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WEEDON SURGERY NEWSLETTER
Spring 2010

PROPOSED MERGER WITH GREENS NORTON PRACTICE

The merge is scheduled to take place on 1st April 2010 and the new practice will be called Greens Norton and Weedon Medical Practice. At that time Dr Marina Rookledge who is currently a Salaried GP will become a Partner.

PATIENT SELF CHECK-IN AND SYSTMONLINE

Don't forget that you can save time by using our Patient Self Check-In screen which is located to the right of the Reception Window. The touch screen is easy to use but if you need help the first time you use it please ask at Reception.

You can also save time by registering at Reception for SystmOnline enabling you to order repeat prescriptions and make appointments online.

When you register you will need to bring photo id i.e. driving licence or passport and confirmation of address i.e. a utility bill no more than three months old

out-of-hours ARRANGEMENTS

There is now a new telephone number for the out-of-hours service (when the surgery is not accessible): 03336 664664 You should ring this number if you require a doctor between the hours of 6:30pm and 8:00am Monday to Friday, and at weekends.

SUMMARY CARE RECORD

Due to the amount of coverage in the media about the development of Summary Care Records we are issuing this extract from the NHS Northamptonshire GP Bulletin March 2010

Patients in Northamptonshire will receive faster, more efficient health-care services during 2010 with the introduction of NHS Summary Care Records. The Summary Care Record (SCR) is a secure electronic record of patients' vital health information that can be shared between health-care staff involved in an individual patient's care, ensuring vital informa- tion is at hand during treatment.

The innovative scheme will give doctors and nurses access to information about patients' allergies, medication and any adverse reactions patients may have had to medication in the past. Summary care records greatly increase effective access to patient information and ensure that medical professionals have details of a patients' essential medical history in the event of an emergency.

A summary care record is only accessible by staff directly involved in a patient's treatment (a legiti- mate relationship) via smartcard access. Patients have the option not to be part of the scheme, in which case health-care staff will continue to record details as before.

Over the coming months in Northamptonshire we will be preparing for the Summary Care Record pilot phase with Local GP Practices and Urgent Care Services.

As part of this implementation a formal Public Information Programme will be introduced which will ensure key communication with patients and NHS staff to help them understand how the Summary Care Record works and the options available to them.

To find out more on the Summary Care Record by visiting the Connecting for Health website:

www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk

Produced in conjunction with the Patient Participation Group:

Clare Blackman, John Ford, Barry Fuller, Dr Katy Hill, Paul Holdsworth, Devina Moore,
Eileen Perry, John Ford, Diana Wright and Rachel Cox

Friends of Weedon Surgery
Contact: Eileen Perry 38 West Street, Weedon NN7 4QU Telephone 01327 340271

FOCUS ON HEALTH

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR WEIGHT

The British population has gradually been getting more and more overweight. In the last 10 years, the number of people who are very overweight has doubled. Many of us have attempted to loose weight with some success, however all too often the changes tried were too hard to keep up forever, and we gain weight again.

Risks of being overweight

Excess weight gain happens when we take in more calories than our body can burn, this often hap- pens overtime. Research shows that being overweight can lead to greater risk of developing medi- cal conditions such as coronary heart disease, back pain, Type 2 diabetes, gallstones, painful joints, osteoarthritis, infertility and some cancers, to name but a few. Not to mention the emotional aspects of being over weight, for some people being overweight can lead to low self esteem and negative thoughts about their bodies.

Reducing the risks

The good news is that research has shown that losing even a small amounts of weight can benefit your health. This can be achieved by making small but healthy changes to what you eat and by being more active. We know that losing 5 to 10 % of your weight will help to:

lower your diabetes risk
lower your blood cholesterol levels
lower your blood pressure
improve your fertility

What can I do myself?

To loose weight you need to use up more energy (calories) than your body takes in from food and drink. You can do this in three ways:

• Cut down on the calories you eat and drink , by eating smaller servings from a smaller plate; plan your meals; develop habits which make you less inclined to crave high fat /sugary snacks; cut down on your alcohol units and select lower calorie options of the food and drinks you have regularly.

• Being more physically active, by adding more activity to your day such as getting up on your feet for 10 minutes in every hour, such as standing on the bus instead of sitting and getting off one stop early and walking. Gradually increase the amount of activity you do, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity at least five days a week.

• Doing a bit of both, by combining more activity with less food and drink you have the greatest chance of losing weight because not only are you taking in less energy, you are also burning up more energy that has been stored as fat.

Make the changes for good

Thinking about aspects of your lifestyle that may have contributed towards your gradual weight gain over the years and starting to take small steps towards changing these will be useful, For ex- ample, if you snack when you get home from work, try planning your meals in advance and start preparing them as soon as you get in . Making small changes to your daily activity that can even- tually become a habit, rather that making drastic changes that leave you overwhelmed or are too hard to stick to for good.

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/Change4life it's free to join, over 436,799 people have joined so far. Its motto is Eat Well, Move More, Live Longer.