Lambourn Surgery Patient Participation Group Newsletter, April 2022

Spring Covid Booster

Lambourn Surgery and Lambourn Pharmacy will be offering a covid booster vaccination to patients aged 75 years and over and patients with a weakened immune system. Appointments will be available from the National Booking Service shortly. You should be offered an appointment around 6 months and not before 3 months after your last dose of vaccine.

Please do not call the surgery but wait to be invited and follow the instructions on the letter or text you receive.

Covid Testing and Treatment

Although free Covid tests have been discontinued for most, they are still available for those who are at highest risk of becoming seriously ill. If you are eligible then they may be ordered online (search NHS website “Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests”)

Similarly, it is important for those eligible that they report a positive test, since they are likely to be eligible for anti-viral treatment and a positive test report will trigger the treatment process. Search NHS website “Treatments for coronavirus (COVID-19)”

If in doubt, please check with the surgery.

Blood Pressure Monitor

In the last issue we described the essential support that the Surgery Amenities fund provides to the Surgery, and we are pleased to announce that a Blood Pressure machine, purchased by the fund, has now been installed in the waiting room. This enables patients to take their own blood pressure while in the surgery without an appointment. They are then able to produce a printout which can be handed in at reception so that their patient record may be updated.

Travel Assistance

Support is available for patients who have difficulty travelling to healthcare appointments. The Lambourn Volunteer Driver group is available for those requiring transport to healthcare appointments. They can be contacted 01488 71536 on a Monday or Thursday between 10.00 and 12.00. There may also be financial support available through the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Support is available to low-income families and those on certain benefits. Full details are available online (search NHS website “HTCS”) or there is a leaflet available from the surgery or PPG.

Remember

In order that our surgery can provide care to those most in need please consider consulting with a pharmacist or calling 111 or using the online service 111.nhs.uk for straightforward medical advice. If you do need to attend the surgery, remember that it is still a requirement to wear a face covering in healthcare settings (unless exempt).

Missed appointments continue to be a cause for concern, on average 100 clinical appointments are missed each month. It is not just the cost of such lost time but the key implication is the lost opportunity for others requiring appointments. Please help by letting the surgery know if your appointment is no longer needed.

You can contact the PPG via email; ppgchairpersonlambourn@gmail.com or in writing via the surgery office (Bockhampton Road, Lambourn, RG17 8PS) addressed to the Chair of the PPG.

Alan Breadmore, Chair, Lambourn Surgery PPG