Surgery News

Surgery Newsletter

Please see the latest Surgery newsletter.

Healthwatch Newsletter

Please see the latest Healthwatch newsletter.

Hope Programme - Digital Courses

The Hope Programme is a range of face-to-face and digital courses, respectively, which empower people to manage their health and wellbeing and to flourish in their working and personal lives. The courses are based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy and rooted in research evidence.

There are a number of courses running during 2024 including two in the south west for parents of autistic children and patients with long term conditions.

Visit the Hope for the Community website

Publication of Local GP Data

You may have seen that on 24 November, NHS Digital will publish General Practice Access Data (GPAD) for all practices in England on a monthly basis.

This will cover, for example: time between booking and appointment date; total appointments, how the patient was consulted, (e.g. telephone or in person) and who consulted with the patients (e.g. GP or other healthcare professional).

It has been acknowledged that GPAD is an experimental statistics publication, which means the statistics are in the testing phase and are not yet fully developed. See Appointments in general practice: supporting information.

Dr Jeremy Imms, Associate Director for Primary Care, NHS Somerset said: “We know just how hard our GP practices in Somerset have been working in recent years responding to the pressures of Covid-19, at a time when there has a huge increase in demand for their services.".

“It’s been disappointing for a number of our GPs to see that there are inaccuracies in the data published today."

“This includes data showing a number of practices are seeing very few patients face-to-face, when in fact they are performing well above average. We understand this has been caused by a problem with computer systems. We would like to reassure patients and staff in affected practices that we are working hard to make sure this data is updated to reflect the true picture."

“We have a wide range of staff in primary care at our 63 GPs in Somerset, ranging from mental health nurses and paramedics to health connectors, physiotherapists, practice nurses, care navigator, as well as GPs, who all help our patients access the care that they need.”

“We are pleased to see that the 2022 GP Patient Survey looking at data from July 2021 to July 2022 recognised the quality of care our practices in Somerset provide, including:

95% of patients in Somerset say they have confidence and trust in healthcare staff at their GP (compared to 93% nationally)
93% said they had their needs met (compare to 91% nationally)

Vist NHS Somerset for more information around primary care in Somerset.

The newstory is also available on the: NHS Somerset website

Please find links to new films which have been created to help show Somerset GP services in action.

The first film is called: Accessing Primary Care in Somerset
The second film is called: Getting Help at your GP

National data opt-out

The national data opt-out enables patients to opt-out from the use of their personal confidential data for research or planning purposes. To find out more or to register to opt out, please visit nhs.uk - Your Data Matters.

If you have any concerns about use of your data not covered by the National Data Opt out, please contact the practice.

For further details, please see our article on the National Data Opt-out.

Health Connections Mendip

Health Connections Mendip is a health and wellbeing service available to patients. Patients can talk to a health connector to find out about local activities, support and services available, and can also arrange one-to-one appointments to speak to a Connector.
Health Connections Mendip page
Health Connections Mendip website
Mendip Directory of Services

Below is a documentary about Health Connections Mendip:

We can now contact you by text message

Let us tell you about...

Regular checkups, Medication reviews, Vaccination reminders and your appointment.

Independent Living Centres

Somerset’s Adult Social Care have recently relaunched our Independent Living Centres (SILCs) which we are trying to promote to the wider Somerset community. Our centres in Shepton Mallet and Wellington are now open for pre-booked appointments where people can talk to our Adult Social Care Occupational Therapy led team and try out equipment and technology to make daily living easier. The SILC Service is free for people to attend through booking an appointment on 0300 123 2224 or email adults@somerset.gov.uk.

These 2-minute videos will show you what to expect when you visit:

Give HIV the Finger

A finger-prick test is all it takes. See SWISH for details.

Reminder for Asthma or Diabetes patients

As your Annual Review is due during your month of birth, please make sure that you book your annual review at the beginning of your month of birth with reception.

Free guide from Independent Age

Winter Wise: ways to look after yourself during the coldest months.

Visit the Independent Age website

End Loneliness in Mendip

Visit the End Loneliness in Mendip website.

Chlamydia Testing

The freetest.me service offers free chlamydia testing and HIV testing in participating regions. Simply visit the freetest.me website to see if you're eligible to order a free STI test kit or pick one up from the foyer at Vie Surgery.

Research Projects

We are a Research Practice. Please see our Research page if you would like to know more.

Somerset Domestic Abuse Support Helpline (DAFFS)

Do you want to talk to someone about domestic abuse? Contact the Somerset Domestic Abuse Support helpline on:

Tel: 0800 69 49 999 or send an email or visit the Somerset Domestic Abuse Support Helpline website.

Somerset Choices

Local services and information to help you choose the right care and support.
Somerset Choices website

Would you like to be part of a Men’s Shed in Street?

Why are Sheds Needed?

The Men’s Shed movement began in Australia when men realised the value of coming together around practical tasks on a regular basis, particularly if they had a designated place or workshop where tools and work in progress could be stored. It appealed to men both living alone or with partners and at all ages. Although the vast majority of ‘shedders’ are at, or beyond, retirement you do not need to be at retirement age to join in. In fact Men’s Sheds appeal to a wide variety of people, such as:

those who have retired and are looking for new interests
those with extra time on their hands and enjoy practical tasks
those who enjoy fixing and making things and recycling materials
those who enjoy other people’s company and want to meet others
those who would like to learn new skills

Sheds in the UK

There are now over 800 Sheds (20 in Somerset) in the UK with more in planning. Sheds vary from full-time projects in substantial premises to groups meeting in village halls and community centres for only a few hours a week.

Most Sheds have been started by their users with local support, donations of tools and premises being given, borrowed and used often in exchange for repair work. Further information at the UK Men’s Sheds Association.

A Shed in Street

Does this sound like a great project to get involved with? If you would like to be involved in starting a Men’s shed in Street or receive more information about a Men’s Shed project in Street contact Brian Bastable on 01458 443940 or send an email to Brian, visit the Street Men's Shed website, or Find us on Facebook.

The Street & Walton Men's Shed has new opening times:

Monday 9:00am to 12:30pm - (Mixed session)
Tuesday 9:00am to 12:30pm - (Men only) and 1:00pm to 4:30pm (Mixed session)
Thursday 9:30am to 12:30pm - (Men only) and 1:00pm to 4:30pm (Mixed session)

The shed membership has grown to 54 with a third being women, we are working with Glastonbury and Compton Dundon Repair Cafes and hope that Street will have one soon.

We know that...

...you are finding it increasingly difficult to get an appointment with your chosen doctor as quickly as either you or we would like…. we want to explain why.

There were 340 million GP consultations last year, up from 300 million 5 years ago compared with 22 million to A&E.
Your GP is being asked to do more and more work for hospitals because they are under pressure too.
Successive governments have given us more paperwork so less time to spend with patients.
In addition we now have to attend management meetings about the structure of the NHS, have time out to prepare for Care Quality Commission inspections as well as spending time on educational meetings so that we can ‘revalidate’ and remain in practice.
We can no longer limit the number of patients we have registered with us without reducing the services we provide to you.
General Practices do 90% of the consultations in the NHS on less than 8% of the budget, 10 years ago it was 10% of the budget.
All this means that young doctors don’t want to be GPs anymore and established GPs want to leave the profession early.
In Somerset, a survey showed that nearly a third of GPs retired by 2020 with many others now expected to give up early.
Between 2018 and 2020 Practices were only able to replace 2/3 of doctors leaving their Practices.

SO...
If you hear that we are not working hard enough and only want money to line our own pockets, please don’t believe it. All we want is more time and less interference so that we can get on with what we have been trained to do - to help you and your families get well, keep well and stay well.

Patient Records

This practice records information about you, your health and your treatment, so that you receive the right care. We are also involved in research that requires access to fully annonymised computerised information from patient's notes. Further information, and how you can opt out.