Our colleagues in Public Health are predicting a surge in the number of people who will get pneumonia over the next couple of weeks.
It is important that if you have COPD that you ensure you have sufficient supply of inhalers and your other medication (including your rescue pack of antibiotics and steroids) and that you try and avoid mixing with people who already have coughs and colds over this time. Can we also take this opportunity to remind you to ensure you have had your flu vaccine this year and that you have had your pneumococcal vaccine in the past. Finally if you are still smoking we would encourage you to consider stopping to help your chest, discuss this at the surgery when you next attend. For those who don't have COPD please contact us if you have a cough and fever that seems worse than usual, particularly if you are getting short of breath
New Free SMS Reminders - CLICK HERE
SMS Messaging/Contact Details
We have now implemented a free SMS (text) messaging at the practice which all patients will automatically be registered to receive free SMS reminders.
Initially the system will be used for sending appointment confirmations and reminders, and we hope to expand the service to offer basic information on whether test results were normal, need repeating, to contact the surgery and so on where appropriate.
It is therefore very important that we have your up to date mobile phone number so that we can send information only to you.
You are able to do this by:
- When you are next in the surgery ask at reception.
- Telephone the surgery and our reception staff will be happy to amend your details.
- By CLICKING HERE and completing the form
If the surgery has a mobile phone number recorded for you we will automatically send appointment confirmations and reminders and other appropriate messages to you unless you let us know otherwise. Any information sent will be relevant to your healthcare, and will not be from any third-party companies.
If you do not wish us to send you information in this way, please let us know using one of the methods listed above.
If you have already let us know you do not wish us to send you SMS (text) messages then you do not need to let us know again.
It is hoped this system will greatly reduce the amount of missed appointments the practice currently has, and make more appointments available to those that require them.
Please note to protect patient confidentiality:
No personal identifiable details will be included in any text message sent to a mobile phone.
Text messages will not be sent to patients under 16 years old unless it is their own personal mobile phone. This means that parents cannot get text messages about their children's appointments.
We cannot send text messages to you if you share a mobile phone with someone else.
Some mobile phone networks may reject messages from the service - this is outside our control.
Unfortunately you cannot choose which information you want to receive - you either choose to receive all text messages, or receive none.
You can change your preference at any time; simply ask at reception, or when you next phone the surgery.
Please note that the text messaging service operates on a send-only basis. We do not monitor or reply to any text messages we receive back to this account. If you need to contact us regarding your appointment or any other matter, please call us on 01304 240553
If you would like to opt out of this free service please complete an opt out form available online or from reception.