Patient Newsletter April 2024
📆 Getting a GP appointment in South West London
According to the latest NHS Digital data, in February 2024:
- More than 2 in 5 people living in South West London had a GP appointment.
- 60% of patients had an appointment with a GP.
- GP practices in our patch provided almost 743,000 appointments.
Our Tudor Lodge team provided over 3,100 of those appointments and continues to work hard to help our patients get the care they need when they need it.
Unfortunately though, we lost 180 appointments last month because patients booked but failed to attend. We cannot stress enough how frustrating this is for our team and, most importantly, other patients who are desperate for appointments. We are now removing patients from our practice list who continually fail to attend appointments. Remember: if you no longer need it, cancel it.
âś… Important news for patients with long-term conditions
You already know the importance of reviewing your condition regularly with our team. To help us help you, always keep your eyes peeled during your birthday month for a review invite from the practice. We’ll ask you questions about your condition, and this will help us review how you are managing your condition and follow up where necessary.
đź“®Had one of these through your letterbox?
If you’re over 60, you might have received a free bowel cancer screening kit in the post at some point and thought, should I take part? It’s a big yes you should from our team!
These tests can help detect bowel cancer at an early stage, even if you have no symptoms. This is when treatment is more likely to be effective. Screening can also find polyps. These are abnormal clumps of cells in the bowel. Polyps are not cancers but may develop into cancers over time. Polyps can be easily removed, which reduces the risk of bowel cancer developing. Regular bowel cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from bowel cancer.
The kit is easy and hygienic to use but it’s your choice whether you use it. There are instructions on the lid and this short animation (available in different languages) also shows you how to use the kit.
For more information about the kit and the process involved please visit:
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Staff changes at Tudor Lodge
This month, we bid farewell to Dr Vala who has departed for pastures new down under! We wish you all the best in Australia, Dr Vala!
And it’s a big hello and welcome to Dr Watson, who has joined the team three days a week on Monday, Tuesday & Friday.
🤳 Almost half of all patients now use the NHS App
We are delighted to see that nearly half of our patients at Tudor Lodge are now using the NHS App to manage their health!
The feedback about the NHS App in our recent patient survey was glowing too.
“It saves so much time!”
“I use it for repeat prescriptions and wouldn’t go back to paper now”
“So easy to use and quick responses”
The NHS App gives you a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services. You can use it to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, check test results, and the status of some hospital referrals. You can learn more about the NHS and how to download it at NHS.uk
QUICK TIP: Don’t forget to turn on notifications within the app so you can receive messages/letters from the practice and hospital if you’re under one now.
🧹Spring clean your stress this April
Recognising the signs of stress and knowing where you can go for help can make a big difference in the way you manage stress. April is Stress Awareness Month so there will be lots of information online about stress and how to manage it. Here’s what the NHS says about stress. We all tackle stress differently so it’s about finding what suits you and your personality.
Feeling stressed at work is not uncommon but employers have a duty of care to ensure you don’t burn out from stress. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed at work, always start by talking to your employer. Good employers should be able to adjust your workload and direct you to Employee Assistance Programmes, which can help you access counselling and therapy services quickly. This can sometimes be quicker than accessing NHS talking therapies depending on your needs.
If the things you’re trying yourself aren’t helping or you’re struggling to cope, please make an appointment with one of the GPs at the surgery to discuss it. Remember, you are not alone!
đź’¤ Snoring: when should you seek help?
Do you live with someone who snores? Maybe it’s you? It’s a really common complaint we hear about from patients, and while it’s not usually caused by anything serious, there are some things that can help if it’s becoming a problem.
NHS.uk recommends the following things to try as well as avoid when it comes to snoring:
Do
- Try to lose weight if you’re overweight.
- Sleep on your side – try taping or stitching a tennis ball to the back of your sleepwear, or put a couple of extra pillows behind you to help keep you on your side.
- Consider buying a cheap pair of earplugs from the pharmacy.
Do not
- Do not drink too much alcohol before bed. This can relax the throat muscles, worsening snoring.
- Do not smoke or take sleeping pills.
You should encourage a partner to see a GP if lifestyle changes aren’t really helping with the snoring, if it’s having a big impact on you or their life, or if their breathing stops and starts or they make gasping or choking noises while they sleep. This could be sleep apnoea, which can be serious if not treated.
