Winter newsletter 2024
Last Updated: Thursday, 05 December 2024Welcome to our winter newsletter with some important updates about the practice, and some more general advice about staying well over winter.
Updates to Grassendale services
Opening times from January 2025
We want to inform you of a change to our practice's opening hours, effective from 1st January 2025. These changes have been discussed with, and agreed by, our Patient Participation Group. Our new opening hours will be as follows:
- Monday to Friday: Phone lines remain open 8.00am to 6.30pm, however, the front desk will open from 8.30am to 6.00pm. Patients with appointments booked before 08:30 can still check-in using the screen in reception.
- Saturday: We have external GP and Nurse clinics at the South Liverpool Treatment Centre, these are pre-booked earlier in the week.
- Sunday: Closed
The change to the front desk opening time is being made for several reasons:
- Patients seeking to book appointments are asked to give information about the nature of the problem so that the Care Navigators can direct them to the most appropriate service or clinician. Booking by telephone is private, and preserves confidentiality.
- Some patients cannot come to the surgery in person at 08:00am for reasons such as disability, work, childcare and others. Asking everyone to use the phone system is fair to all.
- The new telephone system has a ringback facility - by pressing 5 on your keypad you will be added to a list and all patients are called back in the order in which they joined the queue.
- By not having a Care Navigator on the front desk, they can help to answer incoming calls from 08:00am, meaning calls will be answered quicker, and patients called back sooner if they have opted for a ringback.
- Exemptions for patients who are deaf or otherwise unable to use a telephone will be in place
Winter Illness appointments at Hunts Cross and Netherley
ORCHA - approved health apps
At the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) we have been assessing health and care apps, and digital health products, since 2015. An assessment involves asking questions about a health or care app, or a digital health product, to see if it meets standards in five main domains.
An App Library is a place where you can find health or care apps and digital health products that can support you with your health and wellbeing. You can read detailed information about each app or digital health product, based on tests (assessments) carried out by ORCHA. You can browse the App Library and select one or more apps for yourself. An App Library makes it easier to make sure you are downloading, or viewing the website of, the right app you want to use. We make every effort to make sure the App Library is up to date. To ensure this, all apps need to be assessed by ORCHA and updated at least once a year.
Blood test (phlebotomy) appointments
The provider of blood test (phlebotomy) services are keen to find out if their service meets the requirements of patients. They want to know if you're happy with the current method of booking in advance, or perhaps you'd like to go back to a walk-in service where you could go straight away and take a ticket to sit and wait? Take the quick online survey and let them know.
New digital technology to help the doctors
Grassendale is always trying to innovate and look at using the latest technology to improve our services, and that includes helping the doctors with their efficiency when seeing patients. For some time now the doctors have used a digital dictation system which allows them to speak in to the computer and turn their spoken word in to text, which is quicker than typing. However, it still takes time for the GP to say all of this after the consultation has ended, and this also means that after a complex consultation with multiple problems there is a risk that they may not be able to remember everything.
This is where the latest technology comes in - a service called Heidi allows the computer to listen to the whole consultation between the GP and patient, and by the time the patient leaves it has compiled a concise - but complete, and accurate - summary which the doctor can check and then put straight in to the notes. So far the GPs trialling this have been very impressed, and it does seem to be helping them run more on time!
The audio itself is deleted immediately after the transcription has finished, so nothing is stored apart from the written notes in the medical record as usual.
Download a PDF with more information about Heidi
General advice to stay well over winter
Although no one likes the thought of getting ill over Christmas, it’s really important to know what to do if you or a loved one needs urgent health advice and treatment during the festive period – as well as how to avoid becoming unwell in the first place.
If you take any medicine on a regular basis to help manage a long-term condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or a chest condition – now is the time to check that you have enough medication left to last you throughout Christmas and New Year. Don’t risk being caught short over the bank holidays, when we will be closed.
Patients are advised to order any repeat prescriptions that might fall over the Bank Holiday period at least five working days before Christmas Eve, to give us and your pharmacy enough time to authorise, send and dispense the medication.
The best way to prepare is to get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster if you are eligible. If you are over 50, have certain health conditions, or are pregnant, you can book your free NHS vaccinations now at: www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations.
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your medicine cabinet is well-stocked to last you through the bank holiday period. It costs less than £10 to stock up on everyday over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, junior paracetamol, aspirin, sore throat lozenges, diarrhoea relief, constipation relief, antacid and antihistamines. All of these can be found at your local pharmacy or supermarket.
If you or a loved one does become unwell over the festive period and is in need of urgent health advice or treatment – particularly over the bank holidays when GP practices will be closed – contact NHS 111 by dialling 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk
NHS 111 can help direct you to the most appropriate local health service if you aren’t sure what to do, and can also book you a same-day appointment with an out of hours GP, at a local NHS walk-in centre, or at a hospital emergency department (A&E) if required.
Christmas Opening times
We will be open as usual on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th December, but will be closed over the Christmas Bank Holidays (Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th December), and again on the New Year Bank Holiday, Wednesday 1st January 2025. We are open as normal on 27th, 30th and 31st December 2024.
Local NHS walk-in centres will continue to be open daily over the holidays, including on Christmas Day. More details and opening times for each site can be found here.
Some community pharmacies will also be open in your area during the Christmas period, although opening times may be different to normal so please check in advance – click here to find a pharmacy near you.
Although Christmas is a period which brings families and friends together, it can often be a lonely or difficult time for some people. If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health support, you can access a free 24/7 helpline and other mental health services here.
Further practical support is also available through GP practices for those who are struggling this winter – ask a member of our team to refer you to a social prescribing link worker.
You can also find out lots more about local support services available in Liverpool for anyone who is feeling flat, down, or overwhelmed through the Kind To Your Mind campaign.
For more advice on staying well this winter, visit: www.nhs.uk/staywell.