Patient Participation Group Newsletter

Winter 2024

A somewhat belated happy New Year from the PPG and the staff of Banbury Cross Health Centre

parking

Car Park

I am sure that by now most of you will have noticed the improvements to the car park. It has been resurfaced and re-lined and has also had two more disabled parking bays added, so, with the additional disabled bays made in the road this now means that our disabled drivers are quite well catered for. Please be aware that the bottom end of the road is a loading bay and is NOT disabled parking and you may get a penalty charge notice (PCN) if you park there.

Don’t forget you still need to check your car in on the Ipads in reception and in the waiting rooms otherwise you may get a fine. Please also be aware that it is the landlords have restricted parking out of normal surgery hours. Please check the signs for this change.

Have you ever wondered what doctors do to relax?

Here is what Dr Gwyneth Rogers has to say about her spare time activities

“I was completely rubbish at art when I was at school and used to dread Miss Whatmore’s disapproving comments and disappointed looks. When the boys were little, I used to love doing arty crafty things with them and found myself still going strong when they had long since gone off to play with Lego and bash each other. I found an adult colouring book long before they became popular and found it to be extremely good at relieving stress. We won’t mention the naughty swear words one I have subsequently been given. So, I now belong to an online art class. It was in person originally but then Covid happened then my art teacher selfishly moved to Bristol. I’m still completely rubbish at art but love mainly using acrylic paints, but also water colours, pastels, pencils, collage, decoupage…My goal when I started was to be able to paint at least one thing which someone else would be able to recognise and I am delighted to say I have managed this! Poppies, in case anyone was wondering. I love my art classes and they make me very content.”

Dr Rogers

Social Prescribing

Last month we gave you an overview of the social prescribers, here is a more in-depth view of what they can offer

The team of 3 social prescribers have been here for 3 years and support patients with nonmedical challenges which are impacting their overall health and wellbeing.

A social prescriber link worker (SPLW) will speak with patients who could be experiencing daily challenges or need support with other things in their lives, which a GP or Nurse can’t help with. Finding out from a patient ‘What matters to them’, as opposed to ‘What is the matter’? a patient can self-refer to a SPLW or be referred by their GP or another medical professional.

Patients’ issues could include (but not limited to):Housing, benefits, bereavement, loneliness, being a carer, long term health conditions, chronic pain, financial, isolation, finding out about the local community, low level anxiety and mental health issues, food bank vouchers, domestic violence.

Your Social Prescriber Patient Support Groups

The SPLW team run monthly patient support groups, exclusively for BCHC patients. These are a Carers Support group, Pain Support group and Menopause Support group. Occasionally we will run a Wellbeing Workshop, and will work in conjunction with ‘Move Together’ to help facilitate a 6-week Seated Exercise class. For more information on the group activities please contact the practice

How to cancel appointments at Banbury Cross Health Centre

Is a question that comes up from time to time so here is the definitive answer from the practice

Reminder SMS

If an appointment is booked more than 3 days before it’s due and the patient has a mobile number on their medical records, we will automatically send a reminder SMS to the patient which will include a cancellation link should they no longer be able to attend their appointment. This link is valid for 7 days. The SMS reminder can be sent either 7 or 3 days before a scheduled appointment.

NHS App/Patient Access

Patients can see their pre-booked appointments on their NHS app or via patient access and the patient can cancel their appointments via these two platforms any time before their appointment is due.

Calling (If in advance)

Patients can call the main phone number to cancel appointments. This should be done by selecting the * option on the phone menu for all other enquiries. This phone line is open between 11:00 am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday. We do kindly ask patients not to call on option 0 for ‘On the day appointments’ as this phone line is for emergency appointments and generally has the longest waiting time.

Online admin for (On website)

On our website there is a Contact Us online option which patients can use, if you select the ‘Admin query’ tab and then ‘Something Else’ patients can advise us if they are unable to attend appointments, this is reviewed from 8:00am throughout the working day.

Come into Reception

Patients can also come into the Reception area at the surgery where the team will be able to cancel any upcoming appointments. Please note they are not able to re-book all appointments and rebooking should still come through on the relevant phone options.

The Macmillan Coffee morning

The Macmillan Coffee morning in September 2023 organized by PPG member Antony Alcock raised the very acceptable amount of £220

First event held at West Bar Surgery, South Bar House. on 3rd September 2019. With the help of Dr Nicky Elliot's Daughter Rachael we set up a table in the main waiting room, with cakes supplied by some of the PPG volunteers and staff, also some cakes from the local farm shop, and my Sir Winston Churchill's fruit cake. We raised an astonishing £650.00.

Unfortunately in 2020 the covid pandemic curtailed our efforts

In September 2021, We held the coffee morning with thanks to Mrs Julia Colegrave, in her Granary, which was a Café at the time. Cakes again supplied from her farm shop, and PPG volunteers also my favourite Sir Winston Churchill's fruit cake. We raised the grand total of £521.

In September 2022, as the Granary was now a full blown Café, we moved our event to Deddington Parish Church, with the kind assistance of the Mothers and Toddlers Group. Once again cakes made by PPG volunteers also a lady who works at the local butchers shop. Yet again I made Sir Winston Churchill's fruit cake as it has become a real hit. We raised £159.

In September 2023. we were invited back to West Bar to Banbury Cross Health Centre, with support from Jennifer Nichols, the Practice Manger and with the support of members of staff who made or donated and then bought cakes. This was held in the 2nd floor waiting room. With help from PPG volunteers and support from staff and patients we raised £220.70

MacMillan have contacted me to say they are extremely grateful for our support, we have raised a total of £1,550.70 which will help fund nursing care.

Here is a breakdown of how the money is used, £247.00 pays for a nurse for one day. £181.00 provides emotional support for one person for around 8 weeks. £21.00 provides 1 hour of their online community forum.

So to sum up it is vital we keep going as although MacMillan get support from some retail stores also from one of the major banks, without fundraising groups like us they would really struggle to meet their target of £24million per year

I will certainly keep going. One of my relations had the benefit of their services and it made an enormous difference to them and their family in their final time.

So, Thanks again to all who have helped me with these events over the past few years.
Antony

Telephone Options

1 - Covid Vaccinations (Info only)
2 - Child Flu Vaccinations (Info only)
3 - Sick note requests 11.00am to 6.00pm
4 - Prescription queries
5 - Test results 11.00am to 6.00pm
6 - Hospital referrals 11.00am to 4.30pm
7 - Blood tests 11.00am to 6.00pm
8 - Treatment room 11.00am to 6.00pm
8 - Long term conditions 11.00am to 6.00pm
0 - On the day appointment
# - Healthcare Professionals
* - All other enquiries 11.00am to 6.00pm

And don’t forget to use the queuebuster to save having to hold on for a long time

woman-holding-medication-phone

Medical Research

Following a reception and presentation in September, BCHC received an award for their research work. A testament to the hours of hard work and dedication of the staff and also the patients involved. This is a “behind the scenes” activity that many people may not be aware of. Well done everybody!

Published: Feb 7, 2024