Patient Newsletter February 2024
Over half of patients now contact Tudor Lodge digitally
It’s been great to see so many of our patients using our new online booking form with the help of Dot, our new virtual assistant and chatbot. In January, over half of you (57%) used our digital appointment service, as well as 1 in 5 patients using the service to order prescriptions.
More patients using our digital service means we can cut down waiting times on the telephone for patients who cannot contact us online.
Don’t forget we read all online requests on the same working day if you send them between 7am and 3pm (Monday to Friday) and for any urgent requests, we aim to get back to you within 2-3 hours.
Remember, help is always available if you’re not sure about filling in an online form. Feel free to ask Dot on our website (you’ll find her in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen) or pop into the surgery where one of our friendly receptionists can show you how it’s done.
Need to check your blood pressure?
Pop along to our waiting room where you can check it or ask if you can borrow a monitor if you’ve been asked to take readings over a longer timeframe by one of the clinicians.
Just don’t forget to return it when you’ve finished. We loan monitors and different types of equipment to patients in good faith that they’ll bring them back once finished.
Making the most of those little moments together
The more we chat, play and read with our kids, the more we help build their brains. Any time, anywhere, whether at home or out and about, it all adds up.
There’s no need to buy lots of toys or have big days out. Wherever you are, simply chatting back and forth, answering your child’s questions and sharing special moments together all help their brain to grow and develop secure and strong connections. Just what they need to get off to the right start at school.
The Start for Life website is packed with simple ideas from other parents on how to build these little moments into each day. It includes lots of examples of tips and activities for you to do together with your child at different ages, as well as links to find further support in your local area.
Think Pharmacy First
Did you know that conditions such as a sore throat and earache can now be treated at your local pharmacy without the need to contact us here at the surgery?
Skip the wait for a GP appointment and pop along to your local pharmacy for a consultation if you think you are suffering from one of the following seven conditions:
✅ Sore throat
✅ Earache
✅ Sinusitis
✅ Impetigo
✅ Shingles
✅ Infected insect bite
✅ Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under 65.
There’s more information about Pharmacy First here.
Got medical equipment you no longer need?
Local NHS services lose thousands of pounds each year due to missing equipment so it will definitely count as your good deed for the day!
It’s good to talk
If you’re struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety, seeking help through an NHS Talking Therapies service can be one of the best steps you can take to overcome mental health issues and get back on track.
You don’t need to have a diagnosed mental health problem to refer yourself to an NHS Talking Therapies service. Getting support as soon as you start having difficulties can help to reduce their impact. The team at Tudor Lodge can refer you for NHS Talking Therapies, or you can refer yourself online at nhs.uk/talk.
