Practice News
Christmas and New Year 2024
We would like to wish all our patients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We will be closed from 6pm on 23rd December until 8am on the 27th and then again from 6pm on the 31st December to 8am on the 2nd January.
We are open on Saturday 28th as normal from 8.00-12.30 for pre booked appointments and dispensary collections only.
While we are closed if you need medical help please call 111 who can arrange for you to be seen by the Out of Hours GP team or 999 if you have a medical emergency.
Drs Reeves, Turton, Pitt, Langridge, Reynolds, Moss and the whole team at the Medical Centre
Tadcaster Flood Alleviation Scheme
The Flood Alleviation Scheme for Tadcaster will see the flood defences along the river increased, providing further protection to the town from the catastrophic floods we have experienced historically.
At the Medical Centre we were severely impacted in both 2015 and 2022 and we would like to ask all our patients to support the planning application, you don't need to live in Tadcaster to do this as the flooding impacts not just us but the whole town and its economy.
The easiest way to show your support is to send an email to the Planning Authority, make a short comment that you SUPPORT the scheme and include the following in the email:
- Your name and address
- Application number ZG2024/1144/EIA
- Comment that you support the building of the FAS for Tadcaster. Feel free to share your views.
- Send to planningcomments.sel@northyorks.gov.uk
We know this is a busy time of year so thank you in advance for doing this for us and the whole town.
Drs Reeves, Turton, Pitt, Langridge, Reynolds & Pitt
Healthy Families Service North Yorkshire (available to all families registered with a GP in N Yorks even if they live in W Yorks)
The healthy families service is a free, online, confidential 12-session programme to fit around your family, and support children and young people aged 4 to 19 years old to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
We are a service that uses a flexible and compassionate approach that focuses on ensuring everyone has access to non-judgemental support. Making every step in your journey achievable you will be supported to make practical changes that are tailored to your family.
Your health and wellbeing coach will guide you and your family through your journey to keep you on track to achieve your healthy lifestyle goals.
Together we will explore a fully holistic approach focusing on eating well and becoming more active by making small positive changes without breaking the bank.
To join the programme your child must fit the following criteria:
- aged 4 to 19 years old
- BMI at or above the 91st percentile (classed as overweight)
- resident or registered with a GP practice or school in North Yorkshire
- please consult your GP for a medical referral (if applicable)
If you have any concerns regarding your family's health and wellbeing and think this service might help you lead a healthier life in the future, please contact us on 01423 556106 or email active.health@brimhamsactive.co.uk
https://www.brimhamsactive.co.uk/homepage/41/healthy-families
GP Collective Action 2024
As you will have seen on the news, GP teams accross England voted on taking collective action in protest at the contract that was imposed by NHS England this year. 98% of GP partners who voted supported taking action.
The Medical Centre is owned and run by us using funding from the NHS. This funding is for the building, its furnishings, upkeep etc. as well as all the people who work here (who are the most significant cost). Over time the budget we are allocated has not kept pace with the cost of running the service, we want the government to review this and put more money into GP practices.
The ballot allows GP teams to decide between 10 options for their action, some teams will choose to do all of them and others only one or two. We would like to reassure you that the actions we will be taking are purely administrative and the number of patient contacts we offer will not change.
As a team we want to do the best we can for our patients but need the budget to allow us to do this.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Drs Reeves, Turton, Pitt, Langridge, Reynolds and Moss
RSV Vaccine (respiratory syncytial virus)
RSV is a new vaccine that will be offered to people as they turn 75 or reach 28 weeks of pregnancy from September 1st 2024. You may be more familiar with the term bronchiolitis when young children are unwell with this virus.
The government has asked us to run catch up clinics for anyone who is aged 75-79 on September 1st as a one off. Pregnant ladies will be offered the vaccine by their midwife or can book at the practice once they are 28 weeks pregnant.
If you missed the clinic on the 7th please call our reception team and we will book you an appointment with the nurse.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-rsv-vaccination-programme-announced
RSV causes around 9,000 admissions to hospital in patients aged over 75 each year as well as around 30,000 hospitalisations in those aged under 5.
The Wider Practice Team
You may have noticed that you are being offered appointments with a much wider variety of clinicians and other staff over the past year or so. For some problems the right person to see is not one of the GP team so you may be signposted to someone else by the doctor or by our reception staff after GP triage. The video below has been produced by the NHS nationally to explain some of these new roles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRlSUkGr4q8
In Tadcaster we have in person access to Paramedics, a Mental Health Practitioner, a Physiotherapist, a Social Prescriber and a Health and Wellbeing Coach as well as telephone access to a team of Pharmacists. They work closely with the team here and provide expert care and advice when needed.
Healthy Minds in North Yorkshire
Life can be challenging. Family life, friends, school, work and many other things can leave you feeling stressed, sad, lonely or worried. The most important thing to remember is you’re not alone and looking for advice and support is exactly the right thing to do.
The website has information and resources for young people and their parents/carers to help them manage their mental health.
Other resources can be found on the poster below.
A Huge Thank You to Tadcaster Town Council
Last week the Medical Centre was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Town Council.
Dr Reeves collected it on behalf of the team who are all delighted to receive it.
Why not have a look for it in our reception area next time you visit.
Drs Reeves, Turton, Pitt, Langridge, Reynolds and Moss
New Pharmacy Contraception Service
Our nurses continue to offer contraception advice but we are aware that for some patients coming to the practice can be inconvenient.
As this is an issaue for patients nationally NHS England has set up a service for contraception to be available via a pharmacy without a prescription. This is NOT available at all pharmacy sites so please use the link below to check where would be convenient for you to attend.
The most local chemist is Day Lewis in Wetherby but there are multiple sites in Leeds and York.
Important information for patients currently on hospital waiting lists
The NHS has been working hard to address the backlogs built up during the COVID pandemic. As part of these plans, the NHS will be proactively contacting patients who have been waiting a long time for NHS funded treatment to remind them of their right to request to move to an alternative hospital where they may be seen quicker.
From Tuesday 31st October new digital portal called the Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS) will be introduced. Patients who have been waiting 40 weeks or more can use this portal to request an alternative choice of hospital.
Any patient who is eligible will receive either a SMS text message or a letter from their current hospital explaining how to request to choose a different hospital.
Please do not contact the practice regarding this process as we have no information regarding individual patients.
The hospital will contact you if you are eligible. Please do not contact them either.
Further information about alternative choice is available on hospital websites.
HRT Prepayment Certificate - NEW 1.4.2023
If you pay for NHS prescribed HRT medicine 3 or more times in 12 months, an HRT PPC could save you money.
Each item on an NHS prescription usually costs £9.65. You can buy an HRT PPC for a one-off payment of £19.30 (the cost of two single items).
The HRT PPC covers an unlimited number of certain HRT medicines for 12 months, regardless of why they are prescribed.
The HRT PPC does not cover all HRT medicines. Please check using the link below if yours is covered before buying a pre payment certificate.
We do not have the certificates at the practice, you can buy online via the link below:
NHS Talking Therapies
Talking therapies can help you with feelings of stress, low mood and worry.
Your local IAPT team offers talking therapies, they are there to help you lift your mood.
We encourage anyone who is finding lifes daily demands difficult to reach out, When you get in touch there may be a waiting list. The IAPT team will let you know if this is the case and what to expect.
You can find out more and refer yourself via the IAPT website Home - York and Selby IAPT .
Polio
You may have seen on the news that there are concerns that polio may be spreading in the community in London for the first time in decades.
Locally vaccine uptake in children is very good which is reassuring for us all.
The normal vaccine course is three doses at 8, 12 and 16 weeks then a dose in the pre school boosters at 3.5-4 and in the teenage boosters at school in year 9. A course of five vaccines gives good long term protection.
If you are concerned that you have not had five doses please contact the reception team at the surgery or check via your online records access (if you have it).
If your child has missed any of the doses please book with the nurse, the polio vaccine is given as part of a vaccine giving protection against multiple diseases, the link below may be useful.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
Sleepstation (an online insomnia service)
Patients who are registered with the practice can now access free online support with insomnia from Sleepstation https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/.
You can be referred by one of the clinical team or you can self-refer via the link below. There are no waiting lists for this service but you must have internet access.
https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/start-now/
New Adult (19+) Mental Health Support Service
Qwell is a free, safe and anonymous mental health and wellbeing service. There are no waiting lists, no referrals and no thresholds required to access the service, which is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and delivered by Kooth plc, the UK’s largest digital mental health provider.
The service encourages peer-to-peer support via moderated discussion forums and self-help through reading or submitting content. However, Qwell also gives people the opportunity to access online counselling from qualified counsellors who are available from noon to 10pm every weekday and from 6pm to 10pm at weekends. People can drop in for one-to-one instant text-based chats or book a session in advance.
www.qwell.io
Online Carers Assessment
https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/carer-assessment
This is for any carer and will help you think about your role, how it impacts your life and what support you may need.
You complete the assessment online and NYCC will be in touch if they need more information and to discuss support available.
York Ramblers Wellbeing Walks - UPDATED MAY 2024
Why not join the Tadcaster walk on the 4th Friday of the month?
This scheme is national and is designed to encourage people to start being active, the walks are short and over easy terrain. If the Tadcaster walk isn't convenient they run alternatives in and around York over the month. Full details are on the file below.
Start point for the Tadcaster walk is the bus station at 10 am, the route is approximately two kilometers. Please arrive 15 minutes early to register.
Covid Certification - UPDATED 13.4.23
The NHS App shows Covid-19 vaccine status if you received your vaccine in England. You can download the app from whichever app store you use. You will need to prove your identity to register by sending a photo of your current driving licence, passport or other official photo identification.
If you cannot use the App you can call 119 and ask for a letter to be posted to you. You can request this letter 5 days or more after your second dose. It will take around 5 days for the letter to be sent to you. Please be aware that vaccine requirements for travel vary and you may need to have had a booster to be considered fully vaccinated for arrival abroad.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad
Your GP Surgery cannot issue letters proving Covid-19 vaccination status.
If your vaccine record in the app is not complete and you had your vaccine in England please call the VDRS (Vaccine Data Resolution Service) on 0300 561 0017. If you had your vaccine at the Health Centre we can update your records but we cannot add vaccines given elsewhere.
If you have had your vaccine outside of England (this includes Scotland and Wales) the process to have them added is detailed on the website below. There is no longer any need to attend a site with evidence.
Tell the NHS about COVID-19 vaccinations you've had outside England - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Thank you
New Roles In Our Team - UPDATED MAY 2022
Mental Health Practitioner
We now have access to a number of appointments each weekday with a Mental Health Practitioner called Tracey Webb linked to our PCN. We understand that this may not be a familiar job to you and you may wonder why you are offered an appointment with her rather than a GP. The link below explains the role and how it can help you.
www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/mentalhealthpractitioner
There is also a short video from Ben who works in Selby Town: https://youtu.be/2yzkhLZ-828
Health & Wellbeing Coach
Beatrice is our Health and Wellbeing Coach (Beatrice features in the video on the website below).
You may be offered a referral to her when you are seen in the surgery.
www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/healthandwellbeingcoaches
My Planned Care
This site has been set up by NHS England to allow patients and their families to see average wait times by department if they have been referred for a hospital outpatient appointment.
The hospital teams are working with significant backlogs and the website will soon have information about managing your symptoms whilst waiting to be seen.
https://www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk/
If you contact the hospital you have been referred to and ask for an earlier appointment they may ask for a letter from your GP to expedite the process. There is no guarantee that a letter will mean an earlier appointment but if you are asked for one please contact the surgery and give us details of how your condition has changed since you were referred. Without this information no letter can be written.