are pleased to welcome Ruth Perez Martinez, an advanced nurse practitioner. She works alongside the GPs. She can prescribe, diagnose medical conditions, make treatment decisions and order necessary investigations, refer to secondary care and sign fit notes.
She previously worked at the Royal Marsden and Imperial College Hospitals.
April 2023
Kingston Hospital's new portal
The hospital have launched a new app for patient's to see their hospital record and view upcoming appointments.
Kingston Hospital Online Portal
Kingston Hospital portal information leaflet
November 2022
Created by local experts in child health, Healthier Together is a new NHS website in south west London which provides pregnant people, parents and carers of children aged 0-18 years with information on common childhood illnesses. The website also includes advice on what to do and signposts to where to seek appropriate care, including information on local services.
The website has been designed to help reduce unnecessary attendances of young children to A&E and relieve pressures, particularly over winter.
Fit Notes
Guidance on Fit notes also referred to as a sick note, med cert, med 3 or doctor’s note can be found on the link below. Fit notes have been issued electronically since April 2022. From July the guidance states other healthcare professionals can issue Fit notes. Currently our GPs issues Fit notes and our First Contact Physio can now issue a fit note.
Fit notes for patients statement of Fitness to Work)
Friends and Family Test (FFT)
A short patient survey has been issued to patients from reception and via our website since 2014. The results are given monthly to the NHS and published as part of our contract. This was paused during 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 and from 1st July 2022 has been re-introduced. There is an option to submit the answer to the question about your experience of the service via this website (under Patient Survey), and we are introducing the option to reply by text or you can complete a form at reception.
June 2022
First Contact Practitioner (Physiotherapist)
Zuhaib Saleem is an advanced clinical physiotherapist. He is available on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and Thursday mornings. Sean Adnett is available remotely on Monday mornings. A First Contact Physiotherapist assess, diagnose and manage musculoskeletal problems. If you have joint or muscular pain i.e. strains, sprains, muscle or joint pains or stiffness you can make an appointment with Zuhaib, he is best placed to assess this instead of booking in with a GP. Zuhaib can refer for physio treatment, provide exercises, refer for x-ray or onward referral to an orthopaedic specialist as appropriate. You can self refer to see her by speaking to our reception team. NHS colleagues in Somerset have put together this useful video to explain the role of a First Contact Physio: What is a First Contact Practitioner
