Practice Updates
PCN Service - Social Prescribing
Please see below information from our Primary Care Network (PCN) about their social prescribing service:
What is social prescribing?
It’s estimated that one in five people who see their GP are troubled by things that can’t be cured by medical treatment.
GP's spend significant amounts of time dealing with the effects of poor housing, debt, stress and loneliness.
Many people are overwhelmed and cannot reach out to make the connections that could make a difference to their situation.
This is especially true for people who have long-term conditions, who need support with their mental health, who are lonely, or who have complex social needs that affect their wellbeing.
A social prescriber can motivate and support individuals to achieve the change(s) that they want to achieve.
The social prescriber is:
- Someone to talk to confidentially
- Someone who is practical, helpful and who will not judge
- Someone who can help you decide what you would like to do to improve your own health, wellbeing and independence
- Someone who can find you activities that will suit an individual's needs
- Someone who can give support
What does it involve?
Patients are offered a number of one to one sessions, depending on their individual needs.
Social prescribers adopt a personalised approach to each patient’s circumstances and needs, understanding what matters to them and what their priorities are.
From this, a plan is developed to build their confidence in tackling any day to day issues, connect them to appropriate services and support and enable them to make informed choices moving forward.
Bromsgrove Primary Care Network has social prescribers who can link you with many services in the community to help. We have two teams, specialising in different areas of care and assistance:
Adult Social Prescribing
Provided by Bromsgrove District Council, our Adult Social Prescribers can help with:
- Housing benefits and financial support and advice
- Employment, training and volunteering
- Education and learning
- Getting involved in local groups and activities
- Accessing specialist services and support
Self-refer phone number for adult social prescribing: 0300 303 5291
Health & Wellbeing Social Prescribing
Provided directly by the PCN, our Health & Wellbeing Prescribers can help with:
- Stress
- Self-esteem issues & low mood
- Grief
- Sleep problems
- Panic attacks, anxiety and anger management
- Arts, music, outdoors and creativity
- Befriending, counselling and other support groups
If you feel you or someone you know would benefit from the health and wellbeing social prescribing service - please contact your GP who can make a referral.
PCN Service - Onside Children, Adolescents & Families (CAF) Team
Please see below information from our Primary Care Network (PCN) about their Children, Adolescents & Families (CAF) team:
Our Children, Adolescents & Families (CAF) Team support children, young people and their families with problems that may be affecting their health and wellbeing.
They can help you to feel more empowered, confident and take greater control of your life.
Support is person centred and tailored to your needs.
CAF Link Workers will give support and advice to children and young people who are having issues with low level mental health, family relationships, education, health & wellbeing, special education needs & disabilities, and traumatic life events.
If you feel that you or someone you know would benefit from the CAF service - please contact your GP who can make a referral.
For more information, please visit:
Children & Families PCN Team :: Onside Advocacy, Worcestershire (onside-advocacy.org.uk)
Bromsgrove Menopause Cafe
A free Menopause cafe is being held at Bromsgrove Leisure Centre on Wednesday 31st July 1pm - 2pm. A Menopause Cafe is a discussion group, open to all ages and genders and topics are chosen by participants. For more information, and to book a free space, please click the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bromsgrove-menopause-cafe-tickets-927787606707?aff=oddtdtcreator
Rachel Weiss, founder of the Menopause Café charity, says:
“The Menopause Café is for everyone who wants to talk about the menopause, to share their stories, experiences and questions - all made that little bit easier with tea and cake. Unfortunately, many people feel that they should just ‘get on with’ the menopause, with some never talking to their friends or family about it. People can come along and just listen, or join in the discussions, hopefully leaving with a clearer sense of the impact of the menopause on those who are experiencing it, alongside their families, friends and colleagues.”
Fibromyaglia Group Support
There is a new group starting in September specifically introduced to support people living with Fibromyalgia. The venue will be Bromsgrove Leisure Centre. The group will run for 12 weeks initially with the focus on Education/Support/ Light Exercise it is free to all participants. Please call Hayley Gwilliam Physical Activity Development Officer Sports Development on 01527 881404
Catherine Adams Physiotherapy – First Contact Physio Services
Cost of Living: Lets Work Together - For all ages
Act On Energy Energy advice - including energy efficiency tips; billing issues; grants & funding for energy efficiency measures & grants for broken heating systems & help with fuel bills & energy debt. Freephone 0800 988 2881 www.actonenergy.org.uk
Age UK Bromsgrove, Redditch & Wyre Forest Free & confidential advice for people over 50. 01527 570490 enquiries@ageukbrwf.org.uk www.ageuk.org.uk/brwf
bdht bdht can support its residents with budgeting, employment & generic support. Contact us if you are struggling financially or worried about paying your rent. 0800 0850 160 contactus@bdht.co.uk
Bromsgrove and Redditch Network (BARN) Signposts to a variety of voluntary sector services & helps find the right service if you need help to access food, furniture, school uniform, money advice, support when facing homelessness, disability advice & more. 01527 60282 office@barn.org.uk
Libraries Free PC access, WiFi & activities. 01905 822722 www.worcestershire.gov.uk/ libraries
Citizens Advice Bromsgrove & Redditch General information & advice & specialist debt support. 0808 278 7890 www.cabr.org.uk
Bromsgrove District Council We are here to support you so please keep in touch. 01527 881213 benefits@bromsgrove.gov.uk www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/benefits
Redditch Borough Council We are here to support you so please keep in touch. 01527 534050 hbenefits@redditchbc.gov.uk www.redditchbc.gov.uk/benefits It is very important that you continue to pay your rent, so please get in touch. 01527 587000 Option 1
housingrevenue@redditchbc.gov.uk www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/costofliving www.redditchbc.gov.uk/costofliving
Here2Help Worcestershire 01905 768053 www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2help
Need this information in another language/format? Call 01527 548284 or email equalities@ bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk
How are appointments working these days?
Responding to the Patient Participation Group Feedback
Churchfields Surgery has currently decided to continue with full telephone-based assessment as the first part of care being offered by GP's and Physician Associates. Where necessary a face-to-face review, normally on the same day if convenient, will be agreed at the telephone discussion.
Telephone assessments can be arranged in one of three ways:
Using the Contact Us Online button on our home page will often be the quickest way to request a contact and it is possible to highlight your availability and preferred contact methods that way.
Alternatively telephoning the practice on 01527 872163 will reach our switchboard and following option requests you will be linked to a receptionist: "Care Navigator" who will aim to help you to the best service as speedily as possible.
It is also possible to attend the practice to speak to a receptionist Care Navigator at our front desk during opening hours. Please be aware that it will still be an initial telephone-based assessment that you will be offered even if you attend the practice in person in order to book.
We continue to aim to book most of our assessments on the same day they are requested, where this is possible. In particular we will strive to achieve this where the practice is contacted before 11am each working day, by any of the three routes discussed above. Mondays or times of staff absence can pose a challenge to this goal but we will continue to do our best to achieve it. Where this is not possible we have given our care navigation team some discretion about trying to forward book to quieter days in order to avoid the need for repeatedly trying to contact the practice. Please accept our apologies in advance when this is not possible.
Cost of Living Household Support Fund
Cost of living help for people ages 66 and over in Bromsgrove. From fuel bills to food bills, if you are in need then apply now.
Please head to: bromsgrove.gov.uk/hsf or call: 0800 988 2881 (for energy bills) or 08028 2787890 (for other costs)
Inhalers: The Big Switch
Protecting Your Health, Protecting the Planet
This year there is a big new NHS drive to reduce the impact of healthcare on global warming. If we don't do that then our health, and that of our global neighbours will be badly affected.
Unfortunately the most commonly prescribed style of asthma inhaler in the United Kingdom has been the "metered-dose inhaler" (MDI) - they are the ones with the metal canister that you press down and a fine spray is ejected. Some years ago the CFC's that were damaging the ozone layer were replaced with a different propellant (the chemical that "sprays" the medicine) and one manufacturer then labelled their product "Evo" to mean better for the environment. Regrettably the newer propellant is a potent greenhouse gas so it contributes to global warming. In fact the "Evo" product is said to cause the equivalent effect of the carbon dioxide released in driving a petrol car for 170 miles - that is the impact of a single inhaler. Whether the product is used or not the propellant gas will slowly leak out such that they continue to be a problem even when discarded.
Fortunately there is an answer which is vastly better for the environment and also provides the same crucial level of care for asthma control for the vast majority of patients (young children and others who need medication via a "spacer" device are the exception). Better still these alternative "dry powder" (DPI) inhalers are also easier to use than the MDI's.
For this reason please expect recommendations of inhaler switches to be widely received by our patients in the coming year. We remain just as committed to keeping your asthma well controlled and this is also vitally important to us. If you currently feel that your asthma is not well controlled then please contact us to book an appointment with one of our asthma nurse team and they will seek to prioritise your switching.
Using any inhaler device correctly requires guidance and there are helpful videos for almost all inhaler devices at www.rightbreathe.com
Who are Physician Associates?
Physician Associates and other Enhanced Roles
Physician Associates are a newer role within the NHS and this often causes confusion for our patients - do be reassurred that they are highly skilled and a key part of the Churchfields medical team. A contact with one of them should feel just the same as care from a GP.
The idea began more strongly in America where "Physician Assistants" have been active for many years. Here in the UK the Physician Associate programme accepts graduates with a science degree (such as "Biomedical Sciences") and then provides an intensive two year post-graduate training programme to prepare them for the NHS workforce. Physician Associates train in and are examined in all areas of medicine and must pass stringent final examinations to become qualified. This training encompasses medication and prescribing, just as a trainee doctor would receive. Hence Physician Associates are now to be found working throughout the NHS - both in hospitals and in general practice. Those working at Churchfields Surgery have been selected by us because of their aptitude and desire to work in community based general practice.
The Government has unfortunately been slow to enact the necessary laws that will fully utilise the professional status of Physician Associates. Hence at present they do not have a designated "title" to use in front of their name and neither do they have rights to sign prescriptions or order x-rays. It is our continuing hope that this legal oversight is soon corrected, as has long been promised, because the government is strongly committed to Physician Associates helping to fulfil the national shortfall in General Practitioners. At Churchfields Surgery we have an effective system that allows fairly seamless prescription and investigation ordering for the Physician Associates as they work alongside our designated "Clinical Supervisor" GP for the day.
Alongside Physician Associates, General Practice is also being strongly supported by Pharmacists working with our team. These skilled graduates have often previously worked in community pharmacy (the dispensing and advice at the local chemist) and have now progressed to being an embedded part of our team helping to ensure that medication use follows best practice and is effectively supervised within the practice also.
Recognising the role that Pharmacists in all locations can bring to the NHS the Government is now rolling out a Community Pharmacy Consultation Service which it hopes will gradually take on a wider role with directly managing minor ailments currently helped through General Practice.
General Practice Data for Planning and Research: GP Practice Privacy Notice
How is your data being used?
NHS Digital have gathered all the information you need to know about the General Practice Data for Planning and Research collection that will be happening from the 1st September 2021. This data collection will include information regarding your sex, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, as well as any clinical data about you.
What will not be included is information such as your name, or address (except your postcode in a unique coded form), as well as any images, letters, documents, or outdated data that is held by your practice. An example of this would be any medication, referral, or appointment data that is over 10 years old.
By law, we are not permitted to share certain information, such as certain codes in relation to IVF treatment or gender reassignment, and so these will not be collected.
For more information regarding the data collection, please follow the link below.
General Practice Data for Planning and Research: GP Practice Privacy Notice - NHS Digital
Here you will find detailed information on how your data will be used, as well as how to opt-out as is your right to do so. You will also be able to read about the legal basis for sharing data under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
NHS Emergency Steroid Card
Dear patients,
Churchfields Surgery would like to draw your attention to the recent safety alert on the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card. In August 2020, a joint National Patient Safety Alert was issued regarding the early recognition and treatment of adrenal crisis in adults.
All patients with primary adrenal insufficiency are steroid dependent. In addition, some patients who take oral, inhaled, or topical steroids for other medical conditions may develop secondary adrenal insufficiency and become steroid dependent. The latter includes:
- Patients taking oral prednisolone ≥5mg/day, dexamethasone ≥0.5mg/day, or hydrocortisone ≥15mg/day for 4 weeks or longer.
- Patients taking inhaled beclometasone >100mcg/day, or fluticasone >500mcg/day (or equivilant).
- Patients taking nasal steroids >1000mcg/day
- Patients taking oral prednisolone >40mg (or equivalent) for longer than 1 week, or those who have repeated short courses of oral steroids.
- Patients taking a course of oral glucocorticoid within 1 year of stopping long-term therapy.
You have received this information as you fit within the above criteria and should retain a copy of the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card. You can view, download, and print an electronic version of the new card from the Society for Endocrinology. Physical copies of the card are available to collect from local community pharmacies should you be unable to print your own.
The omission of steroids for patients with primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency can lead to adrenal crisis; a rare medical emergency which can be fatal if left untreated. If these patients become acutely ill or are subject to major body stressors, such as from trauma or surgery, they require higher doses of steroids to prevent an adrenal crisis.
We would like to highlight the occurrence of adrenal crisis is relatively uncommon and medical staff are not always aware of the risk of adrenal crisis, or the correct clinical response should one occur. Presenting your new NHS Steroid Emergency Card to medical staff can flag up your risks of an adrenal crisis and sets out the initial steps for managing it.
Patients at risks of adrenal insufficiency usually require their usual steroid dose to be increased at times of stress, intercurrent illness and surgical procedures. We advise patients at risk of primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency (steroid dependent) to ask their GP, clinical practitioner, or specialist team for advice on 'sick day rules' to increase their oral glucocorticoid should they become unwell. An easy read patient information leaflet on 'Sick Day' rules is available here.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further clarification.