URGENT NOTICE - 09.04.24
Please note that we have very limited staff today due to sickness and annual leave, and are therefore operating an emergency appointment system only. We apologise for any inconvenience.
URGENT NOTICE - REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS 22/03/24To order repeat prescriptions via telephone, please call the surgery's main number (01993) 845600 and select Option 3.We await termination of the previous direct dial telephone number and any messages left will NOT BE ACTIONED.We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
PATIENT NOTICE (11/03/24)
In 2024 we are making big changes in Broadshires Health Centre and our aim is to improve our service for patients.
The telephone system installed at the practice is now old and not fit for the amount of calls we now receive as a large practice of 12,500 patients.
The practice will be going live with a new telephone system called Surgery Connect on Wednesday, 13th March 2024. We are hoping that the transition goes seamlessly, but please be patient with our reception team whilst they become familiar with the new system.
The new system, will provide a ‘call back’ facility so that you do not have to wait in a queue on the telephone, but instead we will call you back when you reach number one in the queue. We hope that this new system will reduce the wait time for patients.
There will be many other perks to the system including being able to add up to date messages, recording of all calls and live time data for number of calls in the system and wait times across the practice lines.
Thank you for your assistance and patience.
MMR VACCINATION REMINDER PROGRAMME (Feb/March 2024)
You maybe aware of the current increase in cases of measles nationally. As a result of this there is a national MMR vaccination reminder programme due to commence in February and March. This is a reminder sent to parents/guardians of children aged 6-11 years. The reminder will request that parents check with their GP surgery to confirm their child's records are accurate. Children require two doses of the MMR vaccine; the first at age 1 year and the second at age 3 years,4 months. If the vaccines were given earlier than these ages, they are not recognised. For a child to be fully protected they need to have received both doses. Your child's vaccine history should be documented in their red book. Please check this before contacting the surgery to confirm your child's vaccine status. If you are unsure whether we have your child's vaccine records and/or they are up to date, please do send them into us via eConsult and we will get in touch if any MMR vaccines are required.
Many thanks,
Nursing Team
INFECTION CONTROL & MASK WEARING (09.06.23)
Patients are no longer required to wear masks in any areas within the practice.
New infection prevention control (IPC) guidance in healthcare settings states that it is no longer a requirement for staff or patients to wear masks on a routine basis within the practice.
You may see our staff or other patients wearing masks, this may due to reasons including (but is not limited to):
- Patient choice (please let your clinician know if you would like them to wear a mask and they will be more than happy to put one on!)
- Staff member choice
- Staff member seeing an immunocompromised patient
- Staff member seeing a patient presenting with respiratory symptoms
- Staff member with current respiratory symptoms.
Our priority is your safety and that of our staff.
WE NEED YOUR HELP - JOIN OUR PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP!
Our aim is to provide the best possible service to patients registered with the Broadshires Health Centre. To do this, we would like to work with our patients to address issues and gain insight as to how we can strive to be our best. The patient participation group consists of patients who wish to be involved in the practice to support us in providing best possible care.
Due to how hectic general practice has become, our PPG was put-aside for some time, but we are now more ready than ever to hear what you have to say and are very excited to build an excellent new PPG from scratch.
To make it possible to fit being an active member of this group into people's busy lives, the group's business will mainly be conducted via email using, primarily, surveys to develop an understanding of the important issues facing both the patients and the practice alike. The results of surveys will be published on this website.
Membership of the PPG
Membership of the PPG is open to all patients registered with the practice. We are keen to get as broad a representation of the practice's patient list demographic as possible and are keen therefore to attract members from all age groups. To sign up for the group please email us at broadshireshealthcentre@nhs.net for the attention of our Practice Manager, Katie Nickless.
EAR WAX REMOVAL AT BROADSHIRES HEALTH CENTRE
We have recently entered into an joint arrangement with Ear Care Clinics, audiology specialists in micro suction ear wax removal.
Jason and Emma are audiologists with over 18 years’ experience between them.
They know better than anyone how much wax occlusion can impact people in their everyday lives and how tricky it can be to find a wax removal service. Their reason for specialising solely in wax removal is to offer the best dedicated care with as little stress and inconvenience to our patients. Currently providing wax removal services to GP practices and hospitals in the North Cotswolds area, we are delighted that they have decided to add Broadshires Health Centre to to one of their locations.
Every Thursday from 10 November 2022, Emma will be available for you to book directly by contacting them through their website Ear Care Clinics
This service is available not just to Patients of Broadshires Health Centre, but anyone who lives in the surrounding area.
APPOINTMENTS DILEMMA
For the last 12-18 months we have increasingly asked our practitioners (GPs, Nurses, ANPs) to "squeeze" additional appointments into their day to try and help meet demand. We took the decision to adopt this approach because we believed our staff shortage would be resolved over the short to medium term.
You will not be immune to news almost everyday that more and more staff are leaving the NHS. Also, stories about how fewer people are choosing healthcare/NHS as a career.
Hence, we continue to find it very difficult to employ new staff, especially GPs. We are told by our peers locally and elsewhere in the country, that they are also finding it difficult to employ new staff.
So, it is with a heavy heart that we have taken the decision to return to a more manageable level of appointments each day for our clinical staff. We will not be so able to squeeze additional appointments when the demand is greater than the availability of clinical staff on a given day. We will need you to bear with us. I know this is a big ask and many of you do understand that we are trying to offer you the best service we can under the circumstances. Thank you for your support and for working with us, we do appreciate your patience.
In partnership with Broadshires Pharmacy, the Rural West Primary Care Network (Bampton, Charlbury and Burford practices) we are rolling out improved information to help you self care for minor illness and symptoms. We might also recommend you call NHS111, visit Minor Injuries or A&E, if we do not feel we can meet your need soon enough.
Many of you will know our Practice Manager, Katie Nickless, who has been at Broadshires for some years. Katie is working so hard to enhance the relationships with Broadshires Pharmacy, the Rural West PCN and other associated services. Katie is organising further training for our staff and, Katie is at the heart of our recruitment process, actively interviewing and sending out offers of employment to those who we feel will bring something really excellent to our team.
We will not turn away anyone who has a critical and urgent need. We are enhancing the triage training of our Patient Coordinators and they will continue to treat you all as individuals and not just a statistic on our patient list. Please help us by listening to their explanation of the next steps for you to take. That might be some self care, a conversation with a Pharmacist, a telephone call with a practitioner. We are not trying to fob you off, we are trying to do our best to use the appointments we have each day for anyone who is in absolute need.
Please DO NOT though, feel that your need is not as valid as another patient.
We do have more amazing new staff joining over the next few months and are continuing to actively recruit for permanent GP staff, in the meantime, we are taking on Locum staff to work either remotely or in the Practice.
ACHIEVE OXFORDSHIRE
Achieve Healthy Weight Loss Oxfordshire is delivered by the innovative healthy lifestyle provider Thrive Tribe, funded by Oxfordshire County Council. This is a partnership with leading weight loss providers and offers patients a range of FREE programmes to support you in weight management. There are valuable tools and skilled Health Practitioners to give encouragement throughout your weight loss and healthy lifestyle journey.
If you would like some weight loss support, maybe give some consideration to this free 12-14 week voucher scheme. Our team at Broadshires Health Centre are fully supportive of this offer and have successfully referred other patients to the service. To start your own journey, please visit Achieve Oxfordshire or call 01865 590181.
Healthwatch Oxfordshire
Healthwatch Oxfordshire are the county’s independent health and social care watchdog. They collect your opinions and experiences to inform and influence those who run your health and social care services. They can also provide help and advice if you have a question about local health services – please get in touch! The Broadshires Health Centre Healthwatch Oxfordshire