1. Combs Ford Surgery Patient Information Screen October 2013

2. Welcome to the Surgery!

3. THE PRACTICE WILL BE CLOSED FOR STAFF TRAINING ON :- THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER 1-6.30PM WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER 1-4.30PM There will be no morning surgery on Saturday 5th, 12th and 26th of October due to Flu Clinics. The Dispensary will be open but the receptionists are unable to help with any other issues on these mornings, booking appointments etc We apologise for any inconvenience.

4. STAY SAFE THIS WINTER Book your Seasonal Flu Vaccination now!

5. Seasonal Flu Clinics Free vaccinations if you are; Over 65 A Carer Pregnant Or suffer from; Heart problems or a chest complaint Asthma requiring regular inhalers Kidney disease or diabetes Lowered immunity or are a stroke victim

6. SEASONAL FLU CLINICS Saturday 26th October 2013 Monday 28 th October Thursday 31 st October Please note that these sessions are for patients eligible for the seasonal flu vaccination and have booked an appointment in advance only.

7. SEASONAL FLU CLINICS The staff will be collecting for charity on flu days and would appreciate your support, thank you.

8. Children’s Flu Clinics This year all children aged 2-3 years old will be offered a flu vaccine administered via a nasal spray All children in this category will receive a letter with an appointment for the 5 th of October Please let reception know if you do not wish your child to have this vaccine.

9. Shingles vaccine….. New shingles vaccination Available NOW Very strict age criteria apply Initially only for those who are aged 70 on the 1 st of September but have not reached 71 Followed by catch up programme for those aged 79 on the 1 st of September Those eligible will receive an invitation letter

10. Getting the best from your Consultation Write down your key questions in advance Make a note of when you started to feel unwell, symptoms etc and any contributing factor ie a recent holiday or injury As a friend or family member along if you need support Share all the information with the clinician – don’t be embarrassed. They are trained to deal with the intimate and uncomfortable

11. Getting the most from the Practice Learn how the Practice works when you are well –not in an emergency Check how to make an urgent appointment Ask for a copy of the Practice Leaflet Keep a list of your medications with you – this will help if you need to see a GP whilst away from home

12. Phlebotomy (Blood) Clinic The Practice runs a phlebotomy clinic to take bloods every weekday morning Each appointment is for 7.5 minutes Please be ready with coats off!

13. Phlebotomy (Blood) Clinic We regret that we are unable to offer other services at this time i.e. blood pressure checks However if you feel unwell please let the phlebotomist know who can arrange for an appointment with another clinician

14. Test Results Doctors and staff will only discuss results of a test with the patient concerned Unfortunately they will have to refuse to give any information to a representative (except in the case of minors)

15. Test Results The Doctor or Nurse will contact you if there is anything to report on your results Please make sure we have your correct landline and mobile phone number The receptionist may be able to advise with some test results

16. Consent Informed implied or expressed consent will be obtained before any procedure or examination is carried out. An explanation will be given to the patient sufficient to understand the procedure.

17. Consent Should the procedure carry a risk that the patient is likely to consider as being substantial, expressed consent (written or verbal) will be obtained. Copies of the consent policy are available on request.

18. Care Quality Commission GPs can now expect to receive an inspection from the CQC every 2 years The inspectors will give 48 hours notice and will focus on set areas Their role is to make sure that the care provided meets national standards of quality and safety

19. Care Quality Commission How do they do this? Ask people about their experiences of receiving care in the Practice Talk to staff Check that the right systems and processes are in place Look for evidence that care isn’t meeting national standards

20. Care Quality Commission Patients will be advised when an inspection is taking place The Partners would encourage you to speak to the inspectors about your experiences Following an inspection, a report is published on the CQC website. For more information go to www.cqc.org.ukwww.cqc.org.uk

21. Outside normal working hours Evenings and weekends For urgent advice and treatment Call the usual surgery number and you will be given the number to use – 111

22. Contact Us We welcome constructive feedback! Combs Ford Surgery Combs Lane STOWMARKET IP14 2SY Tel – 01449 678333 (not to be used for prescription orders) Please note that calls are recorded for quality and training purposes. www.combsfordsurgery.org.uk