Patient Board Newsletter

Spring/Summer 2025

 

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Covid Spring Booster 2025

The COVID-19 Spring Vaccine Booster season has begun. The surgery held a clinic on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th of April. To date 55% of those aged 75 years and over and 37% of those who are immunocompromised have received the vaccine.  Mop-up clinics continue to be held in the coming weeks.

 

Triage System

The Practice triage system is bespoke to our surgery.

We are aware that some Primary Care services have moved to a model called ‘Total Triage’. This only allows for the booking of appointments on the day (both routine and urgent appointments).

It was reviewed as an option by Westbury-On-Trym Primary Care Centre but declined at the time to support patients to book routine appointments in advance.

Transport

The proposed charges to the car park outside the surgery will progress to the next stage, a traffic regulation order (TRO). During this time the plans will be available for comment during a 3-week consultation period.

The Patient Board and WoTSoc (Westbury on Trym Society) involvement in the car park charging proposals has been valuable and have helped secure a free first hour and ensures that this will be available to those who are not in a position to use digital applications.

 

Digital Inclusion

The funding for these workshops has now come to an end. It was agreed that the workshop approach was not wholly successful, and the provision of one-to-one support would perhaps be a more successful approach both to maintain confidentiality and to provide speedy support.

Benefits of digital inclusion:

  • test results can be viewed in detail and speedily
  • appointments with the surgery and hospitals can be checked
  • clinical letters can be seen
  • it is cost effective and does not involve the same costs as like text messaging and letters

Technology support

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being explored within a healthcare setting. This includes the recording of consultations to produce automated notes for medical records.

 

Update on Acer Detox inpatient unit

The specialised inpatient unit at Southmead Hospital which treats those with acute problems with alcohol and drug addiction is in danger of losing its ten bed facility by 30 June. Please sign a petition which staff and patients have initiated to call for keeping the inpatient unit open.

SIGN THE PETITION

Patient Board

Do you have an hour to spare every 3 months?

The Patient Board consists of a small patients who work closely with the Practice Manager to discuss issues identified by patients which aim to improve the surgery's services.

The patient board are always looking for new members, please visit the webpage at or ask at reception for contact details.

Published: May 1, 2025